Medicinally Privileged Scaffolds And Their Therapeutic Applications

Medicinal chemistry is defined as an interdependent mature science that is a combination of applied (medicine) and basic (chemistry) science. It encompasses the discovery, development, identification and interpretation of the mode of action of biologically active compounds. A useful drug must interact with a molecular target in the body and also be capable of reaching that target. Medicinal chemistry broadly involves isolation of compounds from nature, synthesis of new molecules, investigation of the relationship between structure and biological activity, elucidation of interactions with biological receptors, determination of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties etc. Medicinal chemists have played a crucial role in the drug discovery project by relying on their knowledge and expertise in modern organic chemistry, biology of the disease, in vitro and in vivo screening with the goal of maximizing efficacy while minimizing side effects. In fact, the use of natural extracts for medicinal purposes goes back thousands of years; however, it has only been in the past half century or so that searching for new drugs has found itself in the realm of science.