Plants produce molecules to interact with their environment and protect themselves against external threats. These molecules can also have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, some of which are beneficial to human health. These properties are valued by traditional medicines and inspire the development of medicinal products by contemporary chemists.
The majority of medications on the market are or are derived from natural products. Among others, several classes of antibiotics used to combat bacterial infections are based on the chemical structure of natural products.
