Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Formerly Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Cancer Agents) - Volume 9, Issue 8, 2009

ACA-MC is now in its ninth volume. Besides regular general issues reviewing major advances in various areas of anti-cancer agents, two Hot Topic Issues have been published in 2009 with exciting recent developments in the field of enzymes and other proteins inhibitors. For 2010, a large number of authors have proposed review articles covering the latest developments in medicinal chemistry and rational drug design. Sev Read More

Oxymatrine is one of active constituents isolated from Ku Shen, which is the dried root of Sophora flavescens Ait. The herb used in different herbal formulations is commonly known with specific pharmacological properties for treatment of liver disorders and other diseases such as arrhythmia, eczema and skin disorders, leukopenia and bronchitis. Sophora flavescens Ait is known to enhance liver functions and reduce hepatotoxi Read More

A series of complexes containing titanium and vanadium as a metal centers have shown to possess a wide spectrum of antitumor properties. These series belong to the non-platinum metal antitumor agents that appear to offer a different alternative for cancer chemotherapy which do not follow mechanism of action of the platinum complexes. The antitumor activity of both titanocene and vanadocene complexes has been establi Read More

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a common malignancy worldwide, is an important contributor to the overall international cancer burden. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]- anthracene (DMBA) in the HBP reiterate many of the features observed in human OSCCs. The major risk factors associated with human oral cancer such as tobacco, betel quid and alcohol promote HBP carcinog Read More

Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) is a drug unique for the treatment of certain forms of cancer. It works by targeting, and turning off, specific tyrosine kinase proteins that cause the uncontrolled cell growth and the inhibition of apoptosis in cancer cells. Imatinib was designed on the basis of the structure of the ATP binding site of the Abl protein kinase with the aim to stabilize the inactive form of Bcr-Abl, an oncoprotein involved i Read More

A class of substituted 1H,7H-5a,6,8,9-tetrahydro-1-oxopyrano[4,3-b][1]benzopyrans (tricyclic pyrones; TPs) was synthesized from a one-pot condensation reaction of 6-substituted 4-hydroxy-2-pyrones and cyclohexenecarboxaldehydes. The reaction involves a 6π-electrocyclic ring closing process, and stereo- and regioselectivities were examined. C3-Pyridyl-containing TPs may represent a novel synthetic class of microtubu Read More

Despite recent progress in surgical procedures and therapeutic modalities, the outcomes of treatment for pancreas cancer are still not satisfactory. Chemotherapy can provide symptom relief in some patients, but its impact on survival has been modest and it can lead to unacceptable levels of toxicity. To develop novel and potentially less toxic forms of cancer therapy, molecular targeting therapy is being based initially on the kn Read More

The MDM2 oncogene is overexpressed in various human cancers. Its expression correlates with the phenotypes of high-grade, late-stage, and more resistant tumors. The auto-regulatory loop between MDM2 and the tumor suppressor p53 has long been considered the epitome of a rational target for cancer therapy. As such, many novel agents have been generated to interfere with the interaction of the two proteins, which r Read More

The androgen receptor (AR) plays a crucial role in the physiological and pathological functions of androgen. As a transcription factor, the AR modulates androgen activity by regulating the transcription of target genes that are involved in numerous physiological functions and pathological disorders, such as acne vulgaris, androgenetic alopecia, benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), and prostate cancers. Although many natur Read More

Naturally occurring cytotoxic compounds have been considered to be a valuable pool of lead compounds in the development of potential anticancer drugs. Currently, some cytotoxic compounds of terrestrial plants are being used as cancer therapeutic drugs and more candidates are under clinical trials along with cytotoxic small molecules of terrestrial microorganisms and marine organisms. In the present review, the Read More