Adamantane – A Lead Structure for Drugs in Clinical Practice

The adamantane moiety is the structural backbone of numerous compounds and its discovery launched a new field of chemistry studying the approaches to the synthesis as well as the physicochemical and biological properties of organic polyhedral compounds with practical application in the pharmaceutical industry. Adamantane derivatives have proven to be very potent compounds in a wide range of applications from systemic to topical therapy. This review summarizes the currently available adamantane derivatives in clinical practice (amantadine, memantine, rimantadine, tromantadine, adapalene, saxagliptin, vildagliptin), focusing on mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and clinical trials. The adamantane-based compounds presented in this manuscript have been approved for a wide spectrum of indications (antivirals, antidiabetics and against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease). Each of the compounds proved to be of vital importance in their therapeutic indication for numerous patients worldwide. This review also considers the mechanisms of side effects to deliver a complete perspective on current treatment options.