A review of nature’s pharmacy: Unveiling the sources, classes and therapeutic potentials of natural products in drug discovery

Muoegbunam, Juliet Chiamaka and Nwankwo, Valerie Ezinne and Onwuzuligbo, Amarachukwu Ukamaka and Umeokoli, Blessing Ogechukwu and Abba, Chika Christiana and Okoye, Festus Basden C. and Ngwoke, Kenneth Gerald (2025) A review of nature’s pharmacy: Unveiling the sources, classes and therapeutic potentials of natural products in drug discovery. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 30 (3). 053-063. ISSN 2581-3250

Natural products have been an important source of inspiration for the discovery of new drugs, with many successful drugs derived from natural sources. This review aims at providing an overview of the current state of natural products in drug discovery, highlighting their sources, classes, importance and therapeutic potentials. The findings of this review underscore the significant contribution of natural products in drug discovery with an ongoing stream of new compounds being discovered and developed into effective medicines. Furthermore, this review emphasizes the importance of natural products derived from a wide range of sources, including plants, animals, microorganisms and marine organisms. The review concludes with a focus on plants in drug discovery, tracing the historical significance of medicinal plants and highlighting the various bioactive metabolites obtained from plants with potential therapeutic applications.