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Pharmacognosy: A Contemporary Review of Natural Products and Their Therapeutic Potential
Abstract
Pharmacognosy, the study of bioactive compounds from natural sources, has evolved from its ethnobotanical roots into a multidisciplinary science central to modern drug discovery. Traditional systems such as Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and African ethnomedicine continue to inspire the identification of phytochemicals with therapeutic potential. Flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polyphenols derived from medicinal plants have demonstrated activity against inflammation, infection, cancer, and neurodegeneration, acting through pathways like NF-κB, JAK/STAT, and apoptotic signalling.
Recent technological advancements—such as metabolomic profiling, high-throughput screening, and molecular docking—facilitate rapid characterization and mechanistic evaluation of natural compounds. Marine pharmacognosy further expands the scope of drug discovery, offering novel scaffolds from sponges, algae, and cyanobacteria with potent biological activities.
To overcome challenges like poor solubility and low bioavailability, nano-delivery systems (e.g., liposomes, phytosomes, green-synthesized nanoparticles) are being employed to enhance efficacy and targeted delivery. Simultaneously, biotechnology enables sustainable compound production through plant tissue culture and microbial fermentation, reducing dependence on wild harvesting.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning now accelerate natural product research by predicting bioactivity, optimizing structures, and guiding multi-target drug development. Despite these advances, issues such as standardization, regulatory approval, and conservation of medicinal species remain significant.
This review summarizes key developments in pharmacognosy, highlighting its growing relevance in producing safe, sustainable, and effective therapeutics. By merging traditional knowledge with modern technologies, pharmacognosy continues to contribute significantly to the global pharmaceutical landscape.
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