Medicinal Chemistry progress in Brazil: Advances in the 40 years of the Brazilian Chemical Society

Abstract

Medicinal Chemistry includes the invention, discovery, design, identification, and interpretation of the molecular mechanism of action of biologically active compounds. In addition to the discovery of bioactive molecules, Medicinal Chemistry investigates drug metabolism and the relationships between chemical structure and biological activity. The advances achieved in the 20th century have significantly contributed to the better understanding of pathophysiological processes as well as the development of new, safer and more effective drugs for many diseases. In this article, we review the evolution of Medicinal Chemistry in Brazil during the last 40 years and evaluate the impact of the Brazilian contributions in the international context. The analyzed data revealed that Medicinal Chemistry research in Brazil has increased exponentially in the last two decades, the research groups became more well-distributed across the Brazilian regions and our scientific contributions have significant impact in the main journals of the field. Therefore, aiming at evolving steadily and striving for excellence in drug discovery and development, we shall focus on national and international collaborations and investment in translational research, as well.