Natural products have historically been a rich source of the active ingredients
of drugs, especially as anti-infective agents. Natural products provide valuable scaffolds
for lead optimization since they are potent, soluble, bioavailable, targeted therapies for
many indications. In the wake of a de-emphasis of natural product research in the
private sector, the current pipeline for anti-infectives is dwindling. New technologies in
natural product isolation, synthesis, and screening in the post genomic era have
provided valuable new leads for drug discovery. This chapter describes anti-bacterial,
anti-viral, and anti-parasitic therapeutics approved by the FDA since 2005 as well as
compounds in clinical development that are natural products or are bioinspired. The
chapter also describes new technologies that can accelerate the future discovery of
natural anti-infectives.
Keywords: Natural products, MRSA, ESKAPE pathogens, drug discovery,
antibiotic, anti-viral, influenza, HIV, anti-fungal, anti-malarial, endoperoxide,
synthetic biology.
