Tag: Natural product

First isolated in the mid-1940s from a young girl's wound, the discovery of bacitracin began with an accidental observation in a laboratory. The answer to **What is the source of bacitracin?** is rooted in the specific bacteria that naturally produce this potent polypeptide, widely used in topical ointments today.

First isolated in 1835 from apple tree bark, phlorizin's primary mechanism is the non-selective competitive inhibition of sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs). This action blocks glucose reabsorption in the kidneys and reduces intestinal glucose uptake, leading to glucose excretion in the urine and demonstrating a novel approach to glycemic control.

First isolated from the liver extracts of the spiny dogfish shark, *Squalus acanthias*, in the early 2000s, trodusquemine is a naturally occurring aminosterol investigated for its therapeutic potential in metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. What are the natural sources of trodusquemine and how has this unique compound made the journey from a marine organism to a subject of modern medical research?