A review on synthesis and SAR of anti-obesity drugs

Abstract

Obesity is considered as a chronic metabolic disorder when there is excessive accumulation of body fat in a person. It can cause such risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even certain cancers. The most suggested anti-obesity drugs are Orlistat, Semaglutide, Liraglutide, Topiramate, Phentermine, Naltrexone-Bupropion. The mechanism of action of these drugs are different. Some inhibit lipid absorption; some suppress the appetite by serotonergic or adrenergic pathways. Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) is important for rational drug design because even very small changes in the functional groups can cause significant changes in the receptor affinity, metabolic stability, selectivity etc. So, the study of SAR plays a vital role in increasing the efficacy, potency and minimizing the side effects. Continuous invention of the novel targets and proper refinements of the SAR data will help in the development of the next generation anti-obesity drugs that will have improved efficacy with minimal side effects.