Modern natural products drug discovery and its relevance to biodiversity conservation

Abstract

Natural products continue to provide a diverse and unique source of bioactive lead compounds for drug discovery, but maintaining their continued eminence as source compounds is challenging in the face of the changing face of the pharmaceutical industry and the changing nature of biodiversity prospecting brought about by the Convention on Biological Diversity. This review provides an overview of some of these challenges and suggests ways in which they can be addressed so that natural products research can remain a viable and productive route to drug discovery. Results from International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups (ICBGs) working in Madagascar, Panama, and Suriname are used as examples of what can be achieved when biodiversity conservation is linked to drug discovery.

Figure 1

Examples of plant-derived drugs and lead compounds.

Figure 2

Semisynthesis of paclitaxel

Figure 3

Halichondrin B and eribulin mesylate.

Figure 4

Trabectidin and its semisynthetic precursor cyanosafracin B.

Figure 5

Examples of modified natural products.

Figure 6

Hoodia compound P57

Figure 7

The Central Suriname Nature Reserve. (a) The three major protected areas of Suriname prior to 1998; (b) Proposed logging concessions 1995; (c) The Central Suriname Nature Reserve established in 1998. The green triangles represent Saramacca and other African-style villages, and the red triangles represent Amerindian villages.

Figure 8

(a) The Montagne des Francais in northern Madagascar; (b) Baobab trees (Adansonia sp.) on the Montagne des Francais. (Photographs by David Kingston)

Figure 9

(a) The dry deciduous forest of Oronjia being destroyed by exploitation of woody vegetation for charcoal production. (b) Celebratory procession at the Ambodivahibe Bay Marine Reserve. (Photographs by Chris Birkinshaw (a) and David Kingston (b))

Figure 10

A view of Coiba Island (Photograph by Alicia Ibañez Tom)

Figure 11

(a) Sarondroina bridge in Zahamena, Madagascar; (b) Primary school in Ambodivahibe, Madagascar. (Photographs (a) by Mamitiana Rakotozafy (b) by David Kingston)

Figure 12

The ipomoeassins.

Figure 13

Coibamide

Figure 14

The schweinfurthins