Comparison of Medicinally Important Natural Products versus Synthetic Drugs-A Short Commentary

Nature as inspired human beings since time immemorial and every member of human race, irrespective of origin and religion, keeps nature at an esteemed place. It is a common belief that everything that occurs in nature has beneficial effects as compared to products of anthropogenic origin. The medical profession is as old as the human history and so is the history of medicines. In current era, with advancement in medical science, the intensity of diseases has also increased. New medicines are being developed for the treatment of complicated diseases but these medicines are themselves associated with a number of side effects that range from minor to sever intensity. The medicines from nature on the other hand appear to be more effective than the synthetic counter-part. This short commentary deals with comparison of synthetic drugs and the drugs from nature with special emphasis on extent of side effects associated with both categories.