Updated review on the value of natural products in drug discovery in the last decade (2015-2024): Part I

Almost all the current drugs used to treat neglected tropical diseases have several drawbacks including cytotoxicity, limited availability, and the emergence of resistant strains. The clinical significance of natural product was awarded by identifying new mechanisms of action and novel targets against pathogens. They are common for treating severely diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, and filariasis. A significant drawback of natural products is their limited supply. However, sustainable production utilizing bioengineering technology to facilitate the biosynthesis of derivatives with similar biological activities and discover new families of natural products by cultivating bacteria, fungi, endophytes, and marine organisms. Advances in genetic engineering technology, i.e., molecular farming, enabled the investigators to focus on developing novel safety drugs from natural products. This review aims to highlight recent advances in discovering novel drugs extracted from natural products of herbal, and marine sources for treating helminthic diseases.