New Strategies Targeting Cancer Metabolism: Anticancer Drugs, Synthetic Analogues and Antitumor Agents presents up-to-date synthetic strategies for three categories of antimetabolites: antifolates, purines and pyrimidines, the main classes of antimetabolites which are integrated into various pharmaceutical agents. Many of these antimetabolites are considered potent chemotherapeutic agents which have great potential impact on medical research. These main classes of antimetabolites are used in the treatment of critical diseases including cancer, malignancies, autoimmune diseases, and many other non-malignant diseases. Antineoplastic drugs such as alkylating agents which have significant effects are described. Novel synthetic strategies for many anticancer alkylating agents including nitrogen mustards, chlorambucil, melphalan, ifosamide, oxaliplatin and temozolomide are explored. Natural products have offered some of the most significant drugs for treating cancer, as many drugs currently in clinical use are derived from natural products as camptothecins, vinca alkaloids, and derivatives of podophyllotoxin. They provide a contribution that is essential for modern drug discovery and development. In this book, insights into a broad array of novel compounds are reviewed, well-recognized synthetic approaches are emphasized for further anticancer drug development and discovery, and the biological evaluation of novel synthesized compounds are included. This comprehensive reference is a valuable resource for medical chemists working in drug discovery and development, as well as pharmacologists and biochemists working in related fields.

• Provides the only resource dedicated to synthetic strategies of antimetabolites
• Features synthetic strategies for nucleosides and their analogues
• Includes coverage of purine-, pyrimidine- and antifolate-based anticancer drugs
• The most significant anticancer alkylating agents and natural products are demonstrated