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Siddiqui et al. Chem Synth 2023;3:25 Chemical Synthesis
DOI: 10.20517/cs.2023.02

Review Open Access

Biotransformation studies on bioactive compounds:

25 years of interesting research at the ICCBS

2
1
Mahwish Siddiqui , Atia-tul-Wahab , M. Iqbal Choudhary 1,2,* , Atta-ur-Rahman 1,2,*
1
H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi
75270, Pakistan.
2
Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences,
University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan.
*Correspondence to: Prof. M. Iqbal Choudhary, H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and
Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, University Rd, Karachi 75270, Pakistan. E-mail: iqbal.choudhary@iccs.edu; Prof. Atta-
ur-Rahman, H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of
Karachi, University Rd, Karachi 75270, Pakistan. E-mail: aurahman786@gmail.com
How to cite this article: Siddiqui M, AtW, Choudhary MI, AuR. Biotransformation studies on bioactive compounds: 25 years of
interesting research at the ICCBS. Chem Synth 2023;3:25. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/cs.2023.02
Received: 23 Jan 2023 First Decision: 28 Feb 2023 Revised: 30 Mar 2023 Accepted: 10 Apr 2023 Published: 24 May 2023

Academic Editor: Bao-Lian Su Copy Editor: Yanbing Bai Production Editor: Yanbing Bai

Abstract
Biotransformation of natural, synthetic, and semi-synthetic compounds has emerged as a frontier branch of
chemical sciences that is progressively being applied in numerous fields. In the present review, we have
summarized our biotransformation studies on bioactive compounds from 1997 to 2022. Various microbial and
plant cell cultures were used for biocatalytic structural transformations. We present here an overview of
biotransformation of 53 compounds belonging to various classes of natural, synthetic, and semi-synthetic
compounds, published in several leading journals. The structures of the resulting metabolites have been elucidated
by detailed spectroscopic studies. Oxidation, reduction, dehydrogenation, chlorination, aromatization, methylation,
demethylation, rearrangements, etc. were the main reactions that occurred during the biotransformation
processes. Many of the biotransformed products exhibited interesting biological activities. Structural
transformations in some cases have also led to improved pharmacokinetic profiles. This review is aimed to provide
a focused account of extensive work carried out in our laboratories in this field, as well as the immense potential of
biocatalytic transformations in organic chemistry.

Keywords: Biotransformation, whole-cell catalysis, terpenes, steroids, steroidal alkaloids, biological activity
evaluation

© The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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