Unlocking therapeutic potential: exploring indole scaffolds and their structural insights as pharmacophores in designing anti-breast cancer agents

Indole scaffolds are well-documented for their biological accessibility and broader therapeutic applications. The cellular interaction of the indole moiety and its intrinsic effects on cell transduction and proliferation mechanisms in cancer biology have been widely acknowledged. Despite available reports on anticancer indoles, the structural insights of indole compounds in targeting drug-resistant breast cancer have yet to be elaborated upon. Breast cancer is emerging as the most common cancer in women worldwide, affecting more than two million women annually. Considering the optimistic evidence found in recent studies on the druggability of indole derivatives for breast cancer, this review presents indole compounds of interest with anti-breast cancer activity, along with their structural insights and mechanisms. This review updates several interesting facts related to the indole interacting pathway suitable for drug-resistant breast cancer. Furthermore, the clinical pharmacokinetic and toxicity reports of these compounds are very impressive. This integrative view of indole compounds will undoubtedly pave the way for further exploratory research in the discovery of newer indole-based chemotherapeutics as efficacious leads for breast cancer.