Diverse Biological Activity of Pyrimidine Derivatives: A Review

Abstract: Nowadays, a wide range of aromatic heterocyclic compounds are employed as therapeutics. Among these, pyrimidine is a well-known nucleus with two nitrogen atoms at the first and third positions of six-membered rings, with the chemical formula C4H4N2. In 1885, a physicist named Pinner coined the term “pyrimidine,” which originates from “pyridine” and “amidine.” Pyrimidine and its substituents have a variety of pharmacological and biological features. Research, drug discovery, and screening utilise the potential of this chemical substance. Significant therapeutic features such as antihypertensive, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antihistaminic, sedatives and hypnotics, anticancer, and anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be seen in the pyrimidine- containing compounds, as demonstrated by the literature. Search engines like Google, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and ScienceDirect were used to obtain the information. In the future, in addition to helping with drug design and the development of pyrimidine derivatives as therapeutic drugs, this review paper offers insight into the different biological responses of compounds generated from pyrimidine.