About Author:
Alex Martin
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry,
St. Joseph’s College of Pharmacy
University of Health Sciences, Cherthala-688524 (Kerala), India.
aalexmartin@rediffmail.com
Abstract
Oxadiazole is a five membered heterocyclic ring which is a versatile lead compound for designing potent bioactive agents. It exists in four isomeric forms. One of its four isomers 1,3,4-oxadiazole exhibited a wide range of biological activities which includes anti-bacterial, anti-tubercular, anticonvulsant, hypoglycemic, anti-allergic, enzyme inhibitor, vasodilatory, antifungal, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hypolipidemic, anticancer, insecticidal activities etc. The present review has basic information about 1,3,4-oxadiazole and its biological activities.
Oxadiazoles is a heterocyclic ring and is considered to be derived from furan by the replacement of two methane (-CH=) groups by two nitrogen (-N=) atoms. There are four possible isomers of Oxadiazole, depending on the positions of hetero atoms and they are named as 1,2,3; 1,2,4; 1,2,5; 1,3,4-oxadiazoles. 1,2,4-Oxadiazole, 1,2,5-Oxadiazole, and 1,3,4-Oxadiazole are known, but the 1,2,3-isomer is unstable and reverts to the diazoketone tautomer. The stable oxadiazoles appear in a variety of pharmaceutical drugs including raltegravir, butalamine, fasiplon, oxolamine, and pleconaril.
