A pharmacophore is an abstract description of molecular features which are necessary for molecular recognition of a ligand by a biological macromolecule. The IUPAC defines a pharmacophore to be "an ensemble of steric and electronic features that is necessary to ensure the optimal supramolecular interactions with a specific biological target and to trigger (or block) its biological response".[1] A pharmacophore model explains how structurally diverse ligands can bind to a common receptor site. Furthermore pharmacophore models can be used to identify through denovo design or virtual screening novel ligands that will bind to the same receptor.For more plz read at the following link and attached paper.

Warm regards

Dear Vishnu,

Attached please find a ppt file which includes all the topics covered in drug design.

The slides are very easy to understand and all computational methods utilized for drug design are included (this material is included in my lectures to master students).

Feel free to contact me if other information is needed.

Good luck,

Rafik

Basic requirements to go for ligand based pharmacophore design is that the ligand must contain the reactive group/s essential for bonding.