HERBAL DRUGS TARGETING DNA AND RNA

Abstract

DNA is a fundamentally attractive drug target. The essence of the “antigene” strategy is that it is advantageous to attack drug targets at their source – the level of gene expression. A protein drug target is the product of a particular gene. At each stage of progression through the central dogma (DNA makes RNA makes protein), the absolute number of target molecules to be hit by a drug inhibitor increases. A single gene makes multiple copies of mRNA, which in turn are translated to make multiple copies of the target protein. The number of target molecules is amplified at each stage in the process. By targeting the single gene, rather than the numerous resultant protein molecules, drug action should become both more selective and efficient. Antigene agents can be either small molecules or triplex forming oligonucleotides, alkaloids, flavonoids. There is a great demand for targeting herbal medicines in the developed and developing countries because of their wide biological activity, higher safety margin than synthetic drugs as a result of this Herbal drugs have a great potential in the global market. Extensive research on DNA-targeting herbal drugs is in progress in many research institutes all over the world.DNA targeting herbal drugs have a great utility in the treatment of genetic disorder and widely used for the treatment of cancer, microbial infection, natural cell death (cell suicide), growth disorder, etc.