revolut

I agree that probably a portion of medicine derived from anecdotal evidence, as mentioned by ecoli. Possibly from archaic texts from the chinese, egyptians. greeks etc. using western scienctific methods (as methodologies from descartes, newton etc) the info is further probed into, and progressively developed into our modern view of medicine (with discoveries along the way like penicilin, technology, DNA and stuff). still, is there the value or a level of predictability in the drug discovery, such that we can postulate that certain species in a particular genus may contain therapeutic agents because of certain mechanisms we know present in the genus?

I was just wondering how are medicines/chemicals realised in the floral kingdom. How would researchers know that a particular floral species might/will have medicinal use? The discussion might just lead to the history of how man used the natural environment to treat various diseased states. I do know that modern pharmacy comprises synthesizing and compounding chemicals for therapeutic purposes on a large scale. However, what are the processes that lead to that production? Additionally, are all of modern medicine derived from the floral kingdom?