Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry最新文献

{"title":"Coumarin as a Promising Scaffold in Drug Discovery: A Comprehensive Review of Synthetic Approaches, Structure-Activity Relationships, and Pharmacological Applications.","authors":"Emmanuel Chinedu Nnadi, Eze Chinweike Cosmas, Vivian Ifeoma Okonkwo, Blessing Kenechi Amujiogu, Faith Temitope Elijah, Chidinma Eucharia Ikwelle","doi":"10.2174/0113895575516525261008101107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575516525261008101107","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Coumarins are an important class of oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds that have attracted considerable attention in medicinal chemistry for their structural diversity, synthetic versatility, and broad spectrum of biological activities. Continued advances in synthetic methodologies and rational molecular design have expanded the therapeutic potential of coumarin derivatives, making an updated assessment of recent developments timely. This review critically examines recent progress in the synthesis, structure-activity relationships (SAR), and pharmacological properties of coumarin derivatives, with particular emphasis on emerging synthetic strategies, molecular hybridization, and their applications in drug discovery. Relevant literature was retrieved from Pub- Med, Scopus, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar, with a primary focus on studies published between 2016 and 2026, while landmark earlier reports were included to provide historical context. Recent developments in visible-light photocatalysis, green synthetic protocols, multicomponent reactions, C-H functionalization, and microwave-assisted synthesis have improved the efficiency and sustainability of coumarin preparation. SAR studies further demonstrate that the strategic incorporation of hydroxyl, methoxy, halogen, sulfonamide, Schiff base, and nitrogencontaining heterocyclic substituents enhances target affinity, selectivity, and pharmacokinetic behavior, yielding derivatives with antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, antitubercular, and anti-Alzheimer's disease activities. Collectively, these advances provide valuable insights into the rational design of multifunctional coumarin-based therapeutics and identify promising directions for future medicinal chemistry research.</p>","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Natural Products as Promising Therapeutic Agents in Cancer Management.","authors":"Jyoshna Rani Dash, Itishree Bindhani, Gurudutta Pattnaik","doi":"10.2174/0113895575480416261007104754","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575480416261007104754","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Natural products have historically served as an indispensable source of anticancer agents and continue to inspire the development of novel therapeutics for cancer management. Despite significant advances in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies, treatmentassociated toxicity, multidrug resistance, tumour heterogeneity, and limited long-term efficacy remain major clinical challenges. Consequently, increasing attention has been directed towards bioactive natural compounds because of their structural diversity, multi-target pharmacological activities, and relatively favourable safety profiles. This review comprehensively summarizes the therapeutic potential of major classes of natural products, including alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, polysaccharides, and other phytochemicals, highlighting their molecular mechanisms against multiple hallmarks of cancer. Representative compounds such as paclitaxel, camptothecin, curcumin, resveratrol, capsaicin, and several naturally derived polysaccharides are discussed with emphasis on apoptosis induction, inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis, modulation of oxidative stress, immune regulation, autophagy, and suppression of oncogenic signalling pathways including PI3K/Akt/mTOR, NF-κB, MAPK, STAT3, Wnt/β-catenin, and p53 pathways. Furthermore, this review critically evaluates current limitations that hinder clinical translation, including poor aqueous solubility, limited oral bioavailability, rapid metabolism, pharmacokinetic variability, manufacturing challenges, and herb-drug interactions. Emerging strategies such as nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, structural modification, combination therapy, and precision medicine approaches are highlighted as promising solutions to improve therapeutic efficacy. Unlike previous descriptive reviews, the present article integrates mechanistic insights, preclinical evidence, clinical developments, and translational perspectives while identifying current research gaps and future opportunities for natural product-based anticancer drug discovery. Overall, natural products remain promising therapeutic candidates whose successful clinical implementation will require rigorous pharmacological validation, standardized formulations, well-designed clinical trials, and multidisciplinary collaboration.</p>","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"EZH2 in Ovarian Cancer: Mechanistic Dependencies, Therapeutic Platforms and Translational Combinations.","authors":"An Tong, Xiaojuan Lin, Lu Yang","doi":"10.2174/0113895575516423261007075214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575516423261007075214","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction/objective: </strong>Ovarian cancer remains the deadliest gynecologic malignancy because most patients present with advanced disease and ultimately relapse despite surgery, platinum- based chemotherapy, and modern maintenance strategies. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), the catalytic core of polycomb repressive complex 2, has emerged as a context-dependent epigenetic regulator that links chromatin repression to cellular plasticity, repair-state adaptation, stemness, metabolism, and immune remodeling. This review aims to define the clinical relevance of context-dependent EZH2 states in ovarian cancer and compare the therapeutic logic, evidence maturity, and limitations of available EZH2-targeting platforms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a focused narrative synthesis of ovarian-cancer-relevant preclinical studies, medicinal-chemistry reports, and clinical evidence, supplemented by targeted PubMed searches and ClinicalTrials.gov checks during revision. Evidence was interpreted in light of biologic context, therapeutic platform, combination rationale, and the degree of ovarian-specific clinical support.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Current evidence supports a role for EZH2 in ovarian tumor progression through canonical polycomb repressive complex 2-dependent mechanisms and, in selected contexts, non-canonical functions. Therapeutic development now includes catalytic inhibitors, dual EZH1/2 inhibitors, EEDdirected inhibitors, degraders, and RNA-based strategies. In ovarian cancer, the strongest mechanistic rationale currently supports combinations with platinum chemotherapy and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition, whereas immune-oriented and broader cotargeting strategies remain promising but less mature.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The key translational question is not simply whether EZH2 can be pharmacologically engaged, but which form of EZH2 dependency is present, in which biologic context, and with which partner therapy. Catalytic inhibition alone may underperform when adaptive redundancy, polycomb complex architecture, or non-canonical protein function sustain tumor fitness.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>EZH2 should be viewed not as a uniformly validated ovarian-cancer target, but as a context-dependent vulnerability whose most defensible near-term clinical positioning is biomarkerinformed combination development rather than unselected monotherapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular Insights and Therapeutic Potential of Benzothiazole Derivatives: A Comprehensive Pharmacological Review.","authors":"Sakshi, Dushyant, Smita Narwal, Ashwani K Dhingra, Jagdeep Singh, Jasmeen Kaur, Rupa Devi","doi":"10.2174/0113895575448677260924104627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575448677260924104627","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Benzothiazole (BTA), a fused bicyclic heterocycle of thiazole and benzene units, has become a special scaffold for medicinal chemistry with a vast pharmacological profile. Structural modification at the benzothiazole core provides enormous flexibility toward rationalizing bioactivity in a wide range of therapeutics. Contemporary research is exemplified by benzothiazole derivatives as potent antibacterial agents, efficiently targeting multidrug-resistant pathogens by mechanisms like DNA gyrase inhibition and membrane disruption. They also exhibit multi-target-directed ligand- based anti-Alzheimer's activity by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, monoamine oxidases, and β-secretase enzymes. In cancer, benzothiazole hybrids are found to be selectively cytotoxic toward different cancer cell lines, such as breast, lung, and liver cancers, and are generally more active than the traditional drugs. Anti-tubercular activity presents superior inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including, Multidrug-resistance (MDR) and Extensively Drug- Resistance (XDR), by novel hybrid conjugates and heterocyclic linkages. Additionally, benzothiazole analogues exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activity with cyclooxygenase, Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP-4), α-glucosidase, and α-amylase enzyme inhibitory activity. Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) analysis consistently indicates that electron-withdrawing or electron-donating functions, linker type, and heteroatom position in modulating pharmacological activity. Recent patents reflect sustained innovation in drug design with the benzothiazole motif, and therapeutic applications exist in antimicrobial, anticancer, neuroprotection, and metabolic disorders. Overall, these findings place emphasis on benzothiazole derivatives as highly effective lead templates with immense therapeutic value, warranting further consideration towards clinical usefulness.</p>","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149220492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic Significance of Natural vs. Synthetic Coumarins in Alzheimer's Disease.","authors":"Richa Patel, Shweta Sinha, Karuna S Shukla, Bandana Singh, Akash Ved, Awadhesh Kumar, Nidhi Yadav, Vikash Singh","doi":"10.2174/0113895575482030261005073306","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575482030261005073306","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introduction/objective: &lt;/strong&gt;Coumarin, a naturally occurring aromatic compound bearing a benzopyrone scaffold, represents a versatile motif in synthetic drug design. Recent therapeutic developments have highlighted its potential as a privileged pharmacophore for neurodegenerative disorders (NDs), with particular efficacy targeting Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study presents a critical, comparative review of natural versus synthetic coumarins, evaluating their neuroprotective mechanisms across various preclinical, non-transgenic models of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Natural coumarins (e.g., umbelliferone, esculetin, and scopoletin) exert potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and moderate enzyme-inhibitory activities, particularly against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation. These phytochemicals attenuate neurodegeneration by modulating oxidative stress and neuroinflammatory pathways across various cellular and rodent models, including 5xFAD mice, as well as streptozotocin (STZ)-and scopolamine (SCOP)- induced Alzheimer's disease (AD) rat models. However, their clinical utility remains constrained by poor bioavailability and modest potency. To address these limitations, synthetic coumarin derivatives, including coumarin-pyrrolidine, coumarin-triazole, coumarin-chalcone, and coumarin-donepezil hybrids, as well as hydroxycoumarins, have been developed. These heterocyclic hybrid architectures exhibit superior therapeutic potency, enhanced blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and synergistic inhibition of core pathological targets, including AChE activity and Aβ aggregation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Result: &lt;/strong&gt;Both in vivo preclinical models and in silico docking simulations substantiate the neuroprotective capacity of coumarin-based frameworks, demonstrating substantial cognitive rescue, restored synaptic plasticity, and favorable safety margins. Moving beyond the baseline safety of naturally derived coumarins, structural optimization and hybrid design strategies serve as a compelling framework for developing potent, multi-target therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Discussion: &lt;/strong&gt;According to the review, Alzheimer's disease treatment is shifting from natural coumarins to multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) because natural compounds, such as esculetin, scopoletin, and daphnetin, are often limited by narrow target specificity and lower potency than synthetic coumarin derivatives.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;Herein, the authors review the biological activities of natural coumarins and their synthetic analogs as potential therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study systematically compared and evaluated the therapeutic efficacy and structural scaffold variations of both natural and synthetic derivatives. To support their translational potential, this study also summarizes current ADMET profiles and pharmacokinetic evaluations, whic","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149183224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthetic Strategies and Emerging Therapeutic Interventions of Isoxazole and its Molecular Hybrids.","authors":"Monika Gupta, Isha Kapoor, Fizanoor, Namita Saini","doi":"10.2174/0113895575502351261004123837","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575502351261004123837","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Isoxazole is an important heterocyclic scaffold that has attracted considerable attention in medicinal chemistry because of its wide range of biological activities and favorable physicochemical characteristics. The isoxazole ring's usefulness as a favored scaffold in contemporary drug design and discovery has been highlighted by the production of many bioactive molecules and therapeutically relevant medications through its insertion into various molecular frameworks. This review discusses recent advances in the synthesis, reactivity, and therapeutic applications of isoxazole derivatives. It focuses on modern synthetic methods, such as microwave-assisted synthesis, 1,3- dipolar cycloaddition, visible-light photocatalysis, multicomponent reactions, and transition-metalcatalyzed approaches, which offer effective, regioselective, and sustainable ways to build isoxazole frameworks. In order to increase biological activity, improve selectivity, and broaden therapeutic potential, the isoxazole nucleus is carefully coupled with other pharmacophoric moieties in isoxazole- based hybrid compounds, which are becoming more and more popular. These hybrid compounds have shown a wide range of pharmacological actions, such as enzyme inhibitory, antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects, underscoring their importance in the hunt for new therapeutic candidates. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies are also emphasized to better understand how structural changes affect biological activity. A 4-OEt substituent increased the antiproliferative activity of isoxazole-naphthalene hybrids, while electron-withdrawing substituents like Cl, F, and NO2 enhanced antibacterial activity in isoxazole-acridone hybrids, according to representative SAR investigations. Furthermore, efficacy and selectivity were strongly impacted by linker length, heteroatom inclusion, and molecular hybridization with heterocyclic scaffolds. In order to demonstrate the translational relevance and therapeutic value of this scaffold in modern drug development, the article also briefly examines a few clinically utilized medications that contain the isoxazole moiety. All things considered, this review provides a simple but thorough overview of recent advancements in isoxazole chemistry and hybrid molecule design. It also offers insightful information about the logical design and potential future development of novel therapeutic agents with enhanced and potential clinical relevance.</p>","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149183134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthetic Strategies Toward Naturally Occurring α-Pyrones: A Review of Total Syntheses and Methodological Advances.","authors":"Marcilio Wagner Fontes Silva, Jonatas Tavares da Silva, Alécia Regina Andresa Silva, Juliano Carlos Rufino de Freitas, João Rufino de Freitas Filho, Clécio Souza Ramos","doi":"10.2174/0113895575478841260925084532","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575478841260925084532","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>α-Pyrones constitute an important class of natural products widely distributed in plants, fungi, bacteria, and marine organisms, exhibiting diverse biological activities, including antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, and phytotoxic effects. Their structural diversity and pharmacological potential have stimulated extensive efforts toward the development of efficient synthetic methodologies. This review provides an overview of the total syntheses of naturally occurring α-pyrones reported between 1984 and 2026, covering structurally diverse subclasses, including styrylpyrones, meroterpenoids, macrocyclic α-pyrones, fused polycyclic systems, and other complex α-pyrone-containing natural products. Particular emphasis is placed on the principal synthetic strategies employed for α-pyrone construction and target assembly, including aldol condensations, crossmetathesis reactions, transition-metal-catalyzed couplings, biomimetic cascade processes, radical cyclizations, Claisen rearrangements, and asymmetric methodologies. The review compares these approaches in terms of synthetic efficiency, stereochemical control, and methodological innovation. Key advances in stereoselective and total synthesis are highlighted, demonstrating how modern synthetic methods have enabled access to increasingly complex α-pyrone architectures with high levels of chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity. The review also discusses the contribution of total synthesis to structural confirmation, biological evaluation, and the preparation of analogues for structureactivity relationship studies. Current challenges, including lengthy synthetic sequences, low overall yields, and scalability limitations, are critically assessed. Finally, future perspectives are presented, focusing on emerging technologies such as biocatalysis, flow chemistry, C-H functionalization, electrochemical synthesis, sustainable methodologies, and artificial intelligence-assisted retrosynthetic planning, which are expected to further advance α-pyrone synthesis and facilitate drug discovery efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149183131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structure-property Relationships Reported for the New Drugs Approved in 2025.","authors":"Kihang Choi","doi":"10.2174/0113895575494597260929085547","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575494597260929085547","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This review summarizes the structure-property relationships underlying 10 smallmolecule drugs approved by the US FDA in 2025, with an emphasis on the lead optimization strategies that facilitated their successful clinical advancement. Analysis of pharmacological and physicochemical datasets revealed two recurrent optimization approaches that effectively addressed pharmacokinetic and toxicological liabilities during development. First, the deliberate incorporation or modification of heterocyclic motifs enables the simultaneous optimization of multiple drug-like properties. Representative examples include the N-methylpyrazole substituent in aficamten, which improves oral bioavailability; substitution of a metabolically labile carbamate with a pyrimidine ring in avutometinib; and introduction of a methylated oxazolidinone moiety in zoliflodacin, which markedly increases aqueous solubility. Second, precise control of the hydrogen-bond donor count was essential for optimizing membrane permeability and oral absorption. This was achieved either through N-methylation, as demonstrated by aficamten and vimseltinib, or through intramolecular hydrogen bonding via strategically positioned acceptor groups. In several cases, fluorine substitution adjacent to NH functionalities effectively masked donor characteristics, thereby improving permeability and overall pharmacokinetic performance. Collectively, these case studies underscore the value of rigorous structure-property relationship analysis integrated with established medicinal chemistry principles. Such approaches enable the successful navigation of complex lead-to-candidate optimization challenges and provide practical guidance for future small-molecule drug discovery efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149183168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Paris Saponins: A Comprehensive Review of Their Chemical Composition, Pharmacological Effects, and Mechanisms of Action.","authors":"Qing Xie, Jian-Bing Jiang, Danling Huang","doi":"10.2174/0113895575513492261007093809","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575513492261007093809","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Paris polyphylla is a traditional medicinal plant widely used in Chinese and Indian medicine, and its steroidal saponins are regarded as the principal bioactive constituents responsible for many of its therapeutic effects. This review aims to provide an integrated overview of the chemical composition, nomenclature, pharmacological activities, molecular mechanisms, in vivo evidence, translational prospects, and safety of Paris saponins. Published evidence was narratively synthesized according to saponin structural features and sugar-chain composition, with particular attention to major monomers including Polyphyllin I, II, III, V, VI, VII, H, C, and G and to the standardization of their nomenclature. Evidence from cell-based, animal, and mechanistic studies was further organized to link individual saponins with their reported biological effects and molecular targets. Current evidence indicates that Paris saponins exhibit broad biological activities, including antitumor, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hemostatic, immunomodulatory, organprotective, anthelmintic, and antioxidant effects. Mechanistically, these compounds regulate multiple molecular processes, including apoptosis, autophagy, cell-cycle progression, oxidative homeostasis, inflammatory signaling, immune responses, and tumor invasion and metastasis, through pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK, NF-κB, and related signaling networks. Their pharmacological effects are strongly influenced by structural differences in steroidal aglycones, sugarchain composition, and glycosidic linkages. Although accumulating in vivo studies support their therapeutic potential, clinical translation remains constrained by hemolytic toxicity, limited bioavailability, complex metabolism, variable exposure-response relationships, and insufficient clinical evidence for structurally defined monomers. Overall, Paris saponins represent promising multitarget natural products, but future studies should integrate pharmacokinetics, toxicology, standardized nomenclature, structure-activity relationships, and well-designed clinical investigations to facilitate their safe and rational development.</p>","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149183138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aerogels as Next-generation Materials for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications: A Comprehensive Review.","authors":"Amit Pratap Singh, Satyam Yadav, Ayushi Gupta, Surbhi Tomar, Sushil Kumar Kashaw, Asmita Gajbhiye, Vandana Soni","doi":"10.2174/0113895575509489260930100839","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113895575509489260930100839","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aerogels are ultralight materials characterized by highly porous structures and adaptable physicochemical properties, which have gained increasing attention in pharmaceutical and biomedical research. Their interconnected porous networks, extensive surface areas, and adjustable compositions render them particularly suitable for the incorporation and transport of therapeutic agents, biomolecules, and living cells into the body. This review presents an overview of the major methods of synthesizing the material, classification of aerogel types, and their applications, particularly in the biomedical field, including drug delivery, wound healing, and regenerative medicine. Different methods for preparing aerogels, such as the sol-gel technique, supercritical drying, and recently developed environmentally safe approaches, are discussed, with particular emphasis on their influence on the mechanical characteristics, biodegradability, and biocompatibility of these materials. Various types of aerogel materials, such as biopolymers, silica, carbon, graphene, and hybrid-based aerogels, are examined, with emphasis on their respective advantages and limitations in biomedical applications. The comparisons between materials are discussed to illustrate the impact of the structural properties of the material on drug delivery. Furthermore, recent patents are discussed, highlighting recent technological developments, particularly in aerogel-based biomedical technologies. This review aims to integrate the structural, functional, and biomedical significance of these materials, highlighting the relationships among their composition, structure, and functionality. This review highlights the potential of this material, especially the more recent environmentally friendly methods, emphasizing its potential as a next-generation material for drug delivery, wound healing, regenerative medicine, and various emerging biomedical technologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":18548,"journal":{"name":"Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149183160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}