Role of Schiff Base in Drug Discovery Research

Compounds having imine or azomethine (–C=N–) functional group are known as Schiff bases. They were first reported in 1864 by German Chemist, Hugo Schiff and hence they are named so. For the synthesis of Schiffbase, a number of methods have been described in literature. These are now synthesized by a simple one pot condensation of an various amines/hydrazides with carbonyl compounds, water is eliminated during condensation process.Schiff bases are synthesis from simple reaction between acetone and primary amine. Water is byproduct in this reaction.Other name for Schiff bases are imine or azomethine.

Schiff bases form an backbone for large number of organic compounds and have a enormous applications in many fields. Structurally these arenitrogen derivatives of carbonyl compounds in which the (C=O) group has beenreplaced by an (C=N) group. Schiff bases have also received a great attention because of their potential biological activities such as antiinflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant and so forth.