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Natural products are used since ancient times in folklore for the treatment of various ailments. Plant‐derived products have been recognized for many years as a source of therapeutic agents and structural diversity. A literature survey has been carried out to determine the utility of natural molecules and their modified analogs or derivatives as pharmacological active entities. This review presents a study on the importance of natural products in terms of drug discovery and development. It describes how the natural components can be utilized after small modifications in new perspectives. Various new modifications in structure offer a unique opportunity to establish a new molecular entity with better pharmacological potential. It was concluded that in this current era, new attempts are taken to utilize the compounds derived from natural sources as novel drug candidates, with a focus to find and discover new effective molecules that were referred to as “new entities of natural product drug discovery.”

Abstract:Piper nigrum L. is examined as the king of species worldwide by virtue of its principle piperine. In Ayurveda, since from the ancient times, it is known as "Yogvahi". It is one of the important alkaloids of Pepper fruits (Family Piperaceae) and has been found to have numerous medicinal properties such as antioxidant, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, antithyroid, antitumor, antiasthmatic activity and also have significant role as fertility enhancer. The present review discusses the biosynthetic pathway, extraction process, chemistry and various analytical methods of piperine. It also describes the structural modification of piperine and its various effects on biological system. The utility of piperine as a bioenhancer for certain antibacterialantibiotics and a potent inhibitor of drug metabolism are also discussed. Thus, review provides knowledgeable erudition on the piperine which paves way for further work.

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Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process. Also, it has been reported to be associated with the onset of various cancers. An effective anti-inflammatory drug should be able to inhibit the development of inflammation without interfering in normal homeostasis. Current approaches to overcome the inflammation include the use of immune selective anti-inflammatory derivatives, selective glucocorticoid receptor agonist, resolvins and protectins and TNF inhibitors. A number of herbal drugs have been identified in the past that can target inflammatory cytokines. This review mainly focuses on the newer molecules to combat the inflammation and also emphasise on various studies carried out in the past. Thus, the high prevalence of inflammation obliges the development of new drugs; therefore, a safe and efficient drug molecule to confer protection against inflammation is urgently needed.