Molecular simulation of receptors of physiologically active compounds for purposes of medical chemistry

The general strategy of the molecular simulation of biological receptors and their interaction with ligands is considered. The procedures for construction of 3D protein models, molecular docking, evaluation of model quality, determination of the free energy of protein binding with ligands are discussed. The methods of molecular design of new medicaments based on molecular models of biological targets: virtual screening and de novo design, are presented. Examples of the above-listed approaches for the simulation of a number of pharmacologically significant receptors, analysis of receptor–ligand interactions and design of new biologically active organic compounds are given.