Thiazolidine-2,4-diones as multi-targeted scaffold in medicinal chemistry: Potential anticancer agents

A variety of substituents on the thiazolidine-2,4-dione(TZD) nucleus have provided a wide spectrum of biological activities by the using of different mechanism on various target sites. PPARγ ligands have recently been demonstrated to affect cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of different cell types. Currently, some of the TZDs are designed for the treatment of human cancers expressing high levels of PPARγ because it is assumed that activation of PPARγ mediates their anticancer activity. Another site for TZDs is survival signaling pathways under growth factor loops have been implicated in cancer development, progression, and metastasis. The Raf/MEK/ERK, Wnt and PI3K/Akt signalling cascades are the most commonly up-regulated in human cancers. In the present review, various derivatives of thiazolidine-2,4-diones its SAR and different signaling pathways involved to produce anticancer activity been highlighted.