High-Throughput Screening of Natural Products

High-throughput screening (HTS) is a powerful analytical tool for assaying large and small libraries of molecules. In these assays, molecular targets for diseases are adapted to a variety of conventional assay platforms, such as binding assays or enzyme inhibition 

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Not all leads are discovered through a high-throughput screen of a chemical library. Two of the more commonly mentioned alternative methods include serendipitous discovery and optimization of side effects from an existing drug or drug candidate. The important role of natural products in drug discovery also deserves extra attention. 

For TM to be accepted into mainstream medical treatment, a likely scenario is the application of scientific methodologies and controls for TM development, evaluation, and production. Many of the tools for high throughput screening (HTS) and assay systems can be used to test the efficacy of TM, similar to the irrational approach of screening natural products. Pharmacology studies have to be conducted in accordance with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). 

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