[Macrodiolides--chemical properties and activity in a biological model]

Diolides, often classified into a group of macrolides, represent a heterogenous group of microbial metabolites whose common feature is the presence of a cyclic diester moiety in their structure. These compounds have cytotoxic, antiviral, anthelmintic or immunosuppressive activities and they were effective agents against some autoimmune diseases. Diolides, contrary to macrolides, showed a substantially lower antibacterial activity. The current data on the chemical properties and biological activity of diolides are presented in this paper.