Panagiota Stamou, Alexander F Perhal, Patrik F Schwarz, Jorge Enrique Hernández González, Justin Weal, Ya Chen, Alexios Leandros Skaltsounis, Maria Halabalaki, Johannes Kirchmair, Verena M Dirsch, Ioannis K Kostakis
{"title":"Oleanolic acid-derived triterpenoids with dual TGR5 agonistic and RORγ inverse agonistic activity.","authors":"Panagiota Stamou, Alexander F Perhal, Patrik F Schwarz, Jorge Enrique Hernández González, Justin Weal, Ya Chen, Alexios Leandros Skaltsounis, Maria Halabalaki, Johannes Kirchmair, Verena M Dirsch, Ioannis K Kostakis","doi":"10.1039/d6md00471g","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6md00471g","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) and the retinoid-related orphan receptor γ (RORγ) are key regulators of metabolic and immune pathways. This makes them attractive targets for developing anti-inflammatory and metabolic therapeutics. In this study, we designed and synthesised a series of oleanolic acid-derived triterpenoid derivatives to explore their potential as dual modulators of these receptors. The focus of the structural modifications was on the double bond, C-3 substitution, and A-ring rearrangements in order to investigate their impact on biological activity and establish structure-activity relationships within the pentacyclic triterpene scaffold. Biological evaluation using CRE-luciferase reporter assays identified oleanolic acid (1), oleanonic acid (5), and compounds 7 and 8 as TGR5 agonists with concentration-dependent activities. Oleanolic acid (1) and the newly identified seco-derivative 8 displayed the most favourable potency and efficacy profiles. Gal4-RORγ reporter assays demonstrated inverse agonistic activity for oleanolic acid (1) and compounds 7 and 8. Although 7 and 8 exhibited lower potency than 1, both retained pronounced inhibitory efficacy, indicating that substantial scaffold rearrangement remains compatible with RORγ modulation. A resazurin conversion assay showed no evidence of cytotoxicity under the conditions tested, supporting that the observed receptor effects were not attributable to general cytotoxicity. Molecular modelling and Nwat-MMGBSA calculations supported the experimental findings and emphasized the role of conserved buried water molecules in stabilising ligand-receptor interactions in both targets. Overall, these findings identify oleanolic acid-derived triterpenoids as promising scaffolds for dual TGR5/RORγ modulation and provide valuable insights for the future development of multitarget-directed ligands targeting inflammatory and metabolic disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":21462,"journal":{"name":"RSC medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13670034/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149216766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhenhao Zhong, Renata G Almeida, Victor F S Ramos, Andrew J Lacey, Rubem F S Menna-Barreto, Guilherme A M Jardim, Eufrânio N da Silva Júnior, Alastair J J Lennox
{"title":"Fluorination of amino-quinones enhances anti-<i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> activity.","authors":"Zhenhao Zhong, Renata G Almeida, Victor F S Ramos, Andrew J Lacey, Rubem F S Menna-Barreto, Guilherme A M Jardim, Eufrânio N da Silva Júnior, Alastair J J Lennox","doi":"10.1039/d6md00631k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6md00631k","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quinones are well-established antiparasitic agents. Despite the widespread use of fluorine to modulate biological activity and physicochemical properties in drug design, its systematic incorporation into quinoidal frameworks remains underexplored. Here, we report a mild and operationally simple direct electrophilic fluorination of a wide scope of amino-substituted 1,4-naphthoquinones. The fluorinated quinones were evaluated <i>in vitro</i> against <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> (<i>T. cruzi</i>), revealing a consistent and pronounced enhancement in trypanocidal activity upon fluorine incorporation compared with their non-fluorinated aminoquinone precursors. Notably, several fluorinated aminoquinone exhibited higher trypanocidal activity than benznidazole, the drug currently used in the clinical treatment of Chagas disease. This work highlights the potential of fluorine to beneficially influence the properties and biological activity of quinoidal systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":21462,"journal":{"name":"RSC medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13636235/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Targeting PRMT3 for therapeutic intervention: underlying mechanisms and translational perspectives.","authors":"Ziqiang Hu, Qi Ma, Yumeng Xu, Hao Zhang, Jinrong Yang, Qiangsheng Zhang","doi":"10.1039/d6md00587j","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6md00587j","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>PRMT3, a member of type I protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), can catalyze the formation of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and thereby modulates gene expression, cell differentiation, and disease progression. This review covers the PRMT3 structure, biological functions, and its contributions to cancer and other pathologies. We surveyed the emerging landscape of PRMT3 regulation, encompassing pan-inhibitors, selective inhibitors, and degraders, and addressed the hurdles that still impede their clinical translation. Collectively, PRMT3 constitutes a viable epigenetic target, and expanding its pharmacological modality repertoire warrants continued investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":21462,"journal":{"name":"RSC medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13679148/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sithabile Mokoena, Babita Kushwaha, Narva Deshwar Kushwaha, Elliasu Yakubu Salifu, Blessing Ike, John Alake, Darko Kwabena Adu, Afsana Kajee, Vishal Kumar, Subhankar P Mandal, Rajshekhar Karpoormath
{"title":"Synthesis and antibacterial profiling of novel pyrimidine-sulfonyl chlorides: a new class of antimicrobials targeting multidrug-resistant bacterial strains.","authors":"Sithabile Mokoena, Babita Kushwaha, Narva Deshwar Kushwaha, Elliasu Yakubu Salifu, Blessing Ike, John Alake, Darko Kwabena Adu, Afsana Kajee, Vishal Kumar, Subhankar P Mandal, Rajshekhar Karpoormath","doi":"10.1039/d5md00860c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5md00860c","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacteria's ability to resist current antibiotics has grave implications for future treatment options. Herein, we report novel pyrimidine-sulfonyl chloride derivatives as potential antimicrobial agents against multi-drug resistance, synthesised through a molecular hybridisation technique. FTIR, <sup>1</sup>H-NMR and <sup>13</sup>C-NMR analysis data corroborated the structural confirmation of all synthesised compounds. The compounds were screened against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, including <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> strains. Cell permeability assays were also performed for MRSA and <i>S. aureus</i>. Among the tested compounds, 6l and 6m exhibited the most potent antibacterial activity against MRSA with a MIC value of 0.2 μg mL<sup>-1</sup>, more potent than both ciprofloxacin (MIC = 3.91 μg mL<sup>-1</sup>) and vancomycin (MIC = 0.49 μg mL<sup>-1</sup>). Further 6j and 6m also displayed good antibacterial activity against clinically isolated MRSA with MIC values of 0.97 and 7.8 μg mL<sup>-1</sup>, respectively. In contrast, compounds 6g and 6q showed the best activity against Gram-negative bacteria <i>E. hormaechei</i> (MIC = 0.97 μg mL<sup>-1</sup>), comparable to ciprofloxacin (MIC = 0.2 μg mL<sup>-1</sup>). In the antimycobacterial studies, compounds 6a, 6c, 6i, 6k and 6l were more potent (MIC = 3.91 μg mL<sup>-1</sup>) against the extensively drug-resistant <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> (XDR) strain than the standard drugs used and against H37Rv, compounds 6i and 6k exhibited the best potency with a MIC value of 3.91 μg mL<sup>-1</sup>. The cell penetration experiment demonstrated that compounds 6h-6m achieved greater than 90% propidium iodide penetration in <i>S. aureus</i> (translating to cell death) at the stated MIC well, whereas less than 80% cell penetration was achieved for methicillin-resistant <i>S. aureus</i>. Computational simulation studies were conducted to validate the biological findings, showing potential binding affinity at the binding site of MurB and FemA enzymes. Thus, pyrimidine-based sulfonyl chloride derivatives exhibited promising anti-microbial and anti-mycobacterial activities.</p>","PeriodicalId":21462,"journal":{"name":"RSC medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13636279/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RSC medicinal chemistryPub Date : 2026-10-05eCollection Date: 2026-10-22DOI: 10.1039/d6md00646a
Fabienne Spinnler, Luigi Del Pozzo, Lennart Bohrmann, Sandra Zanger, Nina Kathleen Blum, Monique Brendel, Stefan Schulz, Rosalba Mansi, Melpomeni Fani
{"title":"Development of dual SST<sub>2</sub>/SST<sub>5</sub> targeting radioligands through rational structural design.","authors":"Fabienne Spinnler, Luigi Del Pozzo, Lennart Bohrmann, Sandra Zanger, Nina Kathleen Blum, Monique Brendel, Stefan Schulz, Rosalba Mansi, Melpomeni Fani","doi":"10.1039/d6md00646a","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6md00646a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Radioligand therapy targeting somatostatin receptors has emerged as a highly effective treatment strategy for neuroendocrine tumors, with growing evidence indicating that SST<sub>2</sub> antagonists and dual SST<sub>2</sub>/SST<sub>5</sub> targeting approaches may further enhance tumor coverage and therapeutic efficacy. In this study, DOTA-NOC, a somatostatin analog with high affinity for SST<sub>2</sub> and SST<sub>5</sub>, served as the scaffold for the design of novel ligands incorporating structural features associated with receptor antagonism. The resulting ligands were conjugated to DOTA for <sup>177</sup>Lu radiolabeling and evaluated for receptor affinity, antagonistic potency, and <i>in vivo</i> properties. Among the series, <sup>177</sup>Lu-10 displayed high affinity for both receptor subtypes while acting selectively as an SST<sub>5</sub> antagonist. Compared to [<sup>177</sup>Lu]Lu-DOTA-NOC, it showed similar SST<sub>2</sub> tumor uptake but nearly 5-fold higher accumulation in SST<sub>5</sub>-expressing tumors. This work provides new insights into the structural determinants underlying SST<sub>2</sub> and SST<sub>5</sub> affinity, selectivity, and antagonistic behavior, demonstrating that receptor recognition and functional activity arise from the combined contribution of multiple structural elements and supporting the development of dual SST<sub>2</sub>/SST<sub>5</sub>-targeted radioligands.</p>","PeriodicalId":21462,"journal":{"name":"RSC medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":"5101-5112"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13637744/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wancun Wang, Lin Peng, Chunyan Yang, Qiaofeng Yan, Siying Yang, Wen Bin Jin
{"title":"Identification of an enantiopure monocyclic β-lactam as a potent anti-inflammatory agent <i>via</i> modulation of the NF-κB/JNK signaling pathway.","authors":"Wancun Wang, Lin Peng, Chunyan Yang, Qiaofeng Yan, Siying Yang, Wen Bin Jin","doi":"10.1039/d6md00289g","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6md00289g","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To develop novel anti-inflammatory agents with improved pharmaceutical profiles, a series of monocyclic β-lactam derivatives were designed and synthesized. Utilizing the Staudinger [2 + 2] cycloaddition, a key 2-azetidinone intermediate was first constructed, followed by C-3 hydroxyl condensation with various carboxylic acids to yield the target analogues. <i>In vitro</i> anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by screening their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Compounds 4q, 4r, and 7a exhibited potent inhibitory activity, among which 4r was resolved into its enantiomers 4r-1 and 4r-2<i>via</i> chiral HPLC. Their absolute configurations were unequivocally assigned using circular dichroism spectroscopy and electronic circular dichroism calculations. Among the enantiomers, 4r-1, the non-cytotoxic active enantiomer, demonstrated the most pronounced NO suppression (IC<sub>50</sub> = 1.86 ± 0.23 μM) with the lowest cytotoxicity profile, whereas its antipode 4r-2 and the racemate 4r exhibited significant toxicity at the same concentrations. Further assessment revealed that 4r-1 dose-dependently inhibited the release of key inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, surpassing the racemate 4r in potency. Importantly, 4r-1 was prioritized for all in-depth mechanistic investigations due to its superior safety profile. Mechanistic studies indicated that 4r-1 significantly suppressed the protein expression of iNOS and COX-2 by modulating the NF-κB/JNK signaling pathway and concurrently down-regulated the mRNA transcription of associated inflammatory genes. Moreover, 4r-1 effectively attenuated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed a more stable binding mode of 4r-1 with the TNF-α protein (PDB ID: 2AZ5) relative to its antipode 4r-2. In conclusion, the monocyclic β-lactam derivative 4r-1 exhibits remarkable anti-inflammatory efficacy and a favorable safety margin, positioning it as a promising lead candidate for further anti-inflammatory drug development.</p>","PeriodicalId":21462,"journal":{"name":"RSC medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13682534/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149239494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Haiping Yao, Zhu Wang, Nianyu Huang, Nengzhong Wang, Guoping Gan
{"title":"Design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of novel flavone derivatives as tankyrase inhibitors against colorectal cancer.","authors":"Haiping Yao, Zhu Wang, Nianyu Huang, Nengzhong Wang, Guoping Gan","doi":"10.1039/d6md00521g","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6md00521g","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a lethal malignancy driven by Wnt/β-catenin pathway hyperactivation. Tankyrase (TNKS) is a promising therapeutic target for CRC; however, existing inhibitors suffer from poor subtype selectivity and severe intestinal toxicity. Guided by structure-based drug design (SBDD), we developed a novel series of flavone-based TNKS inhibitors using 4'-hydroxyflavone, a plant-derived hit, as the structural scaffold. By systematically introducing diverse aliphatic amines and fluorine atoms onto the flavone B-ring, we designed and synthesized 37 derivatives. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis revealed that bulky <i>para</i>-dialkylamides significantly improved binding affinity. Among the series, compound 19 showed the strongest TNKS1 inhibitory potency (IC<sub>50</sub> = 40.6 nM) and >250-fold selectivity over PARP-1. Compound 21 emerged as the optimized lead, effectively suppressing SW480 CRC cell proliferation (IC<sub>50</sub> = 6.7 μM) while maintaining a superior safety window (SI > 15) against normal NCM460 colonic epithelial cells. Mechanistically, compound 21 exerted its antitumor effects by significantly downregulating classic Wnt target genes (<i>AXIN2</i>, <i>c-Myc</i>), reversing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and irreversibly abolishing the long-term colony-forming capacity of CRC cells. In conclusion, compound 21 features a unique dual-pocket occupation mode and an outstanding efficacy-safety balance, providing a highly valuable structural template for developing next-generation, high-selectivity TNKS inhibitors for targeted CRC therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":21462,"journal":{"name":"RSC medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13659654/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oliver J Corrigan, Sarah L Allinson, Jamie H Docherty
{"title":"On-DNA photochemical methods for expanding DNA-encoded library (DEL) chemical space.","authors":"Oliver J Corrigan, Sarah L Allinson, Jamie H Docherty","doi":"10.1039/d6md00764c","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6md00764c","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>DNA-encoded libraries (DELs) have become a mainstay of small-molecule discovery, enabling millions to billions of compounds to be screened in a single pooled affinity selection in which each small molecule is covalently linked to a unique DNA identifier. However, the chemistry available for their construction remains limited compared to conventional synthetic chemistry. On-DNA chemistry is constrained by the requirement for aqueous, dilute, and DNA-compatible conditions. Classical on-DNA reactions such as amide coupling, reductive amination, S<sub>N</sub>Ar and transition-metal cross-coupling have enabled reliable library synthesis, but they tend to favour planar, sp<sup>2</sup>-rich products. Photochemistry and photocatalysis have recently emerged as a powerful strategy to broaden this toolbox. Excited-state activation opens reaction pathways that are difficult or impossible to reach through conventional ground-state chemistry and can facilitate novel transformations towards the construction of more complex and sp<sup>3</sup>-rich scaffolds. This review surveys the field of on-DNA photochemistry, looking at different activation modes including photoredox single-electron transfer (SET), hydrogen-atom transfer (HAT), metallaphotoredox dual catalysis, electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes, energy-transfer (EnT) catalysis, and direct photolysis. Collectively, these methods have translated a broad range of useful transformations to be amenable to on-DNA synthesis and unlocked access to many medicinally valuable motifs.</p>","PeriodicalId":21462,"journal":{"name":"RSC medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13643850/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149138218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mechanism-based precision pharmacology of natural products for triple-negative breast cancer: translational opportunities for targeted therapeutics.","authors":"Hadir M Emara, Nageh K Allam","doi":"10.1039/d6md00590j","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6md00590j","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains one of the most therapeutically challenging malignancies because of its pronounced molecular heterogeneity, aggressive progression, and frequent development of resistance to chemotherapy, targeted agents, and immunotherapy. Natural products offer a distinctive medicinal chemistry resource because their structurally diverse scaffolds can engage multiple oncogenic and immune-regulatory targets simultaneously; however, their potential in TNBC has largely been discussed in conventional descriptive reviews that catalog individual compounds and mechanisms without establishing a clinically actionable framework for their integration into precision therapy. This review addresses this gap by developing a mechanism-based precision pharmacology framework that connects natural-product chemical scaffolds, multitarget molecular mechanisms, TNBC vulnerabilities, and rational therapeutic combinations. We critically examine representative phytochemicals according to their ability to modulate clinically actionable pathways, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1), androgen receptor (AR), and trophoblast cell surface antigen-2 (TROP-2), and relate these mechanisms to the molecular heterogeneity of TNBC. Particular emphasis is placed on how multitarget natural-product scaffolds may complement contemporary targeted therapies, antibody-drug conjugates, immunotherapies, and chemotherapy through pathway-directed and subtype-informed combinations. We further critically evaluate preclinical and clinical evidence to identify the major barriers limiting translation, including poor bioavailability, unfavorable pharmacokinetics, insufficient target engagement, suboptimal formulation, and the lack of biomarker-guided patient selection. Rather than viewing natural products as nonspecific complementary agents, we propose their repositioning as chemically defined multitarget pharmacological modulators whose therapeutic value can be optimized through structure-informed development, pharmacodynamic validation, molecular stratification, and rational combination design. Finally, we propose a precision pharmacology roadmap linking natural-product scaffold, molecular vulnerability, pharmacological mechanism, rational combination, pharmacodynamic biomarker, and biomarker-enriched clinical evaluation. By integrating medicinal chemistry, molecular pharmacology, and translational oncology, this review provides a distinct framework for advancing natural-product-derived therapeutics from broad anticancer activity toward mechanism-driven precision medicine in TNBC.</p>","PeriodicalId":21462,"journal":{"name":"RSC medicinal chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13639865/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}