Research and Pharmacological Development of Natural Products

The objective is to explain the importance of natural substances as a valuable source for the discovery of new drugs.
To this end, the first module will address the historical aspects of drug development from medicinal plants traditionally used in therapeutics. In particular, it is intended to provide a general understanding of how the active ingredients of plant drugs and products of natural origin have been ""lead compounds"" that have been modified to enhance the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic capabilities required for drug development.
In the second module, the principles and applications of the latest strategies for the identification of natural products using cellular technologies to study biological activity will be presented. An in-depth description will be provided of: i) techniques used for ""in vitro"" cell growth and manipulation; ii) biomolecular methodologies that can enhance traditional study methods employed in modern biomedical research.

Upon completion of the course, the student should know the history of drug development from active ingredients of plant origin, therapeutic properties and side effects, use of cellular technologies to identify and study biological activity of natural products.