PCL102H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Pit Viper, Rapa Nui Language, Taxus Brevifolia
1 Feb 2018
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Drugs from the forest / sea / every natural source. After you identify the target proteins how to discover drug / where do drugs come from. Didnt know that there was salicylic acid (used to make aspirin) 50% of medicine on the market is derived from natural products. Molecules produced by living organisms for a variety of functions. Primary metabolites = nucleic acids, lipids, amino acids, sugars. Some of the most potent leads for new drugs. Because theyre always in chemical warfare with other pathogens. Examples of most important drugs that came from humblest creatures. Came from soil bacterium on easter island of rapa nui. Unusually fertile source of promising new drugs so coral reefs need to. Very hard to discover these molecules be preserved. Scientists scoops soil samples to bring back to labs. Samples screened against different kinds of cells. Any effect on the cell was noted. But low success rate - need protein target.
