African Natural Products Database (ANPDB): A resource for exploring the therapeutic potential of natural compounds from Africa

Jude Y Betow^{1

2}, Ammar Qaseem³, Boris D Bekono^{1

4}, Yue Feng³, Aurélien F A Moumbock^{3

5}, Conrad V Simoben⁶, Smith B Babiaka^{2

7}, Solange A Tanyi^{1

2}, Vanessa A Shu⁸, Ariane T Ndi^{1

2}, Pascal Amoa Onguéné^{1

9}, Clovis S Metuge^{1

2}, Simeon Akame¹⁰, Donatus B Eni^{1

2}, Cyril T Namba-Nzanguim^{1

2}, Mathieu J M Tjegbe¹, Marianka N L Dikande^{1

2}, Patience T Akeh^{1

2}, Sounders Balgah Jr¹, Cyprian D Meh^{1

2}, Akachukwu Ibezim¹¹, Idris F Tabi¹, Yvette I Malange^{1

12}, Bakoh Ndingkokhar¹, Leonel E Njume¹, Kiran K Telukunta¹³, Said Amrani¹⁴, Oyere T Ebob¹⁵, Wolfgang Sippl⁸, Stefan Günther³, Fidele Ntie-Kang^{1

2

8}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Drug Discovery, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea CM-00237, Cameroon.
² Department of Chemistry, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea CM-00237, Cameroon.
³ Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Research Group Pharmaceutical Bioinformatics, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 9, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
⁴ Department of Physics, Ecole Normale Supérieure, University of Yaoundé I, P. O. Box 47, Yaoundé CM-00237, Cameroon.
⁵ Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Beethovenstrasse 55, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
⁶ Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada.
⁷ Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
⁸ Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Martin-Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck Str. 4, Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany.
⁹ Department of Chemistry, University of Yaoundé I, Institute of Wood Technology, Mbalmayo, University of Yaoundé I, BP 50, Mbalmayo CM-00237, Cameroon.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea CM00237, Cameroon.
¹¹ Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, 410001 Nsukka, Nigeria.
¹² Research Unit in Nutrition, Health, Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Av. La Fontana 550, Lima PE-15024, Peru.
¹³ Tarunavadaanenasaha Muktbharatonnayana Samstha Foundation, 500026 Hyderabad, India.
¹⁴ Department of Biology, Faculté des Sciences Biologiques - USTHB, 16111 Algiers, Algeria.
¹⁵ Department of Chemistry and Forensics, School of Science and Technology (SST), Nottingham Trent University, NG1 4FQ Nottingham, UK.

PMID: 41243981
DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaf1186

African Natural Products Database (ANPDB): A resource for exploring the therapeutic potential of natural compounds from Africa

Jude Y Betow et al. Nucleic Acids Res. 2025.

. 2025 Nov 17:gkaf1186.

doi: 10.1093/nar/gkaf1186. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Center for Drug Discovery, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea CM-00237, Cameroon.
² Department of Chemistry, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea CM-00237, Cameroon.
³ Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Research Group Pharmaceutical Bioinformatics, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 9, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
⁴ Department of Physics, Ecole Normale Supérieure, University of Yaoundé I, P. O. Box 47, Yaoundé CM-00237, Cameroon.
⁵ Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Beethovenstrasse 55, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
⁶ Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada.
⁷ Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
⁸ Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Martin-Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck Str. 4, Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany.
⁹ Department of Chemistry, University of Yaoundé I, Institute of Wood Technology, Mbalmayo, University of Yaoundé I, BP 50, Mbalmayo CM-00237, Cameroon.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea CM00237, Cameroon.
¹¹ Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, 410001 Nsukka, Nigeria.
¹² Research Unit in Nutrition, Health, Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Av. La Fontana 550, Lima PE-15024, Peru.
¹³ Tarunavadaanenasaha Muktbharatonnayana Samstha Foundation, 500026 Hyderabad, India.
¹⁴ Department of Biology, Faculté des Sciences Biologiques - USTHB, 16111 Algiers, Algeria.
¹⁵ Department of Chemistry and Forensics, School of Science and Technology (SST), Nottingham Trent University, NG1 4FQ Nottingham, UK.

PMID: 41243981
DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaf1186

Abstract

The African Natural Products Database (ANPDB) is a comprehensive repository currently encompassing over 11 000 natural compounds sourced from diverse species across the African continent. ANPDB integrates both experimental and predicted NMR and MS data to enhance compound annotation and facilitate dereplication, utilizing machine learning algorithms for spectral simulation and fragment prediction. The database offers a range of methods for compound structure search, including substructure matching, chemical similarity analysis, and property-based filtering, empowering users to efficiently explore chemical diversity. ANPDB also compiles detailed metadata on the traditional medicinal uses of source organisms, linking ethnobotanical knowledge with chemical and biological data. By consolidating information on biological sources, bioactivities, traditional applications, and bibliographic references (currently ranging from 1961 to 2024), ANPDB provides a robust platform for drug discovery, natural products research, and the exploration of Africa's unique chemical and medicinal biodiversity. The database is open access, and the entire dataset and metadata are available for download and for computer-aided drug design endeavours. Link to the website: https://african-compounds.org.

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African Natural Products Database (ANPDB): A resource for exploring the therapeutic potential of natural compounds from Africa

Affiliations

African Natural Products Database (ANPDB): A resource for exploring the therapeutic potential of natural compounds from Africa

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources