Antimicrobial and Anticancer Scaffolds in Medicinal Chemistry

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 1093

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Independent Radiopharmacy Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Interests: medicinal chemistry; organic synthesis; heterocycles; anticancer activity; antimicrobial activity; SAR
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Modern medicinal chemistry plays a key role in the design and synthesis of compounds with antibacterial and anticancer activity. These systems are often based on heterocyclic structures, transition metal complexes, and natural compounds and their analogues. In the field of anticancer therapy, particular attention is paid to compounds targeting specific signaling pathways in cancer cells, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and apoptotic protein modulators. In turn, to combat bacterial resistance, new classes of antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, and drug delivery systems, such as nanocarriers, are being developed. The integration of computational chemistry, molecular biology, and materials technology enables the synthesis of new compounds and the creation of more selective and effective therapies. A review of current trends indicates the growing importance of targeted therapies and personalized medicine in the treatment of infections and cancer. We invite submissions of original articles, reviews, analyses, studies, and reports under this topic.

Prof. Dr. Monika Pitucha
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • antimicrobial
  • anticancer
  • synthesis
  • complex
  • organic compounds
  • heterocyclic compounds
  • SAR

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 2948 KB  
Article
Reinvestigating Pyrrol-2-One-Based Compounds: From Antimicrobial Agents to Promising Antitumor Candidates
by Natalia Simionescu, Ashraf Al-Matarneh, Ionel I. Mangalagiu, Narcis Cibotariu, Cristina Mariana Uritu, Cristina Maria Al-Matarneh and Mariana Pinteala
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(12), 1813; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18121813 - 27 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 779
Abstract
Background: Heteroaromatic iodine-containing compounds have been previously recognized for their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. This study aims to systematically investigate their potential repurposing as anticancer agents, with a particular focus on understanding the structural determinants that influence their cytotoxicity and selectivity toward malignant cells. [...] Read more.
Background: Heteroaromatic iodine-containing compounds have been previously recognized for their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. This study aims to systematically investigate their potential repurposing as anticancer agents, with a particular focus on understanding the structural determinants that influence their cytotoxicity and selectivity toward malignant cells. Methods: A series of heteroaromatic iodine-containing derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for anticancer activity. Their cytotoxic effects were measured and compared between cancerous and normal cell lines to determine selectivity. Structural features, including heteroaromatic moieties and substituents, were analyzed to identify correlations with biological activity. Results: Among the tested compounds, derivatives 3e, 3g, and 3l demonstrated significant cytotoxic effects while exhibiting favorable selectivity indices. These findings indicate that these compounds preferentially target malignant cells over normal cells, thereby mitigating the issue of systemic toxicity often associated with traditional chemotherapeutics. The enhanced anticancer activity appears to be influenced by specific structural elements within the heteroaromatic framework. Conclusions: The study highlights the potential of heteroaromatic iodine-containing compounds as promising anticancer candidates. Rational structural modifications within these heterocyclic systems can effectively modulate bioactivity and improve therapeutic selectivity. These results support further development of this compound class for anticancer applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Anticancer Scaffolds in Medicinal Chemistry)
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