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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
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.
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,
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,
CHEMISTRY, IMTM, MEDCHEM, STAFF
CHEMISTRY, IMTM, MEDCHEM, STAFF
BACHELOR STUDENT, MASTER STUDENT, MEDCHEM, STAFF
IMTM, LEM, STAFF, SUPERVISOR