A patent review of the therapeutic potential of isoflavones (2012-2016)

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Isoflavones are well-studied natural products isolated from natural sources with interesting chemodiversity and possess a wide variety of biological effects. Moreover, chemical modifications based on the isoflavone scaffold, has generated synthetic chemodiversity to enhance the bioactivities of isoflavones.

Areas covered: The current review summarizes the discovery of new chemotherapeutic agents possessing the isoflavone skeleton. This review incorporates patents filed between 2012 and 2016 mostly related to anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anti-HIV, anti-gastric ulcer, anti-gastritis, antiparasitic and some other biological effects demonstrated by isoflavone analogs.

Expert opinion: The number of interesting patents published during the five year period (2012–2016) on the therapeutic potential of isoflavones indicated the importance of this molecule. Natural isoflavones possess potent anticancer, anti-HIV and antidiabetic activities and chemical analogs of natural isoflavones increase the abovementioned biological effects. Additionally isoflavones have only been tested for a limited number of biological activities and thus future research should focus on additional biological activities viz., anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, and anti-leishmanial effects. However, the absence of SAR studies and in vivo data restricted the rational design of more potent isoflavone analogs and we believe that in order to get lead compounds, there needs to be a greater focus on SAR and in vivo studies.

KEYWORDS:

• Isoflavone
• Anticancer
• antidiabetic
• anti-HIV
• antimicrobial

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Corrigendum

Article highlights

• Isoflavones are reported from natural sources and their synthetic analogs are described.

• The review presents therapuetic applications of isoflavones for anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-HIV, and antimicrobial effects over a last five years (2012-2016) .

• Urease inhibition of some synthetic isoflavones is discussed.

• Experimental data demonstrates that isoflavones are safe and promising anti-cancer agents.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Dedication

Dedicated to Professor Atta-ur-Rahman on the occasion of his 75th birthday.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.