Importance and Involvement of Imidazole Structure in Current and Future Therapy

Imidazole is, from a structural point of view, a heterocycle consisting of three C atoms and two N atoms, belonging to the class of diazoles, having two N atoms at the first and third positions in the aromatic ring. Being a polar and ionizable aromatic compound, it has the role of improving the pharmacological properties of lead molecules, thus being used to optimize their solubility and bioavailability. Imidazole is a constituent of many important biological compounds, like histidine, histamine, and purine compounds, the most widespread heterocyclic compound in nature. In current practice, substituted imidazole derivatives play a major role in antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, CNS active compounds, antiprotozoal, as well as anticancer therapy. Thus, imidazole derivatives have demonstrated significant anticancer activities by inhibiting the key metabolic pathways essential for tumor cell growth and survival. Nitroimidazoles, for instance, have been employed as hypoxia-directed therapeutic agents, targeting oxygen-deprived tumor tissues, while mercaptopurine derivatives are well-established in oncological treatments. Structural modifications of the imidazole nucleus have led to the novel compounds exhibiting increased selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells, while sparing normal healthy cells. In accordance with what has been stated, this review highlights recent research on the medicinal and pharmaceutical interest of novel imidazole derivatives, emphasizing their potential in the development of new drugs.