Therapeutic aspects of biologically potent vanillin derivatives: A critical review

Abstract

4-hydroxy 3-methoxy benzaldehyde (Vanillin) is an aromatic phenolic aldehyde with unique chemical properties and pharmacological impact. Because of its potent nature, it acts as a lead for drug discovery and development techniques. Heterocyclic compounds with vanillin moiety were efficacious and thrive against many emerging infectious diseases, which can also lead to develop numerous fused heterocyclic vanillin derivatives and various heterocyclic compounds such as pyrimidines, quinoxalines, imidazoles or thiazoles. Greener-mediated synthesis is a sustained chemical reaction used to synthesize hazardless vanillin derivatives with a high yield of product in desired time. Due to its several reasonable modifications with high bioactivity, vanillin moiety can be used to develop various potent derivatives like vanillin-based ferrocenyl chalcone derivatives, vanillin-hydrazone derivatives, Schiff base and Mannich base-based derivatives, pyrazoline vanillin-based derivatives, triazole-based vanillin derivatives and vanillin hybrids plays a crucial role in the coordination chemistry. These derivatives exhibited plenty of biological applications, which include anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial, antitubercular, antimalarial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer and anti-diabetic effects. Hence, this review focuses on the significance of vanillin derivatives responsible for biological activity.
 Keywords: Vanillin; 4-hydroxy 3-methoxy benzaldehyde; Vanillin derivatives; Antimicrobial; Anticancer; Biological applications