Bioactive Benzofuran derivatives: A review.

In nature's collection of biologically active heterocycles, benzofuran derivatives constitute a major group. The broad spectrum of pharmacological activity in individual benzofurans indicates that this series of compounds is of an undoubted interest. Benzofuran and its derivatives have attracted medicinal chemists and pharmacologists due to their pronounced biological activities and their potential applications as pharmacological agents. Due to the wide range of biological activities of benzofurans, their structure activity relationships have generated interest among medicinal chemists, and this has culminated in the discovery of several lead molecules in numerous disease conditions. The outstanding development of benzofuran derivatives in diverse diseases in very short span of time proves its magnitude for medicinal chemistry research. The present review is endeavour to highlight the progress in the various pharmacological activities of benzofuran derivatives in the current literature with an update of recent research findings on this nucleus.