Plant-derived natural products approved for therapeutic use in the last thirty years (1984–2014)

Question 1

Artemisinin

Answer 1

Malaria treatment (radical formation)
from traditional Chinese plantArtemisia annuato combat multidrug resistant malaria,

Question 2

Arglabin

Answer 2

Cancer chemotherapy (farnesyl transferase inhibition)

Question 3

Capsaicin

Answer 3

Postherpetic neuralgia (TRPV1 activator)

Question 4

Colchicine

Answer 4

Gout (tubulin binding)

Question 5

Dronabinol / Cannabidol

Answer 5

Chronic neuropathic pain (CB1 and CB2 receptor activation)

Question 6

Galanthamine

Answer 6

Dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease (ligand of human nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs))

Question 7

Ingenol mebutate

Answer 7

Actinic keratosis (inducer of cell death)

Question 8

Masoprocol

Answer 8

Cancer chemotherapy (lipoxygenase inhibitor)

Question 9

Omacetaxine mepesuccinate (Homoharringtonine)

Answer 9

Oncology (protein translation inhibitor)

Question 10

Paclitaxel

Answer 10

Cancer chemotherapy (mitotic inhibitor)

Question 11

Solamargine

Answer 11

Cancer chemotherapy (apoptosis triggering)

Question 12

Tamiflu

Answer 12

Oseltamivir phosphate is an orally active neuraminidase inhibitor developed for the treatment and prophylaxis of influenza viruses A and B.

Question 13

what is the starting material for the oseltamivir synthesis?

Answer 13

shikimic acid, a biochemical intermediate in plants and microorganisms.

Question 14

where was shikimic acid initially sourced?

Answer 14

extracted solely from the fruits of the shikimi tree (Illicium verum Hook.f.), also known as star anise.

Question 15

why was this an issue?

Answer 15

expensive spice

Question 16

how is it now produced?

Answer 16

from the fermentation of genetically engineered Escherichia coli strains, which are deficient in the shikimate kinase gene.

Question 17

At the beginning of 21stcentury, what % of the 252 drugs considered as basic and essential by the WHO were exclusively of flowering plant origin.

Answer 17

11%