Biological stereoselectivity of atropisomeric natural products and drugs.

Selected examples of natural product and drug atropisomers that exhibit stereoselectivity towards receptor and enzyme targets are reviewed. The atropisomeric preference of the receptors and enzyme binding domains makes these agents attractive molecules for drug development in the treatment of various diseases. Included are commonly recognized atropisomers containing a chiral biaryl axis along with some less common examples of atropisomers without a biaryl axis. The biological targets include: antiapoptotic proteins; bacteria; microtubules; kinases; vasopressin receptors; a G-protein coupled receptor related to obesity; monocarboxylate transporters; tachykinin NK1 -receptors; cyclooxygenase-1 and squalene synthase.