Identical and Nonidentical Twin Drugs

• Main Authors: Rajić, Z., Huzjak, M., Zorc, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatian Society of Chemical Engineers 2008-11-01
• Series: Kemija u Industriji
• Subjects: twin drugs; receptors; enzymes
• Online Access: http://pierre.fkit.hr/hdki/kui/vol57/broj11/511.pdf

Twin drugs contain two pharmacophoric groups combined covalently in a single molecule. Pharmacophoric groups can be identical moieties (identical twin drugs) or different (nonidentical twin drugs). Identical twin drugs can act on receptors (biogenic amine receptors, peptide receptors, Ca²⁺channel, σ receptors in the brain, leukotriene B₄ receptors), as enzyme inhibitors (HIVenzyme, protein kinase, prolyl hydrolase, acyl-CoA cholesterol acyl transferase, spermidine- spermine-N1-acetyltransferase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase), and as DNA ligands. Nonidentical twin drugs exert their dual action on two different receptors, on two binding sites of a single receptor, on two enzymes, or on both a receptor and an enzyme.