Dual role of drugs: beneficial and harmful aspects

Abstract

Drugs are the compounds used for treatment of diseases; but when found having side-effects such as addiction, there starts their harmful effects on the body, the phenomenon of what is called drug abuse. This chapter is confined to those drugs that were isolated from natural resources or being derived from them, and have their medical applications as well as abuse. We have described from their historical background the chemical and biosyntheses. Herein, we have reviewed amphetamine, charas, cocaine, heroin, and lysergic acid diethylamide in detail. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.