Major Sources of Commercially Viable Drugs
Naturally Occurring Drugs are usually obtained from plant or animal sources. 1. Alkaloids: are nitrogen-containing compounds occurring in plants and possessing pharmacological activity. Most alkaloids have a basic character (e.g., morphine from opium poppy or atropine from belladonna), whereas others are neutral amides (e.g., colchicines from autumn crocus). All alkaloids end in the suffix –ine;…