Identical and Nonidentical Twin Drugs

Abstract

Twin drugs contain two pharmacophoric groups combined covalently in a single molecule. Pharmacophoric groups can be identical moieties (identical twin drugs) or different (nonidentical twin drugs). Identical twin drugs can act on receptors (biogenic amine receptors, peptide receptors, Ca2+channel, σ receptors in the brain, leukotriene B4 receptors), as enzyme inhibitors (HIVenzyme, protein kinase, prolyl hydrolase, acyl-CoA cholesterol acyl transferase, spermidine- spermine-N1-acetyltransferase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase), and as DNA ligands. Nonidentical twin drugs exert their dual action on two different receptors, on two binding sites of a single receptor, on two enzymes, or on both a receptor and an enzyme.

Keywords

• twin drugs
• receptors
• enzymes