Medicinal chemistry and bioactive natural products

Laboratory of Medicinal and Organic Chemistry
Senior research group

Our research group is currently focused on natural triterpenoids and their semi-synthetic analogues and on the studies of their biological activities. Based on the activities, we have two main domains of research.

  1. Compounds with anti-cancer activity
  2. Compounds with neuroprotective activity
  • Modifications of the position C-30 in lupane triterpenoids
  • Triterpenoids with condensed heterocycle to the main skeleton
  • Fluorescently labelled triterpenoids and their visualization in the living environment
  • Bioorthogonal click-reaction of selectively cytotoxic triterpenes
  • Development of compounds selectively cytotoxic in resistant cancer cells
  • Compounds labelled with deuterium and their visualization using Raman confocal microscopy
  • Natural products with neuroprotective properties and elucitation of their mechanism of action
HODOŇ, J., I. FRYDRYCH, Z. TRHLÍKOVÁ, J. POKORNÝ, L. BORKOVÁ, S. BENICKÁ, M. VLK, B. LIŠKOVÁ, A. KUBÍČKOVÁ, M. MEDVEDÍKOVÁ, M. PISÁR, J. ŠAREK, V. DAS, A. LIGASOVÁ, K. KOBERNA, P. DŽUBÁK, M. HAJDÚCH, M. URBAN
Triterpenoid pyrazines and pyridines - Synthesis, cytotoxicity, mechanism of action, preparation of prodrugs. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 2022, 243, 114777, ISSN: 0223-5234, PMID: 36174412,  PDF.
POKORNÝ, J., D. OLEJNÍKOVÁ, I. FRYDRYCH, B. LIŠKOVÁ, S. GURSKÁ, S. BENICKÁ, J. ŠAREK, J. KOTULOVÁ, M. HAJDÚCH, P. DŽUBÁK, M. URBAN
Substituted dienes prepared from betulinic acid - Synthesis, cytotoxicity, mechanism of action, and pharmacological parameters. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 2021, 224, 113706, ISSN: 0223-5234, PMID: 34311159,
GONZALES, G., J. HODOŇ, A. KAZAKOVA, C. D´ACUNTO, P. KANOVSKY, M. URBAN, M. STRNAD
Novel pentacyclic triterpenes exhibiting strong neuroprotective activity in SH-SY5Y cells in salsolinol- and glutamate-induced neurodegeneration models. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 2021, 213, 113168, ISSN: 0223-5234, PMID: 33508480,
URBAN, M., M. KVASNICA, N. DICKINSON, J. ŠAREK
Biologically Active Triterpenoids Usable As Prodrugs, 1. vyd, New York, USA, Nova Science Publishers, 2015, 2, 25-50, Dedication: CZ.1.05/2.1.00/01.0030, ISBN: 978-1-63463-656-8,
DŽUBÁK, P., M. URBAN, M. HAJDÚCH
Vývoj nových léčiv, 1. vyd, Praha, Galén, 2015, 11, 469-472, ISBN: 978-80-7492-121-6,
ŠAREK, J., M. KVASNICA, M. VLK, M. URBAN, P. DŽUBÁK, M. HAJDÚCH
The Potential of Triterpenoids in the Treatment of Melanoma, 1.vyd, Rijeka, InTech, 2011, 7, 125-158, Dedication: 305/09/1216, ISBN: 978-953-307-293-7,

Group leader

Group members

CHEMISTRY, EXSTAFF, IMTM, MEDCHEM
FACULTY OF SCIENCE, MEDCHEM, STAFF
CHEMISTRY, IMTM, MEDCHEM, STAFF
BACHELOR STUDENT, DOCTORAL STUDENT, MASTER STUDENT, MEDCHEM, STAFF
BACHELOR STUDENT, MASTER STUDENT, MEDCHEM, STAFF
CHEMISTRY, FACULTY OF SCIENCE, MEDCHEM, STAFF
IMTM, LEM, STAFF, SUPERVISOR
BACHELOR STUDENT, MASTER STUDENT, MEDCHEM
BACHELOR STUDENT, DOCTORAL STUDENT, IMTM, MASTER STUDENT, MEDCHEM