2-Arylindoles: a privileged molecular scaffold with potent, broad-ranging pharmacological activity

• Published in: Current medicinal chemistry Vol. 19; no. 28; p. 4828
• Main Authors: Lal, S, Snape, T J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United Arab Emirates 01-10-2012
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antifungal Agents - chemistry; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - toxicity; Antiprotozoal Agents - chemistry; Antiprotozoal Agents - pharmacology; Apoptosis - drug effects; Drug Design; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Drug Resistance, Bacterial - drug effects; Fungi - drug effects; Indoles - chemistry; Indoles - pharmacology; Ion Channels - antagonists & inhibitors; Ion Channels - metabolism; Parasites - drug effects
• ISSN: 1875-533X
• DOI: 10.2174/092986712803341449

Privileged structures bind to multiple receptors with high affinity, thus aiding the development of novel biologically active compounds. Indoles are classed as privileged structures, and as a result of the indole nucleus being present in a broad range of biologically active molecules, it has been suggested that indoles probably represent the most important of all structural classes in drug discovery. Amongst the indole class of compounds is a particular subset - 2-arylindoles - which appear to be a most promising lead for drug development. This review summarises the wide-ranging activities of 2-arylindoles and some of their important biological activities reported in the literature over the past two decades.