Recent development of azole-sulfonamide hybrids with the anticancer potential

Abstract

Cancer exhibits heterogeneity that enables adaptability and remains grand challenges for effective treatment. Chemotherapy is a validated and critically important strategy for the treatment of cancer, but the emergence of multidrug resistance which may lead to recurrence of disease or even death is a major hurdle for successful chemotherapy. Azoles and sulfonamides are important anticancer pharmacophores, and azole-sulfonamide hybrids have the potential to simultaneously act on dual/multiple targets in cancer cells, holding great promise to overcome drug resistance. This review outlines the current scenario of azole-sulfonamide hybrids with the anticancer potential, and the structure-activity relationships as well as mechanisms of action are also discussed, covering articles published from 2020 onward.

Keywords: azole; cancer; drug resistance; hybrid molecules; sulfonamide.

Figure 1.

Chemical structures of sulfonamide–benzimidazole/imidazole hybrids 1–7.

Figure 2.

Chemical structures of sulfonamide–triazole hybrids 8–12.

Figure 3.

Chemical structures of sulfonamide–oxazole/oxadiazole hybrids 13–25.

Figure 4.

Chemical structures of sulfonamide–pyrazole/indazole hybrids 26–35.

Figure 5.

Chemical structures of sulfonamide–thiazole/fused thiazole hybrids 36–44.