Role of sulphur-heterocycles in medicinal chemistry: An update

Eur J Med Chem. 2019 Oct 15:180:486-508. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.07.043. Epub 2019 Jul 15.

Abstract

From many decades, S-heterocycles have maintained their status as an important part and core of FDA approved drugs and medicinally active compounds. With exhaustive exploration of nitrogen heterocycles in medicinal chemistry, researchers have shifted their interest towards other heterocycles, especially, S-heterocycles. Thus several attempts have been made to synthesize a variety of new sulphur containing compounds with high medicinal value and low toxicity profile, in comparison to previous N-heterocycles. Till today, S-heterocycle containing compounds have been largely reported as anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antihypertension, antivral, antinflammatory etc. In this review, the authors have tried to provide a critical analysis of synthesis and medicinal attributes of sulphur containing heterocycles such as thiirane, thiophene, thiazole, thiopyran, thiazolidine etc reported within last five years to emphasize the significance and usefulness of these S-heterocycles in the drug discovery process.

Keywords: S-Heterocycles; Thiazepine; Thiazole; Thiazolidine; Thiophene; Thiopyran.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Antihypertensive Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antihypertensive Agents / chemistry
  • Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / chemical synthesis
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / chemistry
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / chemistry
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology
  • Sulfur / chemistry
  • Sulfur / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Heterocyclic Compounds
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Sulfur