Paradigm shift in medicinal products synthesis: Continuous flow technology

About 80 % of the population in developing economies such as Africa use traditional medicines for healthcare. Traditional medicines from diverse cultures have been recognized for their efficacy and cost-effectiveness in improving health in developing economies. Access to synthetic natural products is typically associated with challenges such as lengthy synthetic routes, large environmental footprint, complex chemical architecture and time-consuming and purification processes. Continuous flow technology has emerged as a potent and enabling tool in the synthesis of complex natural products because of its efficiency and environmentally benign nature. Herein, we review advances in continuous flow synthesis of diverse natural products with biological activity to demonstrate the impact and potential of the technology in overcoming challenges faced in natural products synthesis. Consequently, this allows for easy and efficient access to atypical or structurally complex natural products. Overall, this article highlights the transformative impact of continuous flow technology on the bioactive natural products synthesis and offer a useful reference tool for chemists interested in the synthesis of these compounds.