Compounding, drug information sources

Fig. 3.1 Drug discovery sources in context. Different types of chemicai compounds (top left) are tested against bioassays that are relevant to therapeutic targets, which are derived from several possible sources of information (right).The initial lead compounds discovered by the screening process are optimised by analogue synthesis and tested for appropriate pharmacokinetic properties.The candidate compounds then enter the development process involving regulatory toxicology studies and clinical trials.

The batrachotoxin story illustrates several common themes in the discovery of new drugs. First, information about the kinds of biologically active compounds and their sources are often obtained from the native peoples of a region. Second, tropical rain forests are a rich source of structurally complex, biologically active substances. Third, an entire ecosystem, not only the plants, is a potential source of fascinating organic molecules. 

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