Shaping the future of medicine through diverse therapeutic applications of tetralin derivatives

• Published in: Medicinal chemistry research 2025, Vol.34 (1), p.86-113
• Main Authors: Shah, Bhumi M., Kachhadiya, Radhika N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthracycline; Anti-inflammatory agents; Antibiotics; Antidepressants; Basal ganglia; Benzene; Bioactive compounds; Biochemistry; Biological activity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Bioorganic Chemistry; Boiling points; Catabolism; Central nervous system diseases; Chemical activity; Chemical compounds; Chemical synthesis; Chemotherapy; Drug delivery; Drug delivery systems; Far infrared radiation; Fungicides; High temperature; Infrared spectroscopy; Inorganic Chemistry; Medicinal Chemistry; Menthol; Metabolic pathways; Movement disorders; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Raman spectra; Raman spectroscopy; Review Article; Sertraline; Structural members; Supercritical fluids; Tetralin; Therapeutic applications; Vapor pressure; Vapors
• ISSN: 1054-2523; 1554-8120
• DOI: 10.1007/s00044-024-03331-y

Tetralin is an ortho-fused bicyclic hydrocarbon notable for its odour of a mixture of benzene and menthol and high boiling point. Its low vapor pressure has limited its study by far-infrared spectroscopy but vibrational data have been obtained through alternative methods such as single vibronic level fluorescence (SVLF) and high-temperature vapor-phase Raman spectra. Tetralin is of more than chemical interest because it is part of several biologically active compounds. Interestingly, tetralin is a structural element of the anthracycline antibiotics that are clinically applied in cancer chemotherapy owing to their DNA-intercalating activity. The tetralin ring is crucial in sertraline, an antidepressant, and other clinically relevant compounds, including antifungal, anti-Parkinsonian, and anti-inflammatory activity. A comprehensive overview of tetralin derivatives with their diverse biological activities and therapeutic potentials has been discussed in the review. It also encompasses the synthetic methodology for the synthesis of tetralin and its derivatives including hydrogenation, and cyclization through metal catalysts, and visible light. In addition, a green chemical synthetic technique such as supercritical fluid technology was discussed, which improves the production of tetralin. Apart from that, metabolic pathways and catabolism of tetralin in biological systems and drug delivery systems of tetralin have been discussed. The review underlines the importance of tetralin derivatives in medicinal chemistry and has future developmental potential in therapeutic applications.