ABSTRACT
The basic chemical structure of nitroheterocyclic drugs consists of a primary nitro group joined to a heterocyclic ring, with three groups of these compounds important in human therapeutics: the nitrothiazoles, nitroimidazoles, and nitrofurans.
Nitrothiazoles: The best-known nitrothiazole is niridazole, which was previously used to treat schistosomiasis, amebiasis, dracontiasis, and strongyloidiasis and is also active against a variety of bacteria (Hamilton-Miller and Brumfitt, 1976; Hof et al., 1982).
Nitroimidazoles: A number of nitroimidazole drugs are of clinical use, including metronidazole and tinidazole (see Chapter 99, Metronidazole, and Chapter 100, Tinidazole).
Nitrofurans: Interest was first evoked in the nitrofurans as chemotherapeutic agents in the early 1940s, and since then thousands of nitrofuran compounds have been synthesized (Chamberlain, 1976). The most widely used nitrofurans are furazolidine (see Chapter 189, Furazolidine) and nitrofurantoin. The remainder of this chapter will be focused on the nitrofurans.
