Chapter 13: Structural Diversity and Sources of Drugs: From Nature to Synthetic and Recombinant DNA Technology

Drug molecules can be small or large (e.g. protein-based) compounds. They may be obtained from natural sources such as plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, and marine organisms, or synthesised in the laboratory. Genetic engineering and biotechnology tools can also be applied to identify and develop drugs. This chapter summarises the diversity of drug molecules by looking into common biosynthesis pathways in living systems and traditional and modern drug discovery approaches.