Design of multifunctional molecules: a pharmacochemical approach applied to multifactorial diseases such as atherosclerosis

Alexios N. Matralis, Maria Katselou, Angeliki P. Kourounakis

 


Abstract

To date, therapeutic treatment of several multifactorial disorders, such us neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, diabetes and cancer, is considered inadequate and in need of medications with a better pharmacological effect. Multi-target-directed drug design is an approach that is gaining constantly the interest of researchers for treating the multifactorial nature of such diseases. This strategy is applied for the development of pharmacomolecules able to simultaneously modulate multiple relevant-to-the-disease targets. Such compounds may deliver superior efficacy compared to compounds with high specificity for only a single target and thus are considered more appropriate for the treatment of several disorders. The aim of this review is to highlight the gradual emergence of this approach of drug-design and the exciting new area of research for medicinal chemists, particularly those working in disease areas where selective agents often lack optimum clinical efficacy

Keywords: Multifactorial diseases, Multifunctional molecules, Alzheimer’s Disease, Inflammation, Metabolic Syndrome, Cardiovascular Diseases, Atherosclerosis