Emerging Paradigms in Natural Products-Based Drug Discovery

Natural products especially plant products and their derivatives have been the most vital sources for drug discovery. Several phytochemical lead compounds possessing various pharmacological activities have been identified from the diverse plant kingdoms. Additionally, traditional medical knowledge has been a prominent source of information for developing new drugs. The conventional approach of identifying lead compounds in plants is extremely time-consuming and laborious. Computational methods have a significant potential to overcome some of the limitations of conventional approaches in drug discovery, particularly the reduction in the period. We have reported the potential biological activity of a few herbal formulations using computer-aided drug discovery methods. Recently, traditional plant-based medicines have gained attention due to their efficacy and fewer side effects, compared to synthetic drugs. Conservation of the plants is crucial to obtaining a consistent and sustainable source of traditional herbal medicines and exploring more potential sources of novel herbal therapeutics. In this chapter, diverse methods used to find pharmacological activities of natural compounds necessary for drug development are discussed, along with the significance of conserving plant biodiversity to ensure the sustainability of traditional herbal medicines.