Rethinking Natural Product Discovery: A Complex Epistemological Approach Linking Chemical Ecology and Pharmacognosy

Area of Science:

• Natural Product Research
• Chemical Ecology
• Pharmacognosy

Background:

• Global challenges like health crises and climate change require novel strategies for natural product discovery.
• Current methods in dereplication, metabolomics, and genomic sequencing have limitations in addressing complex research foundations.
• The epistemological underpinnings of natural product discovery require re-evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a transdisciplinary framework for natural product discovery inspired by complex thought.
• To expand the concept of biocommunicators and redefine chemical prospecting as a macroconcept.
• To foster a sustainable and reflective transition toward complex paradigms in the field.

Main Methods:

• Integration of chemical ecology and pharmacognosy.
• Application of a framework across three interdependent dimensions: in silico, in vitro, and in vivo.
• Utilizing Edgar Morin's complex thought as a theoretical basis.

Main Results:

• A novel transdisciplinary framework for natural product research is presented.
• The framework redefines chemical prospecting and expands the understanding of biocommunicators.
• It facilitates the integration of diverse research methodologies.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework offers a pathway for more sustainable and reflective natural product discovery.
• It addresses the limitations of current approaches by embracing complexity.
• This approach is crucial for tackling global challenges through natural products.