Quinolines: Structural Activity Relationship of Quinolines

SAR of Quinolines

• Quinolines are a class of antimalarial drugs that have a quinoline ring in their chemical structure.

• Some general SAR observations for quinolines include:

  1. The presence of the quinoline ring is essential for antimalarial activity.

  2. A basic amine group (usually a tertiary amine) is crucial for activity. It is responsible for the ability of the drug to accumulate within the parasite's food vacuole, where heme detoxification occurs.

  3. Substitution at the 4-amino position of the quinoline ring is a key feature of many active antimalarial quinolines. The nature of the substitution affects lipophilicity and membrane-penetrating properties, which can influence potency.

  4. Modifications of the side chain attached to the 4-amino position can impact the drug's potency and pharmacokinetics. For example, the presence of a dimethylamine group in chloroquine's side chain increases its lipophilicity and membrane-penetrating properties.

Here is the diagram illustrating the Structural Activity Relationship of Quinolines: