Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Published on: May 9, 2025
Structure-Activity Relationships of Pyrrolyl-Containing Diketo Acid and Non-Diketo Acid Derivatives as Inhibitors of
Elisa Patacchini1, Francesco Saccoliti2, Roberta Emmolo3
1Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, "Sapienza" Università di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Abstract:
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has posed a tremendous burden globally, highlighting the urgent need for new effective antivirals that are possibly useful against future emerging Coronaviruses (hCoVs). In this context, major efforts were focused on the inhibition of highly conserved and essential targets playing a pivotal role in viral replication. Among them, SARS-CoV-2 nsp13 stands out, being the most conserved enzyme within hCoVs. Following our previous reports describing the identification of indole-based diketo acid (DKA) derivatives as SARS-CoV-2 nsp13 inhibitors endowed with antiviral activity, we applied a scaffold hopping strategy to identify new nsp13 inhibitors. Therefore, we investigated a series of 4-phenyl pyrrolyl DKAs and their structural analogs characterized by molecular simplification or DKA isosteric replacement. The derivatives showed potency against both nsp13-associated activities exhibiting measurable IC50s in the low micromolar/submicromolar range, highlighting a promising dual inhibitory profile accordingly. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies were performed, highlighting the main structural features increasing the activity of the different compound classes. Interestingly, SAR trends were confirmed in the presence of the BSA/TCEP system despite variations in potency. To shed light on the interaction of the best acting compounds 13b, 15a, and 17d, docking studies were performed, suggesting a putative binding mode in agreement with our previous findings.
More Related Videos
11:43Procedures for the Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Entry Inhibitors as Potential Antivirals using MLV-Based Pseudoviruses
Published on: February 27, 2026
10:24NMR-Based Activity Assays for Determining Compound Inhibition, IC50 Values, Artifactual Activity, and Whole-Cell Activity of Nucleoside Ribohydrolases
Published on: June 30, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Structure-Activity Relationships and Drug Design
SAR studies the intricate relationship between a drug's chemical structure and biological activity. It focuses on understanding how modifications to a drug's structure can influence its...
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship
Reversible inhibitors display short to medium durations of action. Short-acting agents include simple alcohols with...
Enzyme Inhibition
Adrenergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship
Aromatic ring substitutions: Substituting the aromatic ring with –OH groups at positions 3 and 4 yields catecholamines (e.g., epinephrine), which have a high affinity for adrenoceptors. Hydrogen bonding between –OH groups and receptors enhances adrenergic activity.
Separation of the aromatic...
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Coronavirus