Selenosteroids - promising hybrid compounds with pleiotropic biological activity: synthesis and biological aspects

J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2021 Oct:213:105975. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.105975. Epub 2021 Aug 18.

Abstract

It is established that steroid based agents are an example of compounds obtained from natural patterns and are of great importance due to their application in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Selenosteroids are hybrids formed by attaching Se-moiety to a steroid molecule. In these types of hybrids, selenium can be present as selenide or as a part of selenosemicarbazones, isoselenocyanates, selenourea, etc. Attaching a Se-moiety to a biologically active steroid might enhance the biological properties of both fragments. Available literature indicates that these kinds of hybrids demonstrate significant anticancer activity, which renders them interesting in terms of medical use. In this review, we present various methods of synthesis and demonstrate that seleno-steroid compounds are promising molecules for further pharmaceutical application.

Keywords: Biological activity; Selenium; Selenosteroids; Steroids; Synthesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / chemical synthesis*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic / methods*
  • Cyanates / chemical synthesis*
  • Cyanates / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Organoselenium Compounds / chemical synthesis*
  • Organoselenium Compounds / pharmacology
  • Selenium Compounds / chemical synthesis*
  • Selenium Compounds / pharmacology
  • Semicarbazones / chemistry
  • Steroids / chemical synthesis*
  • Steroids / pharmacology
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Urea / analogs & derivatives*
  • Urea / chemical synthesis
  • Urea / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Cyanates
  • Organoselenium Compounds
  • Selenium Compounds
  • Semicarbazones
  • Steroids
  • selenourea
  • selenocyanic acid
  • Urea