Recent Developments in Fluorinated Prostanoids

Recent advance in molecular biology unveils novel physiological functions of prostanoid receptors. According to cDNA cloning and structural elucidation of the receptors, exploration research of new prostanoid receptor agonists and antagonists has been largely accelerated. Introduction of fluorine atoms into a series of prostanoid derivatives, often brought significant improvement in their physicochemical and pharmacological profiles. Newly designed fluorinated prostanoids are synthesized and developed in a broad range of therapeutic areas as medicines. The recent progress in the synthesis and pharmacological aspects of novel fluorinated prostaglandin derivatives is reviewed and discussed herein.