Natural compounds have been important drug sources throughout the history of human civilization, with many long-lasting myths and legends having proliferated around naturally derived medicine over time. Natural compounds remain an important source for drugs to this day, and they have certain benefits and drawbacks.
The primary benefit of naturally derived lead compounds in drugs is that they make it much easier to identify and isolate functionally potent biomolecules. Unlike artificial, rational drug design, which is an expensive process that is plagued with uncertainty regarding the efficacy of the designed molecule, naturally derived lead compounds can be both isolated and tested at a relatively faster pace.
The primary drawback of naturally derived lead compounds is that their side-effects are much harder to discern. This is because unlike rationally designed compounds, pharmacologists do not have complete knowledge regarding the composition of naturally-derived lead compounds.