Synthesis, quantum-chemical calculations and virtual screening of the alkaloid cytisine derivatives

The synthesis of some cytisine derivatives was carried out in the work. The article provides the data of quantum-chemical calculation and virtual screening of the alkaloid cytisine derivatives synthesized. At the same time, the reaction centers of the cytisine derivatives molecules were determined. In order to study the reactivity of the derivatives obtained (namely cinnamoylcytisine, lipoylcytisine, and cytisinylisoalantholactone) the quantum-chemical calculations were conducted to determine the energy and charge characteristics of the molecules. The results indicate a sufficient thermodynamic stability of the cinnamoylcytisine and lipoylcytisine molecules. The cytisinylisoalantholactone molecule is not stable according to the results of quantum chemical calculations. The data on the energy values of the frontier molecular orbitals show that, in general, all molecules exhibit electrophilic properties. A bioprediction was implemented using PASS (Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances) as one of the most efficient and well-known computer program with the aim of detailed study and the probable establishment of the biological activity of the synthesized cytisine derivatives. Based on the results of virtual screening, promising types of alkaloid cytisine derivatives were identified, which are potential sources of original drugs

Advances on the Bioactivities, Total Synthesis, Structural Modification, and Structure-Activity Relationships of Cytisine Derivatives

Cytisine is a quinolizidine alkaloid isolated from various Leguminosae plants. Cytisine and its derivatives exhibit a broad range of biological properties, such as smoking cessation aid, antidepressant, neuroprotective, nootropic, anticancer, antiviral, antiparasitic, antidiabetic, insecticidal, and nematicidal activities. In this review, the progress of cytisine and its derivatives in regard to bioactivities, total synthesis, structural modifications focusing on their N-12 position and lactam ring is reported. Additionally, the structure-activity relationships of cytisine and its derivatives are also discussed.