The Discovery and Development of Drug Combinations for the Treatment of Various Diseases from Patent Literature (1980-Present)

The search for a miracle drug that would help to alleviate multiple ailments, dates back many thousands of years before our era and continues until today. Various techniques have been used to obtain a formulation, that would give the desired therapeutic effect. The most popular approach includes drug coctails and multicomponent drugs. Polytherapy is widely accapted as an effective tool for the treatment of several diseases, however it is often faced with important drawbacks that may sometimes result in fatal adverse effects associated with unpredictable drug interactions. Conversly, hybrid compounds were found to be an attractive way to counterbalance the unwanted side effects derived from the administration of individual drug components. Futhermore, they can serve as effective and improved remedies for patients suffering from several diseases simultaneously, as different receptorrelated pharmacophores are used as structural components. This review covers patent literature from 1980 till now that highlights the progress that has been made in the discovery of hybrid compounds potentially useful in the treatment on various disorders, including pain states, neurodegenerative or infectious diseases. Additionally, this review was further enriched with findings from original research papers.