Privileged scaffold repurposed: the evolving role of quinolone derivatives in antiviral therapy

Significant advancements have been made in the field of antiviral drug development; however, existing therapies still face considerable challenges regarding safety and efficacy. Moreover, with the frequent emergence of outbreaks caused by viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox virus, and Chikungunya virus in recent years, there is an urgent need to develop novel antiviral drugs that are highly effective, low-toxic, and possess broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant strains. Exploring antiviral agents from privileged structures has long been a tacit shortcut for researchers, and quinolone derivatives, as a class of privileged structures with diverse antiviral activities, have attracted extensive attention in recent years, providing a crucial material basis for the development of next-generation antiviral drugs. This review focuses on the discovery, mechanisms of action, potential clinical applications, and research progress of quinolone derivatives with typical structural characteristics or potent antiviral activity, aiming to provide insights for current and future antiviral drug research.