Approaches for the discovery of cinnamic acid derivatives with anticancer potential

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Cinnamic acid is a privileged scaffold for the design of biologically active compounds with putative anticancer potential, following different synthetic methodologies and procedures. Since there is a need for the production of potent anticancer, cinnamate moiety can significantly contribute in the design of new and more active anticancer agents.

Areas covered

In this review, the authors provide a review on the synthetic approaches for the discovery of cinnamic acid derivatives with anticancer potential. Results from molecular simulations, hybridization, and chemical derivatization along with biological experiments in vitro and structural activity relationships are given, described, and discussed by the authors. Information for the mechanism of action is taken from original literature sources.

Expert opinion

The authors suggest that (i) numerous areas of biology-pharmacology need to be considered: selectivity, in vivo studies, toxicity and drug-likeness, the mechanism of action in animals and humans, development of more efficient assays for various cancer types; (ii) hybridization techniques outbalance in the discovery and production of compounds with higher activity and greater selectivity; (iii) repositioning offers new anticancer cinnamic agents.

KEYWORDS:

• Anticancer
• tubulin polymerization inhibitors
• cytotoxic agents
• hybridization
• cinnamic acid derivatives

Article highlights

• Cinnamoyl moiety has been found as a potential scaffold for anticancer activity.

• Computational simulations, hybridization, and chemical derivatization are developed for the discovery of new cinnamic anticancer derivatives.

• Cis- platin and gold cinnamic complexes are found to act as anticancer agents.

• Cinnamic acid derivatives are presenting in vitro antiproliferative, tubulin polymerization, fatty acid synthase inhibitory activities. The results are taken from different assays against different molecular targets implicated in cancer.

• Specificity and mechanism of action is missing and should be investigated.

• In vivo studies in animals and humans are required.

• There is a need to reconsider and reexamine the discovery for cinnamates and development process to optimize interactions between pharma industries and research groups.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.