Medicinal Attributes of Heterocyclic Compounds in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Recent Developments and SAR Studies

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that can attack anyone at any age, but it is most common in those between the ages of 30 and 50. It can impact joints or cause joint stiffness, as well as affect the eyes, skin, and lungs. In the absence of a clear mechanism underlying the occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis in humans, scientists have successfully identified and marked some of the most commonly involved biological targets, such as enzymes or receptors, including human carbonic anhydrase, Janus kinase, Bruton kinase, protein kinase, etc. It is plausible to anticipate that any of the above-mentioned targets will provide a respite in the search for effective rheumatoid arthritis treatments. This article attempted to compile recent advances in this field over the last six years (2016-2021) and successfully documented the positive outcomes of each significant research project. Without prejudice to any remaining research on this topic, the current compilation should serve as a starting point for future research works in this field. The structure-activity relationships, mechanistic research, and molecular modelling of each class covered, as well as any clinical trial developments, have all been given special attention. This review discusses the design and development of numerous inhibitors for diverse targets, such as BTK, JAKs, MAPK-PDE4, SYK, NSAIDs-CAIs, PKC, and others.