5-Membered Heterocyclic Compounds as Antiviral Agents

Viral infections range from self-limiting to more serious and fatal infections; therefore, some viral infections are of great public health concern worldwide, e.g., Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, and HIV. Recently, the world faced a new infection due to the coronavirus, COVID-19, which was announced as a pandemic in early 2020. This virus infected more than 500 million people, killing around 6 million people worldwide. On the other hand, the increase in drug-resistant strains is also creating serious health problems. Thus, developing new selective antiviral agents with a different mode of action to fight against mutated and novel viruses is a primary goal of many researchers. Taking into account the role of heterocyclic compounds in drug discovery as a key structural component of most of the bioactive molecules; herein, we report an extensive review of the antiviral activity of five-membered heterocyclic compounds reported from 2015 to date. In this review, the antiviral activities of the agents containing the specified ring systems thiadiazoles, triazoles, oxadiazoles, and thiazoles are discussed.

Automated summary

Viral infections can range from mild to severe, with some infections like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV being a major public health concern worldwide. The recent COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus, has affected millions of people globally, resulting in significant fatalities. Additionally, the rise of drug-resistant strains poses serious health problems, making it crucial for researchers to develop new antiviral agents to combat mutated and novel viruses. This review focuses on the antiviral activity of five-membered heterocyclic compounds, specifically discussing compounds with thiadiazoles, triazoles, oxadiazoles, and thiazoles as structural components.