Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 17, Issue 7, 2010

In regenerative medicine, stem cells are currently considered ideal candidates for the treatment of diseases and injuries of the nervous system, for which, at present, there are no effective treatments. Promising results have been shown by clinical trials for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's diseases, but also for demyelinising disorders and traumatic lesions of the brain and spinal cord. The proof-of-principle is tha Read More

The targeting of tubulin is an important mechanism for cancer chemotherapy. However, limitations such as resistance, toxicity and incomplete tumour elimination associated with individual anti-cancer drugs have led to a need for combination therapy in cancer. It is therefore relevant to ask whether two or more drugs might be combined in a single hybrid molecule to advantageous effect. This review provides an overview of Read More

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered to be an autoimmune disease leading to inflammatory demyelination and axonal damage in the central nervous system (CNS). Current treatments involve non-specific immunosuppression and immunomodulation. The development of monoclonal antibodies for therapeutic use allows targeting of specific immune mechanisms. Natalizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against α Read More

The saccharin ring system has gained considerable attention in the past decades, especially in the field of medicinal chemistry. The wide applicability of saccharin derivatives remains the driving force behind the constant development of novel routes and methods that provide new access to the construction of saccharin. Since the functionalization of this heterocycle has proved difficult, except for N- and O-alkylation Read More

In many different species, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) constitutes a major checkpoint of anaerobic glycolysis, by catalyzing the reduction of pyruvate into lactate. This enzyme has recently received a great deal of attention since it may constitute a valid therapeutic target for diseases so different as malaria and cancer. In fact, the isoform expressed by Plasmodium falciparum (pfLDH) is a key enzyme for energy generatio Read More