Naphthyl-Based Chalcone Derivatives: A Multifaceted Player in Medicinal Chemistry

Research has placed a great deal of emphasis on molecule development and discovery with substantial biological profiling in recent years. Despite the significant side effects, medicinal chemists have long strived to synthesize drug molecules with the highest level of therapeutic activity and the lowest possible level of toxicity. The naphthyl-based chalcone derivatives have drawn attention due to their simple structures and wide range of pharmacological effects. The main focus of this review is to outline the biologically active molecules based on naphthyl moiety-substituted chalcone derivatives developed over the years. A synopsis of pharmacological screening, including relevant structure-activity relationships, action mechanisms, and possible therapeutic applications, is provided in this article. It is true that prospective hybrids combining the naphthyl moiety with different chalcone pharmacophores are needed to address drug resistance and improve specificity. Therefore, this review may be useful in the development and design of new, highly successful therapeutic drugs based on previously reported methodologies. This review insights the pharmacological activity of naphthyl substituted chalcone derivatives. The anticancer and antibacterial activities were more explored than other activities. The presence of methoxy and naphthyl moiety enhanced the anticancer activity. The antibacterial activity was increased by electron withdrawing groups. Establishing a SAR will require more research on other pharmacological activities of these chalcones. image