In vitro and in silico studies on AChE inhibitory effects of a series of donepezil-like arylidene indanones
AbstractObjectiveDonepezil is the most potent acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor currently available on the market for the management of Alzheimer’s disease. In this study, it was aimed to identify potent donepezil analogues.Materials and methodsThe effects of arylidene indanones (1–10) on AChE inhibition were examined using modified Ellman’s assay. Compound 4, the most potent arylidene indanone in this series, was subjected to molecular docking to anticipate its binding mode in the AChE site (PDB code: 4EY7). The pharmacokinetic profiles of all derivatives were also predicted.ResultsCompound 4 was found as the most potent AChE inhibitor with an IC50 value of 5.93 ± 0.29 μg/mL. According to molecular docking studies, compound 4 presented favorable interactions such as π–π interactions with Trp286 and Tyr337. In silico studies revealed that the compound did not violate Lipinski’s rule of five and Jorgensen’s rule of three, making it a potential orally bioavailable agent.ConclusionCompound 4 is a feasible candidate for further experiments related to AChE inhibition.