Abstract

Objective: The spirooxindole heterocyclic scaffold is found in many natural products and has been identified as an important bioactive agent.

Background: Over the past few decades, various spirooxindole-containing compounds have been reported to possess biological properties and hence found in the structure of many synthetic pharmaceuticals.

This mini-review describes the most promising examples of this class of compounds possessing biological activity including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities.

Conclusion: The current review focuses on the biological activity of compounds containing the spirooxindole scaffold.

Keywords: Biological importance, chemistry, heterocycles, pharmacophores, spirooxindoles, synthesis.