Natural Cyclic Peptides: Synthetic Strategies and Biomedical Applications

Natural cyclic peptides, a diverse class of bioactive compounds, have been isolated from various natural sources and are renowned for their extensive structural variability and broad spectrum of medicinal properties. Over 40 cyclic peptides or their derivatives are currently approved as medicines, u...

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Main Authors: Devan Buchanan, Shogo Mori, Ahmed Chadli, Siva S. Panda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Biomedicines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/240
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author Devan Buchanan
Shogo Mori
Ahmed Chadli
Siva S. Panda
author_facet Devan Buchanan
Shogo Mori
Ahmed Chadli
Siva S. Panda
author_sort Devan Buchanan
collection DOAJ
description Natural cyclic peptides, a diverse class of bioactive compounds, have been isolated from various natural sources and are renowned for their extensive structural variability and broad spectrum of medicinal properties. Over 40 cyclic peptides or their derivatives are currently approved as medicines, underscoring their significant therapeutic potential. These compounds are employed in diverse roles, including antibiotics, antifungals, antiparasitics, immune modulators, and anti-inflammatory agents. Their unique ability to combine high specificity with desirable pharmacokinetic properties makes them valuable tools in addressing unmet medical needs, such as combating drug-resistant pathogens and targeting challenging biological pathways. Due to the typically low concentrations of cyclic peptides in nature, effective synthetic strategies are indispensable for their acquisition, characterization, and biological evaluation. Cyclization, a critical step in their synthesis, enhances metabolic stability, bioavailability, and receptor binding affinity. Advances in synthetic methodologies—such as solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), chemoenzymatic approaches, and orthogonal protection strategies—have transformed cyclic peptide production, enabling greater structural complexity and precision. This review compiles recent progress in the total synthesis and biological evaluation of natural cyclic peptides from 2017 onward, categorized by cyclization strategies: head-to-tail; head-to-side-chain; tail-to-side-chain; and side-chain-to-side-chain strategies. Each account includes retrosynthetic analyses, synthetic advancements, and biological data to illustrate their therapeutic relevance and innovative methodologies. Looking ahead, the future of cyclic peptides in drug discovery is bright. Emerging trends, including integrating computational tools for rational design, novel cyclization techniques to improve pharmacokinetic profiles, and interdisciplinary collaboration among chemists, biologists, and computational scientists, promise to expand the scope of cyclic peptide-based therapeutics. These advancements can potentially address complex diseases and advance the broader field of biological drug development.
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spelling doaj-art-56cf6c17463941cca618899ad09f11932025-01-24T13:24:31ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592025-01-0113124010.3390/biomedicines13010240Natural Cyclic Peptides: Synthetic Strategies and Biomedical ApplicationsDevan Buchanan0Shogo Mori1Ahmed Chadli2Siva S. Panda3Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USAGeorgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USANatural cyclic peptides, a diverse class of bioactive compounds, have been isolated from various natural sources and are renowned for their extensive structural variability and broad spectrum of medicinal properties. Over 40 cyclic peptides or their derivatives are currently approved as medicines, underscoring their significant therapeutic potential. These compounds are employed in diverse roles, including antibiotics, antifungals, antiparasitics, immune modulators, and anti-inflammatory agents. Their unique ability to combine high specificity with desirable pharmacokinetic properties makes them valuable tools in addressing unmet medical needs, such as combating drug-resistant pathogens and targeting challenging biological pathways. Due to the typically low concentrations of cyclic peptides in nature, effective synthetic strategies are indispensable for their acquisition, characterization, and biological evaluation. Cyclization, a critical step in their synthesis, enhances metabolic stability, bioavailability, and receptor binding affinity. Advances in synthetic methodologies—such as solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), chemoenzymatic approaches, and orthogonal protection strategies—have transformed cyclic peptide production, enabling greater structural complexity and precision. This review compiles recent progress in the total synthesis and biological evaluation of natural cyclic peptides from 2017 onward, categorized by cyclization strategies: head-to-tail; head-to-side-chain; tail-to-side-chain; and side-chain-to-side-chain strategies. Each account includes retrosynthetic analyses, synthetic advancements, and biological data to illustrate their therapeutic relevance and innovative methodologies. Looking ahead, the future of cyclic peptides in drug discovery is bright. Emerging trends, including integrating computational tools for rational design, novel cyclization techniques to improve pharmacokinetic profiles, and interdisciplinary collaboration among chemists, biologists, and computational scientists, promise to expand the scope of cyclic peptide-based therapeutics. These advancements can potentially address complex diseases and advance the broader field of biological drug development.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/240synthesisnatural productscyclic peptidesbiological properties
spellingShingle Devan Buchanan
Shogo Mori
Ahmed Chadli
Siva S. Panda
Natural Cyclic Peptides: Synthetic Strategies and Biomedical Applications
Biomedicines
synthesis
natural products
cyclic peptides
biological properties
title Natural Cyclic Peptides: Synthetic Strategies and Biomedical Applications
title_full Natural Cyclic Peptides: Synthetic Strategies and Biomedical Applications
title_fullStr Natural Cyclic Peptides: Synthetic Strategies and Biomedical Applications
title_full_unstemmed Natural Cyclic Peptides: Synthetic Strategies and Biomedical Applications
title_short Natural Cyclic Peptides: Synthetic Strategies and Biomedical Applications
title_sort natural cyclic peptides synthetic strategies and biomedical applications
topic synthesis
natural products
cyclic peptides
biological properties
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/240
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AT ahmedchadli naturalcyclicpeptidessyntheticstrategiesandbiomedicalapplications
AT sivaspanda naturalcyclicpeptidessyntheticstrategiesandbiomedicalapplications