278
Chapter 16 · Nature’s Pharmacy - Natural Pharmaceuticals
16
Europe, including Herbarius Moguntinus (Mainzer Kräuterbuch, 1484) and the Kreütter Buch
(1546) by Hieronymus Bock . Fig. 16.1).
It was not until the eighteenth century that
the plants were examined more closely and the
principles of their effects clarified. The British
botanist William Withering (1741–1799) first
systematically investigated the therapeutic effect
of the leaves of the red foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) in curing “dropsy”. Today, we know that
the medical effect is based on digitalis glycosides. Through his studies, Withering became the
founder of modern clinical pharmacology.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century,
the systematic search for therapeutic agents in
plants began. The German pharmacist Friedrich
Sertürner (1783–1841) first isolated morphine
from the drug opium, which is extracted from
poppy seeds. He named this alkaloid after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams. The publication
of these investigations was the cause for numerous further discoveries in the following decades.
Especially in pharmacies, many new bioactive
substances were isolated, such as quinine, caffeine, nicotine and atropine. Some of these pharmacies finally developed into pharmaceutical
companies.
While initially individual researchers discovered new natural active substances, today pharmaceuticals isolated from natural substances are
hardly significant. However, many new active
substances at least have natural predecessors. But
only large companies are still able to handle the
new developments of pharmaceuticals, which
often take more than ten years. Statistically, more
than 10,000 compounds have to be tested before
a new active ingredient can be found that can be
launched on the market. This often requires costs
of more than 500 million euros.
The Red List is a list of drugs manufactured
and approved in Germany. In 2013, it comprised
22,674 drugs. Various active substances (pharmaceuticals) are listed in 88 main groups (analgesics, antiallergics, antibiotics, etc.). In other
countries, analogous lists or databases of pharmaceutical products exist.
Of course, this enormous abundance of
active ingredients and the products developed
from them cannot be described in this textbook.
Therefore, a small selection of examples has been
made which show how some important active
Chapter Timetable
5 A look at the history of natural
pharmaceuticals shows us that many
active ingredients have been used by
mankind for thousands of years.
5 We will take a closer look at some
particularly important active ingredients
as examples: acetylsalicylic acid, some
alkaloids, antibiotics and steroids.
16.1 Herbal Pharmaceuticals
For thousands of years, mankind has been using
substances from nature to alleviate or cure diseases. Through experience and handed-down
knowledge, the understanding of medicinal
plants and their therapeutic effects in different
cultures has become more and more extensive.
Today’s modern pharmaceuticals often have
their origin in the knowledge of herbal medicine
(phytotherapy). For this reason, modern research
continues to discover new plants with as yet
unknown therapeutic ingredients that could lead
to new and improved pharmaceuticals.
A brief look into the past shows how intensively people used medicinal plants from an early
age:
5 Already 2600 BC, a highly developed medical
supply with approx. 1000 medicinal plants
existed in Mesopotamia.
5 The Egyptians also had a similar collection:
In the “Papyrus Ebers” from about 1550 BC,
700 natural medicines are listed, most of
them of herbal origin. The papyrus is now in
the University Library of Leipzig.
5 Traditional Chinese medicine and Indian
Ayurvedic medicine have also been using
natural medicinal herbs for 3000 years.
In Europe, the Greeks and Romans were the first
to study natural medicine: The Greek Pedanios
Dioscorides and the Roman writer Pliny the
Elder wrote handbooks on medicine in the first
century. During the early Middle Ages, the Arabs
preserved this medical knowledge and supplemented it with their own as well as Chinese and
Indian discoveries. After the invention of printing by Johannes Gutenberg, several important
books on herbal medicine appeared in Central
Chapter 16 · Nature’s Pharmacy - Natural Pharmaceuticals
16
Europe, including Herbarius Moguntinus (Mainzer Kräuterbuch, 1484) and the Kreütter Buch
(1546) by Hieronymus Bock . Fig. 16.1).
It was not until the eighteenth century that
the plants were examined more closely and the
principles of their effects clarified. The British
botanist William Withering (1741–1799) first
systematically investigated the therapeutic effect
of the leaves of the red foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) in curing “dropsy”. Today, we know that
the medical effect is based on digitalis glycosides. Through his studies, Withering became the
founder of modern clinical pharmacology.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century,
the systematic search for therapeutic agents in
plants began. The German pharmacist Friedrich
Sertürner (1783–1841) first isolated morphine
from the drug opium, which is extracted from
poppy seeds. He named this alkaloid after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams. The publication
of these investigations was the cause for numerous further discoveries in the following decades.
Especially in pharmacies, many new bioactive
substances were isolated, such as quinine, caffeine, nicotine and atropine. Some of these pharmacies finally developed into pharmaceutical
companies.
While initially individual researchers discovered new natural active substances, today pharmaceuticals isolated from natural substances are
hardly significant. However, many new active
substances at least have natural predecessors. But
only large companies are still able to handle the
new developments of pharmaceuticals, which
often take more than ten years. Statistically, more
than 10,000 compounds have to be tested before
a new active ingredient can be found that can be
launched on the market. This often requires costs
of more than 500 million euros.
The Red List is a list of drugs manufactured
and approved in Germany. In 2013, it comprised
22,674 drugs. Various active substances (pharmaceuticals) are listed in 88 main groups (analgesics, antiallergics, antibiotics, etc.). In other
countries, analogous lists or databases of pharmaceutical products exist.
Of course, this enormous abundance of
active ingredients and the products developed
from them cannot be described in this textbook.
Therefore, a small selection of examples has been
made which show how some important active
Chapter Timetable
5 A look at the history of natural
pharmaceuticals shows us that many
active ingredients have been used by
mankind for thousands of years.
5 We will take a closer look at some
particularly important active ingredients
as examples: acetylsalicylic acid, some
alkaloids, antibiotics and steroids.
16.1 Herbal Pharmaceuticals
For thousands of years, mankind has been using
substances from nature to alleviate or cure diseases. Through experience and handed-down
knowledge, the understanding of medicinal
plants and their therapeutic effects in different
cultures has become more and more extensive.
Today’s modern pharmaceuticals often have
their origin in the knowledge of herbal medicine
(phytotherapy). For this reason, modern research
continues to discover new plants with as yet
unknown therapeutic ingredients that could lead
to new and improved pharmaceuticals.
A brief look into the past shows how intensively people used medicinal plants from an early
age:
5 Already 2600 BC, a highly developed medical
supply with approx. 1000 medicinal plants
existed in Mesopotamia.
5 The Egyptians also had a similar collection:
In the “Papyrus Ebers” from about 1550 BC,
700 natural medicines are listed, most of
them of herbal origin. The papyrus is now in
the University Library of Leipzig.
5 Traditional Chinese medicine and Indian
Ayurvedic medicine have also been using
natural medicinal herbs for 3000 years.
In Europe, the Greeks and Romans were the first
to study natural medicine: The Greek Pedanios
Dioscorides and the Roman writer Pliny the
Elder wrote handbooks on medicine in the first
century. During the early Middle Ages, the Arabs
preserved this medical knowledge and supplemented it with their own as well as Chinese and
Indian discoveries. After the invention of printing by Johannes Gutenberg, several important
books on herbal medicine appeared in Central