DNA Related Enzymes as Molecular Targets for Antiviral and Antitumoral Chemotherapy. A Natural Overview of the Current Perspectives

GARRO, HUGO A.; PUNGITORE, CARLOS R.

CURRENT DRUG TARGETS

BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBL LTD

Año: 2019 vol. 20 p. 70 - 80

1389-4501

Abstract: Background: The discovery of new chemotherapeutic agents still remains a continuousgoal to achieve. DNA polymerases and topoisomerases act in nucleic acids metabolism modulatingdifferent processes like replication, mitosis, damage repair, DNA topology and transcription. It hasbeen widely documented that Polymerases serve as molecular targets for antiviral and antitumoralchemotherapy. Furthermore, telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein with exacerbated activity in most of thetumor cell lines, becoming as an emergent target in Cancer treatment.Methods: We undertook an exhaustive search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed researchliterature related to the last decade. The characteristics of screened bibliography describe structure activityrelationships and show the principal moieties involved. This work tries to summarize the investigationabout natural and semi-synthetic products with natural origin with the faculty to inhibit keyenzymes that play a crucial role in DNA metabolism.Results: Eighty-five data references were included in this review, showing natural products widelydistributed throughout the plant kingdom and their bioactive properties such as tumor growing inhibitoryeffects, and anti-AIDS activity.Conclusion: The findings of this review confirm the importance to find new drugs and biologicallyactive natural products, and their potential medicinally useful benefits.