A
natural product is a
chemical compound or
substance produced by a living organism—that is, found in
nature. In the broadest sense, natural products include any substance produced by
life. Natural products can also be prepared by
chemical synthesis (both
semisynthesis and
total synthesis) and have played a central role in the development of the field of
organic chemistry by providing challenging synthetic targets. The term natural product has also been extended for commercial purposes to refer to cosmetics, dietary supplements, and foods produced from natural sources without added artificial ingredients.