Innovative Approaches in Drug Discovery: Ethnopharmacology, Systems Biology and Holistic Targeting

Despite considerable technological advances, the pharmaceutical industry is experiencing a severe innovation deficit, especially in the discovery of new drugs. Innovative Approaches in Drug Discovery: Ethnopharmacology, Systems Biology and Holistic Targeting provides a critical review and analysis of health, disease and medicine, and explores possible reasons behind the present crisis in drug discovery. The authors illustrate the benefits of systems biology and pharmacogenomics approaches, and advocate the expansion from disease-centric discovery to person-centric therapeutics involving holistic, multi-target, whole systems approaches. This book lays a path for reigniting pharmaceutical innovation through a disciplined reemergence of pharmacognosy, embracing open innovation models and collaborative, trusted public-private partnerships. With unprecedented advances made in the development of biomedically-relevant tools and technologies, the need is great and the time is now for a renewed commitment towards expanding the repertoire of medicines.  By incorporating real-life examples and state-of-the-art reviews, this book provides valuable insights into the discovery and development strategies for professionals, academicians, and students in the pharmaceutical sciences.

Analyzes the reasons behind historical drug failures to provide valuable insights on lessons learnedUses current scientific research to promote learning from traditional knowledge systems and through the integration of traditional and western medicinesDiscusses advances in technologies and systems biology to support the transition from formulation discovery to therapeutic discovery

1. Need for Innovative Approaches 2. Why and How Drugs Fail 3. Holistic Drug Targeting 4. Reverse Pharmacology 5. Network Pharmacology and Multi-target Formulation 6. Genome-driven Drug Discovery Process 7. Pharmacogenomics 8. Transcriptomics and Epigenomics 9. Proteomics 10.Chemical Informatics 11.Vaccines and Immunodrugs Discovery 12.Curcumin as an example of holistic targeting agent 13.New Approaches to Quality and Safety of Traditional Medical Products 14.Lifestyle and Behavioral Approaches 15.Collaborative Strategies for Future Drug Discovery 16.Righting the ship: The Data Reproducibility Conundrum