Background:
Isoquinoline analogs are an important, structurally diverse
class of compounds that are extensively used as pharmaceuticals. Derivatives
containing the isoquinoline scaffold have become a focus of therapeutic research
because of their wide range of biological characteristics. Examples of these drugs,
many of which are in clinical application or at the pre-clinical stage, are used to treat a
broad swathe of ailments, such as tumors, respiratory diseases, infections, nervous
system diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, endocrine and
metabolic diseases.
Methods:
Data were collected from PubMed, Web of Science, and SciFinder, through
searches of drug names.
Results:
At least 38 isoquinoline-based therapeutic drugs are in clinical application or
clinical trials, and their chemical structure and pharmacokinetics are described in
detail.
Conclusion:
The isoquinoline ring is a privileged scaffold which is often preferred as
a structural basis for drug design, and plays an important role in drug discovery. This
review provides a guide for pharmacologists to find effective preclinical/clinical drugs
and examines recent progress in the application of the isoquinoline scaffold.
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