Chemotherapeutic potential of Acridine analogs: An ample review

Abstract

Acridine, a novel and pharmacologically important nitrogen containing heterocyclic ring exhibits a variety of potential biological activities. Among the reported therapeutic attributes of acridines, anticancer and antimicrobial are the most comprehensively studied ones. This fused heterocyclic ring has been evidenced in a number of research papers and patents. The principal target of these agents being nucleic acids, to which they bind reversibly by intercalation. This review article is merely an assemblage of all the patents and research work that has been done so far in the recent past on various acridine analogs as chemotherapeutic (anticancer and antimicrobial) agents. The promising activity revealed by these compounds chains their use and places them ahead as reasonably potential drug candidates for the upcoming studies. The present article can be reasonably constructive for those engrossed in the area of hunt for new and effective antimicrobial and anticancer compounds involving acridine as a crucial and central nucleus.