Full Description
This book provides an overview of the drug discovery process from natural sources such as plants and microbes. While technological advances have streamlined the drug discovery process, enhancing the throughput and success rates, the structural features of natural products remain the primary reference for small-molecule drug discovery.
Focusing on the drug targets blocked/altered by natural/nature-inspired molecules, it covers how potential drug leads are screened and identified using appropriate assay systems, and the current status of drugs identified using such approaches. State-of-the-art approaches in target identification, assay development, and lead identification have also been discussed in detail. Other topics included are targets and leads in inflammation, cancer, reproductive medicine, cardiovascular and neuromuscular ailments, and infectious diseases as well as the challenges in translating drug leads into clinically viable drugs.
This volume serves as a handbook for researchers in phytochemistry and drug discovery, and as a reference for researchers and students of applied biology.
Contents
Chapter 1. History of therapeutic discovery from natural sources.- Chapter 2. The process of drug development from natural sources.- Chapter 3. Ayurveda-inspired reverse pharmacology in drug discovery.- Chapter 4. Contemporary approaches in drug target identification and validation.- Chapter 5. Assay systems for identification of drug leads: contemporary approaches.- Chapter 6. Computational biology in lead identification and drug development.- Chapter 7. Physiology of inflammatory responses to external and autoimmune agents of diseases.- Chapter 8. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug leads from natural sources.- Chapter 9. Mechanisms of side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.- Chapter 10. Therapeutic targets in cancer.- Chapter 11. Anti-neoplastic drug leads from plants and microbes.- Chapter 12. Anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-parasitic therapeutics from natural sources.- Chapter 13. Anti-viral therapeutics from plants and microbes.- Chapter 14. Cardiovascular therapeutics from natural sources.- Chapter 15. Antidiabetics and antilipemics from nature.- Chapter 16. Therapeutic targets and drug leads for reproductive health.- Chapter 17. Drug leadsfor neuro-muscular disorders from natural sources.
