Compound 3b Research Articles

Synthesis and Antifungal Activity Evaluation of Novel L-Carvone-Based 1,3,4-Thiadiazole-amide Derivatives as a Potential Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitor.

In an effort to explore new-type high-efficiency antifungal agents, 25 novel L-carvone-based 1,3,4-thiadiazole-amide derivatives were designed, synthesized, and structurally characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analyses. The antifungal activity of the target compounds was preliminarily assayed at a concentration of 50 μg/mL, and boscalid, a commercialized fungicide identified as a succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI), was employed as the positive control. It was found that all of the target compounds showed moderate to potent antifungal activity against the tested fungi compared to boscalid. Surprisingly, compound 4b exhibited broad-spectrum and significant inhibition activity against the growth of eight phytopathogenic strains with inhibitory rates of 67-89%. Further, the results of the EC50 value test suggested that the EC50 values of compound 4b against Physalospora piricola and Colletotrichum orbiculare were 16.33 and 18.06 μg/mL, respectively, and both of them were better than those of boscalid (16.64 and >50). Therefore, compound 4b deserves further study as a lead compound for novel fungicides. In addition, the inhibitory activity of compound 4b against succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) was evaluated as well to prove that compound 4b (IC50 = 3.38 μM) displayed higher SDH-inhibition activity than boscalid (IC50 = 7.02 μM). The binding mode of compound 4b and SDH was simulated by molecular docking and found to be similar to that of boscalid. The structure-activity relationships (SARs) of the target compounds were analyzed by establishing a 3D-QSAR model. Besides, a 4b-loaded complex 4b/CSTA on a reported L-carvone-based nanochitosan carrier CSTA containing the 1,3,4-thiadiazole-amide group was constructed, and its sustained release performance was investigated in the EtOH-H2O system (1:9, v/v). The complex 4b/CSTA exhibited preferred sustained release performance, indicating its potential for developing environmentally friendly nanofungicides.

The charge transport properties of dicyanomethylene-functionalised violanthrone derivatives

The study of organic small molecule semiconductor materials as active components of organic electronic devices continues to attract considerable attention due to the range of advantages these molecules can offer. Here, we report the synthesis of three dicyanomethylene-functionalised violanthrone derivatives (3a, 3b and 3c) featuring different alkyl substituents. It is found that the introduction of the electron-deficient dicyanomethylene groups significantly improves the optical absorption compared to their previously reported precursors 2a–c. All compounds are p-type semiconductors with low HOMO–LUMO gaps (≈1.25 eV). The hole mobilities, measured from fabricated organic field-effect transistors, range from 3.6 × 10−6 to 1.0 × 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1. We found that the compounds featuring linear alkyl chains (3b and 3c) displayed a higher mobility compared to the one with branched alkyl chains, 3a. This could be the result of the more highly disordered packing arrangement of this molecule in the solid state, induced by the branched side chains that hinder the formation of π–π stacking interactions. The influence of dicyanomethylene groups on the charge transport properties was most clearly observed in compound 3b which has a 60-fold improvement in mobility compared to 2b. This study demonstrates that the choice of the solubilising group has a profound effect on the hole mobility on these organic semiconductors.

Insight on novel sulfamoylphenyl pyrazole derivatives as anticancer carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

As another part continue for our previous study, variable substituted pyrazoles bearing sulfamoylphenyl moiety were synthesized and screened against two cancer related human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) isoforms and acetazolamide (AAZ) used as a reference standard. Some compounds as 4e and 6c manifested a promising inhibitory activity against both isoforms (KI = 0.072, 0.081 and 0.073, 0.095 µM), respectively. While others as 4a and 5e showed inhibitory activity against hCA IX only (KI = 0.062, 0.04 µM) or against hCA XII only as compound 5b (KI = 0.106 µM) compared to AAZ (KI = 0.065, 0.046 µM), respectively. Also, the anticancer efficacy against 60 cancer cell lines for the target compounds was assessed, and the most promising ones were 4d and 5a-d. Further investigation of the anticancer activity of 5b on MCF-7 cell line explored (IC50 = 5.21 µM) compared to doxorubicin (IC50 = 11.58 µM). Moreover, compound 5b was exposed to cell cycle analysis and apoptotic assay on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line under both normal and hypoxic conditions at its IC50 concentration with elevation of total apoptotic cells % in MCF-7 relative to the control cells; respectively. Finally, molecular modelling simulations rationalized the in vitro testing results.

Amphetamine Derivatives as Potent Central Nervous System Multitarget SERT/NET/H3 Agents: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation

In this research, a variety of novel amphetamine derivatives were synthesized and assessed for their potential as multifaceted antidepressant agents. Among these compounds, compound 11b demonstrated potent inhibitory effects on both serotonin and noradrenaline transporters (SERT/NET) and high affinity for histamine H3 receptor (H3R), and displayed low affinity for off-target receptors (H1, α1) and hERG channels, which can reduce the prolongation of the QT interval. Molecular docking studies offered a rational binding model of compound 11b when it forms a complex with SERT, NET, and the histamine H3 receptor. In vivo behavioral studies, compound 11b dose-dependently reduced the immobility duration in the mouse FST and TST assays without a stimulatory effect on the locomotor activity. Furthermore, compound 11b had a favorable pharmacokinetic profile in rats. Thus, compound 11b has the potential to develop a novel class of drugs for the treatment of depression.

In Silico and In Vitro Investigation of Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis of Acridine/Sulfonamide Hybrids Targeting Topoisomerases I and II

Background: Sulfonamide acridine derivatives have garnered significant attention from medicinal chemists due to their diverse range of biological activities. Methods: In this study, eleven compounds were synthesized according to the literature, and their impact on cell growth inhibition, induction of apoptosis, and cell cycle distribution were assessed in three different cell lines. Their inhibitory effects on the topoisomerase (Topo) I and II were investigated in vitro. Molecular docking studies were conducted to predict the binding affinities of these compounds for crystallized downloaded topoisomerases. Results: The compounds were examined in vitro for their anticancer activity against human hepatic (HepG2) colon (HCT-8) and breast (MCF-7) carcinoma cell lines. Compound 8b was the most active against HepG2, HCT-116, and MCF-7 with IC50 14.51, 9.39, and 8.83 µM, respectively, compared to Doxorubicin as reference. In addition, it demonstrated the highest potency among the tested compounds against Topo-I, with an IC50 value of 3.41 µg/mL compared to the control camptothecin (IC50 of 1.46 μM). Compound 7c displayed a significant inhibitory effect on Topo-II, with an IC50 of 7.33 μM, compared to an IC50 value of 6.49 μM via Doxorubicin, the control. Compounds 7c and 8b were assessed against topoisomerases showing induction of apoptosis and a reduction in the S phase of the cell cycle. Molecular docking demonstrated interaction with the active site as with those exhibited by the co-crystallized ligands of the crystallized proteins in both topoisomerases. Conclusion: Compounds 7c and 8b hold promise as potential anticancer drugs due to their anti-proliferative and proapoptotic effects, which are mediated by their action on the topoisomerase enzyme, particularly Topo II.

Non-nucleophilic base promoted synthesis of azo-linked oxazolone-pyrazole hybrids: Antimicrobial, antitubercular, anticancer evaluations and in-silico modeling insights

Ten new non-nucleophilic base (DBU) catalyzed oxazolone-bearing pyrazole derivatives were created to treat infectious diseases caused by bacterial, mycobacterial strains, and cancerous cell lines. Compounds 7b and 7c showed excellent antibacterial and antifungal activity. Compound 7b was highly effective against M. tuberculosis H37Rv, with a MIC of 0.06 μg/mL and significant binding affinities to AcrB of E. coli (−12 Kcal/mol), TriABC of P. aeruginosa (−12.5 Kcal/mol), and MepR of S. aureus (−10.6 Kcal/mol). Based on the findings, compounds 7b, 7c, and 7e exhibit proficient binding affinity with two essential targets, namely Enoyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] reductase and Topoisomerase I, of M. tuberculosis. Compound 7b showed superior cytotoxic activity against all cancer types except leukemia with GI50 values of 1.26–1.83 µM and LC50 values of 5.36–7.88 µM. Compound 7a demonstrated remarkable anticancer activity against colon, melanoma, ovarian, renal, and breast cancer cell lines with GI50 values of 1.60–2.55 µM.

Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Benzimidazole Derivatives as IL-6 Inhibitors and Their Role in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a major role in the development of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). In the present study, benzimidazole and benzene sulfonyl scaffold were identified as pharmacophore by analysis of literature reports and novel small molecule IL-6 inhibitors were designed. These were screened via docking with IL-6 (PDB: 1ALU), then and through Lipinski's rule of 5. Based on docking score, 10 best compounds (4a-4e and 7a-7e) were selected for synthesis and evaluated for IL-6 inhibitory activity invitro. Compounds 4b and 7b showed the maximum inhibition of IL-6 (87.55% and 82.75%, respectively). These compounds were further explored for anti-arthritic activity invivo using the Incomplete Freund's Adjuvant Model and by morphological and histopathological studies of the inflamed paw. Compound 4b was significantly more active than compound 7b and both were found to be slightly less active than methotrexate. These findings indicate that a benzimidazole nucleus linked to a benzene sulphonyl moiety may prove to be a useful template for the development of new chemical moieties against RA.

New vatalanib analogs: Design, synthesis, in silico study and biological evaluation for anticancer activity

In our attempts to improve pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics characters of vatalanib, four strategies of the drug design were applied to design and synthesis new quinoxaline based vatalanib analogs. Antiproliferative activities of the synthesized compounds were investigated against two tumor cell lines (HepG2 and HCT‐116) using vatalanib as a positive control. The new candidates showed promising anticancer activity against two tested cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 6.04 ± 0.19 to 100.15 ± 3.26 µM, in particular compounds 11b and 11c which were more potent than vatalanib. The most potent was the 4-benzoylquinoxaline derivative 11b (IC50 = 6.04 ± 0.19 µM and 15.58 ± 0.58 µM) compared to vatalanib (IC50 of 25.27 ± 0.84 µM and 43.91 ± 1.64 µM) against HepG2 and HCT116, respectively. The selectivity indices of 11b were found to be approximately 14 and 5 towards HepG2 and HCT116, respectively. While vatalanib showed selectivity indices of about 5 and 3 towards HepG2 and HCT116, respectively. The most promising compound 11b was further investigated in HepG‐2 cells for its apoptotic effect, cell cycle arrest and in vitro VEGFR-2 inhibitory activity as the main mechanisms of cell death. It was found that 11b can induce apoptosis and arrest the cell cycle at the at G1 phase in addition to, compound 11b showed effective inhibition of VEGFR-2 with IC50 of 0.918 ± 0.033 µM compared to vatalanib (IC50 of 0.265 ± 0.009 µM). Deep computational studies were created for the designed compounds including molecular docking, physicochemical properties, profiling pharmacokinetics, ADMET studies, and toxicity predictions to evaluate the prospective drug candidates. The results of the docking study were consistent with biological testing, furthermore, in silico ADMET study revealed the superior pharmacokinetics characters of the new candidates over vatalanib. So, the current work suggests that the 4-benzoylquinoxaline-1-yl-acetamide derivatives, especially 11b, can serve as lead molecules for development of new effective anticancer drugs.

Synthesis of Paracetamol‐Appended Bis 1,2,3‐Triazole Analogues as Anti‐Inflammatory Agents

AbstractParacetamol‐based bis 1,2,3‐triazole analogues were synthesized involving copper‐catalyzed click chemistry protocol. The new compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectral techniques. All the compounds were evaluated for their in vitro anti‐inflammatory properties using diclofenac as standard reference. The compound 6b with chlorine and fluorine functions displayed outstanding activity with IC50 values of 7.34 ± 0.45 µM and 7.84 ± 0.47 µM, respectively. Compound 6g with methyl and fluorine functions displayed best activity with IC50 values of 9.34 ± 0.22 µM and 9.40 ± 0.35 µM, respectively. Compound 6i, 6k, 6f, 6a, 6e, 6h, 6j, and 6l exhibited promising activity with respect to diclofenac. Using PyRx tool, the molecular docking study against crystal structure of COX‐2 proved the binding efficacies with notable binding interactions.

Novel Pleuromutilin Derivatives Conjugated with Phenyl-sulfide and Boron-containing Moieties as Potent Antibacterial Agents against Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria

In response to the escalating threat of microbial resistance, a series of novel pleuromutilin derivatives, conjugated with phenyl-sulfide and boron-containing moieties, were designed and synthesized. Most derivatives, especially 14b and 16b, demonstrated significant efficacy against Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains, as well as pleuromutilin-resistant strains. Compound 16b showed high stability in the liver microsomes of rats and humans, along with acceptable tolerance in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, compound 16b exhibited promising efficacy in MRSA-infected mouse models. Our data highlight the potential of conjugated pleuromutilin derivatives as valuable agents against drug-resistant bacteria.

Structure-based design and synthesis of (E)-l-(s-pheny1)-N-(4-(2,2,4-trimethy1-2,3-dihydro-lH-benzo[b][l,4]diazepin-l-yl)phenyl)methanimine motifs as antimicrobial and anti-tubercular agents

Benzodiazepines' chemistry and synthesis as heterocyclic compounds have recently attracted a lot of attention, due to their extensive biological diversity in drug design and potential for usage in agrochemicals. Eco-friendly and highly efficient method was herein reported for the synthesis of a new series of Schiff base of benzodiazepine derivatives 3a-l using microwave-assisted approach. Firstly, 2,2,4-trimethy1-2,3-dihydro-lH-benzo[b][l,4]diazepine (1) was synthesized by AgNO3-catalyzed reaction of o-phenylenediamine with excess of acetone. Coupling of benzodiazepine 1 with 4-chloroaniline afforded intermediate benzodiazepine 2 which was subsequently reacted with benzaldehyde derivatives via microwave irradiation technique to access twelve final targeted benzodiazepine Schiff bases, 3a-l. The chemical structures of the scaffolds 3a-l were authenticated using analytical and spectroscopic data. Benzodiazepine Schiff bases 3a-l were investigated for their in vitro antimicrobial activities using Agar diffusion technique and screened for their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using microtube dilution technique. Ten pathogenic organisms comprising of seven bacterial and three fungal isolates were utilized for the screening. Ciprofloxacin was the positive control for antibacterial screening while fluconazole was engaged as the positive control for the antifungal screening. The most efficacious antimicrobial agent among the series was (E)-l-(2-Chloropheny1)-N-(4-(2,2,4-trimethyl-2,3-dihydro-lH-benzo[b][l,4] diazepinlyl)phenyl)methanimi ne (3b) with a MIC value of 3.13 µg/mL and MBC of 6.25 µg/mL among all the synthesized compounds synthesized and screening for antimicrobial assessment. Compound 3b also emerged as the best anti-tubercular agent IC50 of 40 µg/mL against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis and H37Rv

Efficient synthesis and molecular docking of new organoselenium and organosulphur compounds as dual inhibitors for the therapy of Alzheimer's disease as well as Diabetes Mellitus

There are several oxidative stress-related pathways interconnecting Alzheimer's disease and type II diabetes, two public health problems worldwide. Therefore, development of potential multifunctional agents for dual therapy of AD and T2D has received much attention. The present study was aimed to synthesize a new selenocarbonyl and thiocarbonyl compounds and evaluating multifunctional ability of them in the AD and T2D dual therapy. [(PhP(Se)(μ-Se)]2, the selenium counterpart of the well-known sulfur transfer Lawesson's reagent, is a useful reagent for the synthesis of selenocarbonyl compounds. For the conversion of various carbonyl compounds into thiocarbonyl derivatives was formulated by its reaction with LR, [(p-MeOC6H4)P(S)(μ-S)]2. The reactions are carried out under mild conditions and afforded the seleno and thio compounds in good yields. By measuring the newly created compounds' overall antioxidant capacity, iron-reducing ability, and scavenging activity against DPPH and ABTS radicals, they were investigated as antioxidant molecules. Additionally, all the compounds were subjected to further investigation by testing their acetylcholinesterase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibiting activity. According to our findings, the amide derivatives exhibited more promising biological inhibitory actions in comparison to the other compounds. With a total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of 75.11 ± 0.04 mg gallic acid/gm, an iron-reducing power (IRP) of 69.86 ± 0.04 µg/mL, a DPPH radical-scavenging activity (%) of 55.89 ± 0.03 (IC50 = 6.19 ± 0.03 µg/ml), and an ABTS radical-scavenging activity (%) of 61.14 ± 0.03 (IC50 = 4.97 ± 0.06 µg/mL), benzoselenoamide derivative 11b in particular showed the highest antioxidant activities when compared to ascorbic acid. It also affected the activity of acetylcholinesterase through competitive inhibition, which was on par with Donepezil as indicated by in vitro percentage of inhibition 57.44 ± 0.07 % (IC50 = 5.13 ± 0.03 µg/mL). Additionally, it exhibited a comparable level of inhibition to Acarbose in the in vitro percentage of inhibition for α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity, 53.17 ± 0.03 (IC50 = 4.32 ± 0.02) and 42.92 ± 0.03 (IC50 = 2.99 ± 0.02) respectively. Furthermore, molecular docking calculations were made to explain the dual inhibitors for the therapy of Alzheimer's as well as Diabetes Mellitus for all synthesized compounds. In silco docking results revealed that compound 11b were the top docked bioactive compounds against the target proteins (AChE as a cholinergic enzyme and 11-Beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1(11β-HSD1)). After these calculations, ADMET analysis was performed to examine the drug properties of all novel compounds. Overall, the results demonstrated that the organoselenium-based compounds might serve as possible drugs for the therapy of Alzheimer's disease as well as Diabetes Mellitus.

Multicomponent Syntheses Enable the Discovery of Novel Quisinostat-Derived Chemotypes as Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors

In this study, we synthesized and evaluated novel histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors derived from the clinical candidate quisinostat. A library of 16 compounds categorized in three novel chemotypes was rapidly generated using multicomponent reactions (MCRs), enabling efficient structure-activity relationship studies. First, the compounds were evaluated for their activity against the Plasmodium falciparum strains 3D7 and Dd2, the main malaria-causing parasite, identifying compound 18b of the type C series as the most potent. It demonstrated low nanomolar IC50 values (IC50 (3D7) = 0.023 μM; IC50 (Dd2) = 0.047 μM) and high parasite selectivity (SIMRC-5/Pf3D7 > 2174). HDAC inhibition assays confirmed substantial inhibition of the P. falciparum enzyme PfHDAC1 (IC50 = 0.037 μM) as well as of human HDAC1 (IC50 = 0.021 μM) and HDAC6 (IC50 = 0.25 μM). Docking studies suggested distinct binding modes of 18b in P. falciparum and human HDAC1. Additionally, the in vitro anticancer activity was evaluated in Cal27 (head-neck carcinoma), HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), A2780 (ovarian carcinoma), and U87 (glioblastoma) cell lines. Compounds 9b, 9d, and 13f showed potent antiproliferative activity and caspase 3/7 activation, in contrast to 18b. Furthermore, these compounds caused hyperacetylation of histone H3 and α-tubulin, indicating robust cellular target engagement. Overall, in this work we have identified the HDAC inhibitor 18b with selective antiplasmodial and 9b, 9d, and 13f with selective anticancer activities, providing valuable hits for further drug development efforts aimed at creating derivatives with reduced cytotoxicity against non-cancer cells compared to quisinostat.

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, Molecular Docking Studies and ADMET Prediction of Oxindole-Based Hybrids for the Treatment of Tuberculosis.

With a projected mortality toll of 1.4 million in 2019, tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a significant public health concern around the world. Studies of novel treatments are required due to decreased bioavailability, increased toxicity, increased side effects, and resistance of several first- and second-line TB therapies, including isoniazid and ethionamide. This study reports the synthesis of oxindole-based hybrids as potent InhA inhibitors targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The synthesized compounds (5a-5e and 8a-8c) were evaluated for their anti-mycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTMs), viz. M. abscessus (ATCC 19977), M. fortuitum (ATCC 6841), and M. chelonae (ATCC 35752) using the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). Molecular docking studies were performed using AutoDock Vina to explore the binding interactions of these compounds with the InhA enzyme (PDB: 2NSD). Additionally, biochemical and histopathological studies were conducted to assess the hepatotoxicity of the lead compounds. Insilico molecular properties and ADMET properties of the synthesized compounds were predicted using SwissADME and Deep-PK online tools to assess their drug-likeness. Among the tested compounds, 8b exhibited significant anti-mycobacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC = 1 μg/mL) comparable to the reference drug ethambutol. Further, the compound demonstrated a binding affinity and orientation similar to the reference inhibitor 4PI, indicating its potential as a potent InhA inhibitor, and was found to be stabilized within the binding pocket of InhA through H-bonding, hydrophobic and van der Waal's interactions. Besides, the compounds hepatotoxicity assessment studies depicted that 8b showed no significant liver dysfunction or damage to liver tissues. Additionally, 8b adhered to Lipinski's rule of five and Veber's rule, displaying favourable pharmacokinetic and drug-like properties, including high human intestinal absorption, distribution, and acceptable metabolic stability and excretion. Compound 8b emerged as a promising candidate for further optimization and development as a therapeutic agent for tuberculosis, offering a new avenue for tackling tuberculosis.

Discovery of peptidomimetic spiropyrrolidine derivatives as novel 3CLpro inhibitors against SARS-CoV -2

Given the high pathogenicity and rapid mutation rates of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), it is imperative to sustain efforts in drug research and development. Herein, we present the design, synthesis, and evaluation of peptidomimetic spiropyrrolidine derivatives as potent 3CLpro inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. Among the synthesized derivatives, several compounds exhibited high potency in inhibiting 3CLpro, with IC50 values ranging from 21 nM to 53 nM. Notably, compounds 9b and 9h displayed improved enzymatic inhibition (IC50 = 25 nM and 21 nM, respectively) compared to nirmatrelvir (47 nM). Compound 9b showed enhanced stability in human and mouse liver microsomes compared to nirmatrelvir, whereas 9h exhibited similar stability to nirmatrelvir in both species. Furthermore, compound 9h displayed exceptional potency in cellular assays targeting the SARS-CoV-2 replicon within Huh7 cells, with a single-digit nanomolar activity that is 5.6 times better than that of nirmatrelvir. In a pharmacokinetic study in mice (PO, 20 mg/kg), compound 9h exhibited a prolonged plasma half-life (T1/2 = 2.58 h) compared to nirmatrelvir (T1/2 = 0.51 h) and demonstrated an AUC(0-t) value (1106 h∗ng/mL) equivalent to that of nirmatrelvir (1023 h∗ng/mL). These findings indicate that compound 9h is a promising lead for developing a novel 3CLpro inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2.

Design, synthesis, and biological investigations of new pyrazole derivatives as VEGFR2/CDK-2 inhibitors targeting liver cancer

New Series of N-Manniche bases 3,4 (a-c) and 5,6 (a-b) were synthesized through the reaction of benzaldehyde and amine with 3-methyl-4-(aryldiazenyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-ol derivatives 2(a-c), they were fully characterized by FT-IR, (1H, 13C) NMR data in addition to their mass spectra. The Structural Activity Relationship of the target compounds were examined for their cytotoxicity. Some newly synthesized compounds showed promising antiproliferation properties when tested against HepG2 cancer cells. Compounds 4a, 5a, and 6b showed potent cytotoxicity against HepG2 with IC50 values of 4.4, 3.46 and 2.52 µM compared to Sorafenib (IC50 = 2.051 µM) and Roscovitine (IC50 = 4.18 µM). Furthermore, they were safe against the THLE2 cells with higher IC50 values. Compound 6b exhibited promising dual VEGFR2/CDK-2 inhibition activities; it had an IC50 value of 0.2 μM with VEGFR2 inhibition of 93.2%, and it had an IC50 value of 0.458 μM with CDK-2 inhibition of 88.7%. In comparison to the untreated control group (0.95%), compounds 5a (38.32%) and 6b (42.9%) considerably increased the cell population in total apoptosis. In addition, compounds 5a and 6b arrested the cell population at G0-G1 and S phases, respectively. Molecular docking experiments confirmed the virtual binding mechanism of the most active drugs, which were found to have good binding affinities with both receptor active sites.

Discovery of a novel benzimidazole conjugated quinazolinone derivative as a promising SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease inhibitor.

This report presents the design and synthesis of quinazolinone-based derivatives as promising SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease inhibitors. Two novel series, namely, febrifugine analogues 4a-i and quinazolinone conjugated benzimidazoles 9a-c, were successfully synthesized starting from isatoic anhydride. The synthesized quinazolinone derivatives were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines and SARS-CoV-2 3CL inhibitory activity. The results showed that the synthesized compounds did not have significant toxicity for the non-cancer HEK293 cell line and MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, HEPG2 and HEPG2.2.15 cancer cell lines. Notably, compound 9b exhibited anti-3CL enzymatic activity in a dose-dependent manner, with the calculated IC50 value of 10.73 ± 1.17 μM. Docking results highlighted the interaction between 9b and 3CL protease through hydrogen bonding with key amino acids, including His41, Met49, Cys145, Met165, Arg188, His164, and Glu166, at the active site of the protease. Pharmacokinetic studies and ADME analyses provide valuable insights into the potential of compound 9b as a drug candidate. These findings support the new scaffold as a candidate for 3CLpro inhibition and advanced anti-coronavirus drug research.

Pyrimidine appended heterocycles: synthesis, characterization, and biological evaluation

A new class of pyrimidine-based heterocycles has been successfully synthesized via a simple and efficient way starting from 2-keto-thiophene (1). The α,β-unsaturated ketone (chalcone) (3) was first synthesized by treating the ketone (1) with 4-methoxy benzaldehyde (2), followed by treating with amino formamidine hydrochloride to afford the intermediate pyrimidine moiety (4) which was converted to amide functionalized pyrimidines (5a–e), pyrimidine-2-imines (6a–e) and thiophene tethered pyrimidine-imidazoles (7a–e). The structures assigned to the new compounds are confirmed by IR, NMR, and MS studies. The newly synthesized compounds were subjected to a molecular docking study with the protein of Staphylococcus aureus (PDB ID: 1JIJ), for antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The compounds 5a, 6a, 6b, and 7d were found to show hydrogen bond interaction with active site amino acid residues with the binding energy of −8,08, −8.39, −8.64, and −8.02 kJ/mol, respectively, and may act as potential inhibitors of bacterial tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases. The biological study envisioned that the synthesized compound 7b has shown potent antioxidant properties with 74.07% scavenging activity at 400 µg/mL and compound 6b was found to exhibit excellent antibacterial activity with 16, 20, 21, and 22 mm zone of inhibition against S. aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi-A and Bacillus subtilis bacterial strains, respectively.

Some novel synthesis 2-aroyl-1-acetylhydrazine derivatives: An assessment of their biological activity as therapeutic agents

Our study provides valuable insights into the anti-cancer activity of novel acetyl hydrazine derivatives as TOP2B inhibitors in breast cancer cells. Molecular docking studies were performed to evaluate the putative bonding mode of the synthesized compounds (3a, 4, 5a,b, and 6a,b). The obtained compounds were characterized using 1H NMR and 13C NMR. Most of the compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity against breast cancer cell lines. Among them, compound (6b) demonstrated a remarkable anti-cancer effect by inducing G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Trivalent oleanolic acid-glucose conjugates: Synthesis and efficacy against Influenza A virus

Influenza A virus (IAV) leads to significant morbidity and mortality due to the seasonal epidemics and spread. We have demonstrated that oleanolic acid (OA) C28 glucose conjugates and OA trimers are capable of effectively blocking the recognition and interaction between the influenza virus and host cells. In this study, a series of OA-glucose trimers were designed and synthesized through the CuAAC reaction. All trimers underwent screening for anti-IAV activities in vitro. Among these, compounds 13a and 13b showed inhibitory activity against the influenza virus, with IC50 values of 0.68 μM and 0.47 μM, respectively, demonstrating greater potency than oseltamivir (IC50 = 1.36 μM). Results from the time-of-addition experiment and hemagglutination inhibition assay suggest that these OA-glucose trimers may disrupt the recognition between the HA protein of IAV and sialic acid receptors on host cells, thus blocking viral entry. Furthermore, it was found that compound 13b effectively inhibits IAV infection in BALB/c mice. This study has elucidated the structure-activity relationships of OA trimers against the influenza virus and highlighted the utility of multivalent OA conjugates for enhancing ligand-target interactions in anti-influenza virus drug design, laying a groundwork for future research into the antiviral applications of these natural products.