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Furanone, a five-membered heteroaromatic ring containing oxygen atom, is of immense pharmaceutical importance. Presence of this nucleus in biologically active compounds of natural and synthetic origin has made it an indispensable motif for design and development of new therapeutic agents. In recent years synthesis of furanone derivatives and exploring their therapeutic actions has been the prime interest amongst researchers. Furanone containing compounds cover numerous therapeutic categories viz. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anticonvulsant, antibacterial and antifungal, antioxidant, antiulcer and anti-TB, etc. There is a need to couple recent work done with previously available information on furanone, a well acknowledged scaffold, to help scientists to develop novel and new furanone based therapeutic agents at a faster pace. This updated review highlights the worth of numerous therapeutically active furanone based compounds developed by the medicinal chemists. SAR studies have also been derived which may be useful for rational designing of furanone derivatives with improved therapeutic index. Image 1 • 2(5H) furanone derivatives emerged as the most promising anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-microbial agents. • The review covers useful pharmacological activities of furanone derivatives along with SAR studies. • It provides an overview of research work carried out on furanones in past three decades. • Enlist the patents granted on furanones and drugs containing furanone nucleus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several generations of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are available in the market for the treatment of seizures, but these are amalgamated with acute to chronic side effects. The most common side effects of AEDs are dose-related, but some are idiosyncratic adverse drug reactions (ADRs) that transpire due to the formation of reactive metabolite (RM) after the bioactivation process. Because of the adverse reactions patients usually discontinue the medication in between the treatment. The AEDs such as valproic acid, lamotrigine, phenytoin etc., can be categorized under such types because they form the RM which may prevail with life-threatening adverse effects or immune-mediated reactions. Hepatotoxicity, teratogenicity, cutaneous hypersensitivity, dizziness, addiction, serum sickness reaction, renal calculi, metabolic acidosis are associated with the metabolites of drugs such as arene oxide, N -desmethyldiazepam, 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-2-methylsuccinimide, 2-(sulphamoy1acetyl)-phenol, E−2-en-VPA and 4-en-VPA and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide, etc. The major toxicities are associated with the moieties that are either capable of forming RM or the functional groups may itself be too reactive prior to the metabolism. These functional groups or fragment structures are typically known as structural alerts or toxicophores. Therefore, minimizing the bioactivation potential of lead structures in the early phases of drug discovery by a modification to low-risk drug molecules is a priority for the pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, excellent potency and pharmacokinetic (PK) behaviour help in ensuring that appropriate (low dose) candidate drugs progress into the development phase. The current review discusses about RMs in the anticonvulsant drugs along with their mechanism vis -a- vis research efforts that have been taken to minimize the toxic effects of AEDs therapy. [Display omitted] • Reactive metabolites of established antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) with their acute/chronic side-effects are reported. • Various synthetic strategies to minimize the toxicity under each category of AEDs are discussed. • Preclinical data for the synthesized derivatives is represented as compared to standard AEDs. • Structural activity relationship has been discussed for various synthesized derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]