Natural Products

Natural products generally refer to organic compounds that are produced by living organisms such as plants, animals, and microorganisms and are present in nature.

Plant sources: The most common. Such as alkaloids (morphine, caffeine), flavonoids (ginkgo flavonoids), terpenoids (artemisinin, menthol), glycosides (cardiac glycosides). 

Microbial sources: The main sources of antibiotics. For example, penicillin (from fungi), tetracycline (from actinomycetes), statins (for lowering cholesterol). 

Marine biological sources: A hot area in new drug research in recent years. For example, cytarabine (an anti-cancer drug) is extracted from sponges and ascidians. 

Animal sources: such as musk, cantharidin, heparin (anticoagulant) etc.