Synthesis, In vitro and In silico Evaluation of a Series of Pyrazolines as New Anticholinesterase Agents

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 574-584
Author(s):  
Mehlika Dilek Altıntop

Background: Pyrazolines, electron-rich nitrogen carriers, are of great importance due to their potential applications for the treatment of many diseases including inflammation, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. Objectives: The purpose of this work was to synthesize new pyrazoline derivatives and evaluate their anticholinesterase effects. Methods: 1-Aryl-5-[4-(piperidin-1-yl)phenyl]-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazoles (1-7) were synthesized via the treatment of 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-[4-(piperidin-1-yl)phenyl]prop-2- en-1-one with arylhydrazine hydrochloride derivatives in acetic acid, whereas 1-aryl-5-[4- (morpholin-4-yl)phenyl]-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazoles (8-14) were obtained by the treatment of 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-[4-(morpholin-4-yl)phenyl]prop-2-en-1-one with arylhydrazine hydrochloride derivatives in acetic acid. Their inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) were determined using a modification of Ellman’s spectrophotometric method. In silico docking and Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion (ADME) studies were performed using Schrödinger’s Maestro molecular modeling package. Results: In general, piperidine derivatives were found to be more effective than morpholine derivatives on cholinesterases (ChEs). 1-Phenyl-5-[4-(piperidin-1-yl)phenyl]-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)- 4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole (1) and 1-(4-cyanophenyl)-5-[4-(piperidin-1-yl)phenyl]-3-(3,4- dimethoxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole (7) were identified as the most effective AChE inhibitors in this series with 40.92% and 38.98%, respectively. Compounds 1 and 7 were docked into the active site of human AChE (PDB code: 4EY7). Both the compounds were found to be capable of forming π-π stacking interactions with Trp286. Based on in silico ADME studies, these compounds are expected to have reasonable oral bioavailability. Conclusion: In the view of this work, the structural modification of the identified agents is going on for the generation of new anticholinesterase agents with enhanced efficacy.

Marine Drugs ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinhyuk Lee ◽  
Mira Jun

Alzheimer′s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases with a multifactorial nature. β-Secretase (BACE1) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which are required for the production of neurotoxic β-amyloid (Aβ) and the promotion of Aβ fibril formation, respectively, are considered as prime therapeutic targets for AD. In our efforts towards the development of potent multi-target, directed agents for AD treatment, major phlorotannins such as eckol, dieckol, and 8,8′-bieckol from Ecklonia cava (E. cava) were evaluated. Based on the in vitro study, all tested compounds showed potent inhibitory effects on BACE1 and AChE. In particular, 8,8′-bieckol demonstrated the best inhibitory effect against BACE1 and AChE, with IC50 values of 1.62 ± 0.14 and 4.59 ± 0.32 µM, respectively. Overall, kinetic studies demonstrated that all the tested compounds acted as dual BACE1 and AChE inhibitors in a non-competitive or competitive fashion, respectively. In silico docking analysis exhibited that the lowest binding energies of all compounds were negative, and specifically different residues of each target enzyme interacted with hydroxyl groups of phlorotannins. The present study suggested that major phlorotannins derived from E. cava possess significant potential as drug candidates for therapeutic agents against AD.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashwani Kumar ◽  
Vineet Mehta ◽  
Utkarsh Raj ◽  
Pritish Kumar Varadwaj ◽  
Malairaman Udayabanu ◽  
...  

Background: Cholinesterase inhibitors are the first line of therapy for the management of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), however, it is now established that they provide only temporary and symptomatic relief, besides, having several inherited side-effects. Therefore, an alternative drug discovery method is used to identify new and safer ‘disease-modifying drugs’. Methods: Herein, we screened 646 small molecules of natural origin having reported pharmacological and functional values through in-silico docking studies to predict safer neuromodulatory molecules with potential to modulate acetylcholine metabolism. Further, the potential of the predicted molecules to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and their ability to protect neurons from degeneration was determined through in-vitro assays. Results: Based on in-silico AChE interaction studies, we predicted quercetin, caffeine, ascorbic acid and gallic acid to be potential AChE inhibitors. We confirmed the AChE inhibitory potential of these molecules through in-vitro AChE inhibition assay and compared results with donepezil and begacestat. Herbal molecules significantly inhibited enzyme activity and inhibition for quercetin and caffeine did not show any significant difference from donepezil. Further, the tested molecules did not show any neurotoxicity against primary (E18) hippocampal neurons. We observed that quercetin and caffeine significantly improved neuronal survival and efficiently protected hippocampal neurons from HgCl2 induced neurodegeneration, which other molecules, including donepezil and begacestat, failed to do. Conclusion: Quercetin and caffeine have the potential as “disease-modifying drugs” and may find application in the management of neurological disorders such as AD.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 6312-6321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianzhong Zhu ◽  
Bin Zhang ◽  
Chinping Tan ◽  
Qiang Huang

The relationship between in silico and in vitro experiments regarding the inhibitory effects of polyphenols on α-glucosidase was investigated.


Author(s):  
Sisir Nandi ◽  
Mohit Kumar ◽  
Mridula Saxena ◽  
Anil Kumar Saxena

Background: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a new strain (SARS-CoV-2) erupted in 2019. Nowadays, it is a great threat that claims uncountable lives worldwide. There is no specific chemotherapeutics developed yet to combat COVID-19. Therefore, scientists have been devoted in the quest of the medicine that can cure COVID- 19. Objective: Existing antivirals such as ASC09/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir with or without umifenovir in combination with antimalarial chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine have been repurposed to fight the current coronavirus epidemic. But exact biochemical mechanisms of these drugs towards COVID-19 have not been discovered to date. Method: In-silico molecular docking can predict the mode of binding to sort out the existing chemotherapeutics having a potential affinity towards inhibition of the COVID-19 target. An attempt has been made in the present work to carry out docking analyses of 34 drugs including antivirals and antimalarials to explain explicitly the mode of interactions of these ligands towards the COVID-19protease target. Results: 13 compounds having good binding affinity have been predicted towards protease binding inhibition of COVID-19. Conclusion: Our in silico docking results have been confirmed by current reports from clinical settings through the citation of suitable experimental in vitro data available in the published literature.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parvesh Singh ◽  
Nomandla Ngcoya ◽  
Ramgopal Mopuri ◽  
Nagaraju Kerru ◽  
Neha Manhas ◽  
...  

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic disease illustrated by abnormally high levels of plasma glucose or hyperglycaemia. Accordingly, several α-glucosidase inhibitors have been developed for the treatment of diabetes and other degenerative disorders. While, a coumarin ring has the privilege to represent numerous natural and synthetic compounds with a wide spectrum of biological activities e.g. anti-cancer, anti-HIV, anti-viral, anti-malarial, anti-microbial, anti-convulsant, anti-hypertensive properties. Besides this, coumarins have also shown potential to inhibit α-glucosidase leading to a generation of new promising antidiabetic agents. However, the testing of O-substituted coumarins for α-glucosidase inhibition has evaded the attention of medicinal chemists. Methods: For O-alkylation/acetylation reactions, the hydroxyl coumarins (A-B) initially activated by K2CO3 in dry DMF were reacted with variedly substituted haloalkanes at room temperature under nitrogen. The synthesized compounds were tested for their α-glucosidase (from Saccharomyces cerevisiae) inhibitory activity and anti-oxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging activity. In silico docking simulations were conducted using CDocker module in DS (Accelrys) to explore the binding modes of the representative compounds in the catalytic site of α-glucosidase. Results: All the coumarin analogues (A1, B1, A2-A10, B2-B8) including their precursors (A-B) were evaluated for their in vitro α-glucosidase inhibition using acarbose as a standard inhibitor. All the mono O-alkylated coumarins (except A1) showed significant (p <0.05) α-glucosidase inhibition relative to the hydroxyl coumarin (A) with IC50 values ranging between 11.084±0.117 to 145.24± 29.22 µg/mL. Compound 7-(benzyloxy)-4, 5-dimethyl-2H-chromen-2-one (A9) bearing a benzyl group (Ph-CH2-) at position 7 showed a remarkable (p <0.05) increase in the activity (IC50 = 11.084±0.117 µg/mL), almost four-fold more than acarbose (IC50 = 40.578±5.999 µg/mL). The introduction of –NO2 group dramatically improved the anti-oxidant activity of coumarin, while the O-alkylation/acetylation decreased the activity. Conclusion: The present study describes the synthesis of functionalized coumarins and their evaluation for α-glucosidase inhibition and antioxidant activity under in vitro conditions. Based on IC50 data, the mono O-alkylated coumarins were observed to be stronger inhibitors of α-glucosidase with respect to their bis O-alkylated analogues. Coumarin (A9) bearing O-benzyloxy group displayed the strongest α-glucosidase inhibition, even higher than the standard inhibitor acarbose. The coumarin (A10) bearing –NO2 group showed the highest anti-oxidant activity amongst the synthesized compounds, almost comparable to the ascorbic acid. Finally, in silico docking simulations revealed the role of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic forces in locking the compounds in catalytic site of α-glucosidase.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 1380-1392
Author(s):  
Emine Merve Güngör ◽  
Mehlika Dilek Altıntop ◽  
Belgin Sever ◽  
Gülşen Akalın Çiftçi

Background: Akt is overexpressed or activated in a variety of human cancers, including gliomas, lung, breast, ovarian, gastric and pancreatic carcinomas. Akt inhibition leads to the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of tumor growth and therefore extensive efforts have been devoted to the discovery of potent antitumor drugs targeting Akt. Objectives: The objective of this work was to identify potent anticancer agents targeting Akt. Methods: New hydrazone derivatives were synthesized and investigated for their cytotoxic effects on 5RP7 H-ras oncogene transformed rat embryonic fibroblast and L929 mouse embryonic fibroblast cell lines. Besides, the apoptotic effects of the most active compounds on 5RP7 cell line were evaluated using flow cytometry. Their Akt inhibitory effects were also investigated using a colorimetric assay. In silico docking and Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion (ADME) studies were also performed using Schrödinger’s Maestro molecular modeling package. Results and Discussion: Compounds 3a, 3d, 3g and 3j were found to be effective on 5RP7 cells (with IC50 values of <0.97, <0.97, 1.13±0.06 and <0.97 μg/mL, respectively) when compared with cisplatin (IC50= 1.87±0.15 μg/mL). It was determined that these four compounds significantly induced apoptosis in 5RP7 cell line. Among them, N'-benzylidene-2-[(4-(4-methoxyphenyl)pyrimidin- 2-yl)thio]acetohydrazide (3g) significantly inhibited Akt (IC50= 0.5±0.08 μg/mL) when compared with GSK690693 (IC50= 0.6±0.05 μg/mL). Docking studies suggested that compound 3g showed good affinity to the active site of Akt (PDB code: 2JDO). According to in silico ADME studies, the compound also complies with Lipinski's rule of five and Jorgensen's rule of three. Conclusion: Compound 3g stands out as a potential orally bioavailable cytotoxic agent and apoptosis inducer targeting Akt.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paritosh Shukla ◽  
Ashok Sharma ◽  
Leena Fageria ◽  
Rajdeep Chowdhury

Background: Cancer being a deadly disease, many reports of new chemical entities are available. Pyranopyrazole (PPZ) compounds have also been disclosed as bioactive molecules but mainly as antimicrobial agents. Based on one previous report and our interest in anticancer drug design, we decided to explore PPZs as anticancer agents. To the best of our knowledge, we found that a comprehensive study, involving synthesis, in-vitro biological activity determination, exploration of the mechanism of inhibition and finally in-silico docking studies, was missing in earlier reports. This is what the present study intends to accomplish. Methods: Ten spiro and eleven non-spiro PPZ molecules were synthesized by environment-friendly multicomponent reaction (MCR) strategy. After subjecting each of the newly synthesized molecules to Hep3b hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines assay, we selectively measured the Optical Density (OD) of the most active ones. Then, the compound exhibiting the best activity was docked against human CHK- 1 protein to get an insight into the binding affinities and a quick structure activity relationship (SAR) of the PPZs. Results: The two series of spiro and non-spiro PPZs were easily synthesized in high yields using microwave assisted synthesis and other methods. Among the synthesized compounds, most compounds showed moderate to good anticancer activity against the MTT assay. After performing the absorbance studies we found that the non-spiro molecules showed better apoptosis results and appeared to bind to DNA causing disruption in their structures. Finally, the docking results of compound 5h (having N,Ndimethylamino substituted moiety) clearly showed good binding affinities as predicted by our experimental findings. Conclusion: The paper describes a comprehensive synthesis, in-vitro and docking studies done on new PPZs. The newly synthesized series of spiro and non-spiro PPZs were found to possess antineoplasmic activity as evinced by the studies on hep3b cells. Also, the UV visible absorbance study gave clues to the possible binding of these molecules to the DNA. Docking studies corroborated well with the experimental results. Thus, these new molecules appear to be potential anticancer agents, but further studies are required to substantiate and elaborate on these findings.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 2780
Author(s):  
Ozvaldo Linares-Anaya ◽  
Alcives Avila-Sorrosa ◽  
Francisco Díaz-Cedillo ◽  
Luis Ángel Gil-Ruiz ◽  
José Correa-Basurto ◽  
...  

A series of benzo [d] [1,3] azoles 2-substituted with benzyl- and allyl-sulfanyl groups were synthesized, and their cytotoxic activities were in vitro evaluated against a panel of six human cancer cell lines. The results showed that compounds BTA-1 and BMZ-2 have the best inhibitory effects, compound BMZ-2 being comparable in some cases with the reference drug tamoxifen and exhibiting a low cytotoxic effect against healthy cells. In silico molecular coupling studies at the tamoxifen binding site of ERα and GPER receptors revealed affinity and the possible mode of interaction of both compounds BTA-1 and BMZ-2.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1176 ◽  
pp. 335-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Xing Zhang ◽  
Lei Qiao ◽  
Zimei Ding ◽  
Xiaojing Hang ◽  
...  

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