Sources of Drugs

Sources of Drugs:

There are three varieties of sources – natural, semisynthetic and synthetic. Natural sources are plants, animals, microorganism, minerals, etc. semisynthetic drugs are obtained from natural sources and modified chemically later. Synthetic drugs are produced artificially.

The different sources of drugs are as follows:

Plants – morphine, atropine, digoxin Animals – insulin

Minerals – ferrous sulphate, magnesium sulphate

Microorganisms – penicillin, streptomycin Semisynthetic – hydromorphone

Synthetic – most of the drugs used today are synthetic – aspirin, paracetamol

Drugs are also produced by genetic engineering – human insulin, human growth hormone