Natural products

Question 1

what are the steps to get from natural product to medicine?

Answer 1

1. Natural product crude extracts
2. Pure natural products
3. Semisynthetic natural products
4. Natural products as starting materials
5. Natural products as leads for synthetic drugs

Question 2

what are the indications of St Johns wort?

Answer 2

anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, ability to relieve
PMS symptoms, improve mood during menopause, improve
symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder

Question 3

what are the side effects for St Johns wort?

Answer 3

gastrointestinal, dizziness, confusion,

photosensitivity

Question 4

what are some drug-drug interactions for St johns wort?

Answer 4

anticonvulsants, cyclosporin, digoxin,
HIV protease inhibitors, oral contraceptives, selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors, theophylline, triptans, warfarin

Question 5

what are some indications for Maidenhair tree?

Answer 5

improve concentration and memory, reduce the
risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, antidepressant,
vision and eye health, relieve ADHD symptoms, improve
libido, fibromyalgia

Question 6

what are some side effects of Maidenhair tree?

Answer 6

nausea, blood thinning, diarrhoea, dizziness,

headaches, stomach ache, restlessness, vomiting, allergy

Question 7

what are some drug-drug interactions for maidenhair tree?

Answer 7

anticoagulants, selective serotonin

reuptake inhibitors

Question 8

what are the indications of echinacea?

Answer 8

acid indigestion, ADHD, antibiotic, chronic fatigue
syndrome, cold, diphtheria, dizziness, flu, genital herpes, gum
disease, malaria, migraine, pain, rattlesnake bite, rheumatism,
septicaemia, tonsillitis, vaginal yeast infection

Question 9

what are some side effects of echinacea?

Answer 9

nausea, diarrhoea, dizziness, headaches,
stomach ache, restlessness, vomiting, fever, sore throat,
muscle or joint pain, dry mouth,
unpleasant taste, numb feeling in your tongue, confusion,
insomnia

Question 10

what are some drug-drug interactiosn of echinacea?

Answer 10

minor

Question 11

what are some positives of using extracts?

Answer 11

•Inexpensive to produce as they are crude extracts
•Widely used around the world, often as primary healthcare
-•Multiple active principles enables synergy and polypharmacology

Question 12

what are some negatives of using extracts?

Answer 12

•Public perception that natural extracts may be safer than synthetic drugs
-Often cause drug-drug interactions, but may not be mentioned by
patients in medicines review
•Dosage is variable and impurities may be present
•Need to be taken with care in compromised patients e.g. pregnant
women, children, aged, chronic ailments

Question 13

what needs to be done for marketing tradational herbal medicines for minor health conditions?

Answer 13

•Apply for a traditional herbal registration

Question 14

what needs to be done for marketing tradational herbal medicines for major health conditions?

Answer 14

application for a

marketing authorisation is required.