bioisosterie
Bioisosterism, or bioisosterie, is a strategy in medicinal chemistry in which one part of a molecule is replaced by another atom or group with similar physical or chemical properties. The goal is to retain the biological activity of the compound while altering properties such as potency, selectivity, metabolic stability, pharmacokinetics, or toxicity. The concept, developed in the mid-20th century, categorizes substituents by their ability to mimic key features that drive a molecule's interactions with biological targets.
Bioisosteres are often grouped into classical and non-classical types. Classical bioisosteres replace atoms or groups that
Applications are widespread in drug design, agrochemistry, and related fields. Success depends on empirical validation, since
Limitations include that bioisosteric substitutions do not guarantee preserved activity or safety; their effects are context