SYNTHESIS OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE COMPOUNDS PART A

Degree course: 
Corso di Second cycle degree in CHEMISTRY
Academic year when starting the degree: 
2017/2018
Year: 
2
Academic year in which the course will be held: 
2018/2019
Course type: 
Supplementary compulsory subjects
Credits: 
4
Period: 
First Semester
Standard lectures hours: 
32
Detail of lecture’s hours: 
Lesson (32 hours)
Requirements: 

A deep knowledge of the fundamentals of organic chemistry, biochemmitry and heterocyclic chemistry is a pivotal prerequisite.

Assessment: 
Voto Finale

The course is composed by two modules and aims at furnishing:
- knowledge of selected topics in the field of the medicinal chemistry;
- knowledge of the most important synthetic methodologies of selected organic compounds and their characterization;
- details of industrial methodologies for the synthesis of some compounds.

Drug targets: proteins, enzymes and receptors (12 h). Intermolecular binding forces: Protein structure: primary, secondary (alpha-helics, beta turns and beta-sheets) and tertiary. Enzymatic interactions and catalytic role of enzymes. Receptors: neurotransmitters and hormones, receptor activation and signal transduction.
Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics (12 h): reversible, irreversible and allosteric inhibitors. Agonists, antagonists and partial agonists, affinity efficacy and potency. Pharmacokinetics: drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.
Drug discovery and development (8 h): choosing a drug target, identifying a bioassay, finding a lead compound. Structure optimization e drug formulation. Preclinical and clinical phases.
Antibacterial agents (12 hours). The bacterial cel and mechanisms of antibacterial action. Antimetabolites: sulphonamides. Antibacterial agents which inhibit cell wall synthesis: penicillins, cephalosporins, other -lactam antibiotics(clavulanic acid, carbapenem e monobactams), and glycopeptides. Antibacterial agents which impair protein synthesis: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides, oxazolidinones. Agents which act on nucleic acid transcription and replication.

Antiviral agents (8 hours). Antiviral drugs used against DNA viruses. Antiviral drugs acting against RNA viruses: HIV, flu virus, cold virus, hepatitis C.

Drugs acting on the adrenergic nervous system (PNS) (6 hours). Catecholamines: biosynthesis, metabolism and structure activity relationship. Adrenergic agonists: 2-agonists and the treatment of asthma. Adrenergic receptor antagonists: -blockers as cardiovascular drugs. Structure activity relationship of aryloxypropanolamines. Benzodiazepines.

The opioid analgesics (6 hours). Morphine: structure-activity relationship. Morphine analogues: drug extension, simplification or drug dissection, rigidification. Morphine antagonists.

An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry, G. L. Patrick, Oxford, 5th Ed.