The influence of Brazilian biodiversity on searching for human use pharmaceuticals

Abstract

This relatively short review will cover the history of some potential drug entities whose beginnings were from Brazilian flora and fauna that led to scientific findings many years later that could not even have been thought of at the time of their initial discovery. The first two are the discoveries of the effects of peptidic toxins from the highly poisonous snake Bothrops jararaca upon the control of bradykinins that led to the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and the identification of pederin from the blister beetle Paederus species that 50 plus years later led to brand new discoveries as the source of many marine sponge metabolites. All occurred well before the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in 1992. Then come discussions on lapachol and its congeners and then the potential for the investigation of microbes that are associated with insects, plants and marine invertebrates and their control of the syntheses of novel metabolites with pharmaceutical potential. The review finishes with comments on the biodiversity programs that São Paulo State has put in place and how they are materially aiding in investigations of Brazilian flora and fauna but under conditions that are CBD-compliant.