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Aspirin -

Salicylic acid is a key component of aspirin, and can be found in the bark of the willow tree. Hippocrates, the physician of ancient Greece who is considered the father of medicine, identified the tree's benefits by extracting a powder from the bark and giving it to patients to alleviate their pain.

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Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine -

Ephedrine is a drug used to treat bronchial asthma and allergies. The closely-related drug pseudoephedrine is used to decongest the sinuses. They are both sourced from the ephedra plant.

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Penicillin -

Penicillin was the first antibiotic to be discovered and has saved countless lives since Alexander Fleming stumbled across it in 1928. He returned to his lab after a vacation to find that a mold was growing on a petri dish containing Staphylococcus, a bacteria that causes sore throats and boils. He noticed that the mold was preventing the Staphylococcus from growing, and later identified it as the lifesaving fungus penicillin.

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Antibiotics -

The discovery of penicillin led to the development of countless antibiotic medications derived from naturally occurring fungi and bacteria. Prior to this medical advancement, a simple cut could lead to an infection that could kill you.

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Statins -

Statins are a type of medication that are taken to lower the levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood, preventing the development of potentially fatal heart problems such a heart attacks and strokes. Statins are also derived from naturally occurring fungi.

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Opiates -

The seed pods of the opium poppy contain a highly intoxicating substance that is effective in relieving pain but is extremely addictive and can be deadly in high doses. Opiate medications derived from the poppy include the powerful drug morphine and the medium-strength painkiller codeine.

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Heroin -

Heroin is another drug synthesized from the poppy. It was initially used for medical purposes until its highly addictive nature was discovered. Along with the synthetic opioid fentanyl, heroin causes the most drug-related deaths each year.

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Scopolamine -

Scopolamine is a drug used to prevent nausea and vomiting, either due to motion sickness or after the use of anesthesia. It's naturally found in the Jimsonweed plant.

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Digitalis -

Digitalis, also known as digoxin, is a drug used to treat arrhythmia. It works by slowing down the heart rate while also strengthening muscle contractions. It's derived from the foxglove flower.

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Caffeine -

Caffeine is best known for its non-medicinal uses, i.e. coffee, but it's also an active ingredient in many painkillers due to its headache-relieving benefits. It has vasoconstrictive properties, which help to alleviate the pain. Caffeine is naturally found in coffee beans, tea leaves, and cacao pods, to name a few sources.

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Quinine -

Quinine is a medication used to treat malaria by killing the parasite known as Plasmodium falciparum, which is transferred from the mosquito to its human victim. Quinine is found in the bark of the Cinchona tree.

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Rifampicin -

Rifampicin is another antibiotic that is found in soil bacteria. It has been used to treat conditions such as tuberculosis, leprosy, and Legionnaires’ disease.

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Vinblastine -

Vinblastine is a drug derived from the Madagascar periwinkle and is used to fight devastating forms of cancer such as Hodgkin's lymphoma and childhood leukemia. It kills cells that are rapidly dividing, the way cancer cells do. 

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Paclitaxel -

Paclitaxel, sold under the name Taxol, is a chemotherapy drug used to treat several types of cancer including ovarian, breast, and lung cancer. It's derived from the Pacific yew tree.

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Galantamine -

Galantamine is a natural alkaloid extracted from the bulb of the snowdrop flower, which blooms all over the UK every spring. Galantamine is used to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. While it doesn't cure the disease, it can lessen symptoms like memory loss and slow the decline of chemical message transmission in the brain.

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Snowdrops -

Proteins from snowdrops are also being investigated as a possible treatment for HIV. What a miraculous little flower!

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Animal sources - When it comes to animals, extracting the compounds to research and then create medicine in large quantities is obviously fraught with ethical issues. In some cases, cultures that derived traditional medicines from animals like white rhinos overused this gift and drove them to extinction.

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Unlikely animal friends -

Ironically, it’s the poisonous venom from creatures likes snakes, spiders, and scorpions that have been found to have the most potential for lifesaving treatments in recent years.

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Engineering synthetics -

These arachnids and reptiles only produce tiny quantities of venom per day, but as researchers study the venom and compile databases with the DNA profiles, it becomes possible for scientists to create synthetic versions to test and use in medications, leaving the animals in peace.

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Captopril -

Captopril, sold under the name Capoten, was the first oral ACE inhibitor to be developed. It was also the first animal-derived drug to be approved by the FDA back in 1981. It's used to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure, and is derived from the venom of the Brazilian viper.

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Eptifibatide -

Eptifibatide is a synthetic drug developed from the venom of the southern pygmy rattlesnake. It's used to prevent blood clots from forming in the arteries of those who are suffering from heart health issues, and can prevent heart attacks.

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Ziconotide -

Ziconotide is an analgesic drug developed from the venom of the cone snail. It's a painkiller usually prescribed for long-term use in those with chronic pain, as it's non-addictive.

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Tirofiban -

Tirofiban, sold under the name Aggrastat, is an anticoagulant derived from the venom of the African saw-scaled viper. It prevents clotting and reduces the risk of heart attack.

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Exenatide -

Exenatide is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes and is sourced from the saliva of the fascinating Gila monster. It stimulates the production of insulin in the pancreas when blood sugar levels are too high.

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Batroxobin -

Batroxobin, which is also rather appropriately called reptilase, is a snake venom enzyme found in the South American pit viper. It's used in several blood treatments and can reduce the risk of blood clotting and edema.

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Tozuleristide -

Tozuleristide is a promising drug currently undergoing clinical trials. Once approved, it will be extremely useful for surgeons trying to remove cancerous growths from patients. It's derived from scorpion venom.

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Tozuleristide -

Drugs like tozuleristide are particularly promising, as they attach themselves to cancerous cells. This means the surgeon can identify and remove tumors more easily, and ensures that they won’t leave any behind by mistaking them for healthy tissue. Tozuleristide was given a fast track by the FDA in 2020 so it can be tested and put to use as quickly as possible.

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Chlorotoxin Cy5.5 - Another drug called Chlorotoxin Cy5.5 derived from the ‘deathstalker’ scorpion also attaches itself to cancer cells. Both drugs are being researched for their potential use in breast and spinal cancer, as well as brain tumors.

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Dravet syndrome -

Another lifesaving drug currently under development is peptide Hm1a, which is derived from spider venom. It could be used to treat Dravet syndrome, a particularly severe form of epilepsy that emerges in babies and has high mortality rates. Initial trials on mice are very encouraging.

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Gomesin -

A peptide called gomesin, derived from the venom of the Brazilian tarantula (Acanthoscurria gomesiana), is currently being researched. It has been shown to kill skin cancer cells while leaving the healthy ones unharmed.

Sources: (Scientific American) (BBC) (Natural History Museum) (ThoughtCo.)

See also: Dissecting the major medical advances throughout history

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