Drugs from Plants:

  • Opium poppy (heroin, morphine, codeine)
  • Blue agave (Tequila)
  • Coca leaves (cocaine)
  • Ephedra sinica (Sudafed, meth)
  • Psilocybin mushroom (shrooms)
  • Willow bark (aspirin)
  • Sassafras root (ecstasy)
  • Penicillium mold (penicillin)

Drugs from microorganisms:

  • Belladonna alkaloids.
  • Cinchona alkaloids.
  • Cocaine alkaloids
  • Ergot alkaloids
  • Opium alkaloids.
  • Rauwolfia alkaloids.
  • Xanthine alkaloids

Drugs need to be tested before they can be used for medical purposes on human beings the reason why they need to be tested is because if they are not and the drug does not work on that person then it can cause side effects and could even lead to death for that person that is why scientist and doctors first test the drug before they can be used.

The process of Drug testing: First of all they are tested with computer models and human cells in a laboratory because many of the substances fail and then they damage the cell but if some of them do work then they go on the new stage of the process which is the part where the drug is tested on a animal to see if they work they mostly use animals that are have the same structure that the Humans have so if it does work then they are almost ready. When the animal testing is successful they will then move on the clinical trial they are tested on healthy volunteers first to check that they are safe if this process works then they will move on to the patients which have the illness to then ensure that it is safe and ready to give out to all patients that have the disease.