Recent advances in antiviral drugs containing indole

There are seven indole-containing commercial drugs in the Top-200 Best Selling Drugs by US Retail Sales in 2012.

• Indole derivatives can mimic peptide structures and bind reversibly to enzymes.
• This property may facilitate the discovery of novel drugs with diverse modes of action.
• The review provides a comprehensive listing of indole antiviral agents, including those on the market and in clinical trials.
• Recent developments in indole compounds and their antiviral activities are summarized, including structural properties.
• Perspectives on future exploitation of indole scaffolds as a privileged structure are discussed.

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