Application of Natural and Pseudo Natural Products in Drug Discovery and Development

Dear Colleagues,

Natural products (NPs) and NP-based semi-synthetic compounds have recently regained increased attention by the scientific community due to their great structural and chemical diversity. Notably, NP-based molecules are valid sources for drug lead compounds because 60% of chemotherapeutic agents originate from natural products. On the other hand, pseudo‐natural products (PNPs) combine natural product (NP) fragments in novel and intriguing arrangements which are not accessible via biosynthesis pathways. Moreover, they can be regarded as non‐biogenic fusions of NP‐derived fragments. Scientists have established new synthesis principles to go beyond the chemical space explored by nature by combining the principles of biology-oriented synthesis (BIOS) and fragment-based compound design. Interestingly, scaffolds from different NPs are combined and reconnected into new alternative molecular scaffolds, so-called pseudo-natural products.

The aim of this Topical Collection on natural product (NP)- and pseudo‐natural product (PNP)-based drug discovery is to underline the most recent discoveries and progress in all fields of biological sciences dealing with NPs and PNPs. This Topical Collection will mainly focus on biological studies of NPs and PNPs on a molecular level. In addition, this Topical Collection will also focus on the development of new NPs and PNP-based therapeutic agents for the treatment of numerous diseases, employing the newest techniques of pharmacology, biotechnology, and genetic engineering. This Topical Collection welcomes original articles, communications, and reviews dealing with drug discovery and development.

Prof. Dr. Hidayat Hussain
Collection Editor

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