Natural compounds can be patented, though.

If you discover that, say, eating cocktail onions cures cancer, you're allowed to patent that. Cocktail onions as such wouldn't be patentable, but using them to cure cancer would be.

> Cocktail onions as such wouldn't be patentable, but using them to cure cancer would be.

In the sense that a person with cancer could be sued for eating unlicensed cocktail onions?

Technically, yes. In practice, very unlikely...but you'd almost certainly be sued for selling "ls15's Anti-Cancer Cocktail Onions".

I'd be sued for that regardless of its efficacy.

Have you ever been to a naturopathic pharmacy? You would question your assumption that it would be lower cost. People spend a lot of money on expensive supplements.

No, but I have harvested medical plants for free.