Pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, molecular docking studies and density functional theory approaches to identify novel ketohexokinase (KHK) inhibitors.

Fructose catabolism starts with phosphorylation of d-fructose to fructose 1-phosphate, which is performed by ketohexokinase (KHK). Fructose metabolism may be the key to understand the long-term consumption of fructose in human's obesity, diabetes and metabolic states in western populations. The inhibition of KHK has medicinally potential roles in fructose metabolism and the metabolic syndrome.