Thiosemicarbazone Research Articles

Exploring the anticancer potential of thiadiazole derivatives of substituted thiosemicarbazones formed via copper‐mediated cyclization

A couple of N‐(4)‐morpholine/pyrrolidine‐substituted thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) of fluorene‐2‐carboxaldehyde (FM and FP), and their corresponding thiadiazoles (TDZs) (CFM and CFP), were synthesized and characterized (elemental analysis, ultraviolet–visible [UV–Visible], Fourier transform infrared [FT‐IR], nuclear magnetic resonance [NMR; 1H & 13C], high‐resolution mass spectrometry [HRMS], and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction [SCXRD]) for the evaluation of their anticancer potential. The TDZs were obtained unexpectedly and are possibly formed via single‐step metal (copper)‐mediated oxidative cyclizations of the TSCs. The synthesized compounds are fairly stable in phosphate buffer at the biological pH of 7.4. The density functional theory [DFT] studies were performed to predict the optimized structures and physicochemical properties of these compounds. The compounds were further subjected to computational and experimental biomolecular investigations in order to evaluate their anticancer activity in detail. CFM had the most potent activity against human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF‐7) and human urinary bladder (T24) cancer cells, with IC50 values of 12.00 and 24.80 μM, respectively. In contrast, CFM had negligible cytotoxicity (IC50 = 98.70 μM) against kidney epithelial cells extracted from an African green monkey (Vero) normal cells. This outcome was preferable to that of the widely used medicine Cisplatin. Molecular docking studies were performed with the breast cancer protein “cytochrome P450 1A1” (CYP1A1) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) to predict how effectively the compounds bind to the receptor. The ADMET findings suggest that these compounds have considerable drug‐likeness and oral bioavailability. These insights may open the door for additional medical research into the bioactivities of TSCs and TDZs produced from bioactive carbonyl compounds.

Physical structure of constitutional isomers influences antiproliferation activity of thiosemicarbazone-alkylthiocarbamate copper complexes

A series of hybrid thiosemicarbazone-alkylthiocarbamate copper complexes with similar electronic environments but distinct physical structures have been prepared, characterized, and evaluated for antiproliferation activity. The complexes include the constitutional isomers (1-phenylpropane-1-imine-(O-ethylthiocarbamato)-2-one-(N-methylthiosemicarbazonato))copper(II) (CuL1) and (1-phenylpropane-1-one-(N-methylthiosemicarbazonato)-2-imine-(O-ethylthiocarbamato))copper(II) (CuL2) along with (1-propane-1-imine-(O-ethylthiocarbamato)-2-one-(N-methylthiosemicarbazonato))copper(II) (CuL3). Complexes CuL1 and CuL2 differ in the positions of the pendent thiosemicarbazone (TSC) and alkylthiocarbamate (ATC) moieties on the 1-phenylpropane backbone. Complex CuL3 employs a propane backbone with the TSC in the 2-position as in CuL1. The isomer pair CuL1 and CuL2 have equivalent electronic environments with indistinguishable CuII/I potentials (E1/2 = -0.86 V vs. ferrocenium/ferrocene) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra (g∥ = 2.26, g⊥ = 2.08). The electronic structure of CuL3 has a similar E1/2 of -0.84 V and identical EPR parameters to CuL1, 2. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies confirm a consistent donor environment with no substantial variation in the CuN or CuS bond distances and angles between the complexes. The antiproliferation activities of the CuL1–3 were evaluated against the lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) and nonmalignant lung fibroblast cell line (IMR-90) using the MTT assay. CuL1 had the highest A549 activity (A549EC50 = 0.065 μM) and selectivity (IMR-90EC50/A549EC50 = 20). The constitutional isomer CuL2 displayed decreased A549 activity (0.18 μM) and selectivity (10.6). The complex CuL3 displayed activity (0.009 μM) similar to CuL1 but with a lack of selectivity (1.0). Cellular copper loading determined by ICP-MS was consistent with the activity and selectivity trends. The complexes CuL1–3 did not induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.

Trigger of apoptosis in human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) by titanium dioxide nanoparticles functionalized by glutamine and conjugated with thiosemicarbazone.

The incidence of liver cancer, the third cause of cancer-associated death, has been growing, worldwide. The increasing trend of liver cancer incidence and mortality indicates the inefficiency of current therapeutic approaches, especially anticancer chemotherapy. Owing to the promising anticancer potential of Thiosemicarbazone (TSC) complexes, this work was conducted to synthesize titanium oxide nanoparticles conjugated with TSC through glutamine functionalization (TiO2@Gln-TSC NPs) and characterize their anticancer mechanism in HepG2 liver cancer cells. Physicochemical analyses of the synthesized particles, including FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, Zeta potential and DLS, and EDS-mapping confirmed the proper synthesis and conjugation of TiO2@Gln-TSC NPs. The synthesized NPs were almost spherical, with a size range of 10-80nm, a zeta potential of -57.8mV, a hydrodynamic size of 127nm, and without impurities. Investigation of the cytotoxic effect of TiO2@Gln-TSC in HepG2 and HEK293 human normal cells indicated significantly higher toxicity in cancer cells (IC50 = 75µg/mL) than normal cells (IC50 = 210µg/mL). Flow cytometry analysis of TiO2@Gln-TSC treated and control cells showed that the population of apoptotic cells considerably increased from 2.8 to 27.3% after treatment with the NPs. Moreover, 34.1% of the TiO2@Gln-TSC treated cells were mainly arrested at the sub-G1 phase of the cell cycle, which was significantly greater than control cells (8.4%). The Hoechst staining assay showed considerable nuclear damage, including chromatin fragmentation and the appearance of apoptotic bodies. This work introduced TiO2@Gln-TSC NPs as a promising anticancer compound that could combat liver cancer cells through apoptosis induction.

5-Nitrofuryl-Containing Thiosemicarbazone Gold(I) Compounds: Synthesis, Stability Studies, and Anticancer Activity.

This work describes the synthesis of four gold(I) [AuClL] compounds containing chloro and biologically active protonated thiosemicarbazones based on 5-nitrofuryl (L=HSTC). The stability of the compounds in dichloromethane, DMSO, and DMSO/culture media solutions was investigated by spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and conductimetry, indicating the formation overtime of cationic monometallic [Au(HTSC)(DMSO)]± or [Au(HTSC)2 ]± , and/or dimeric species. Neutral [{Au(TSC)}2 ] species were obtained from one of the compounds in dichlomethane/n-hexane solution and characterized by X-ray crystallography revealing a Au-Au bond, and deprotonated thiosemicarbazone (TSC). The cytotoxicity of the gold compounds and thiosemicarbazone ligands was evaluated against selected cancer cell lines and compared to that of Auranofin. Studies of the most stable, cytotoxic, and selective compound on a renal cancer cell line (Caki-1) demonstrated its relevant antimigratory and anti-angiogenic properties, and preferential accumulation in the cell nuclei. Its mode of action seems to involve interaction with DNA, and subsequent cell death via apoptosis.

Tripeptides conjugated with thiosemicarbazones: new inhibitors of tyrosinase for cosmeceutical use

The development of skin-care products is recently growing. Cosmetic formulas containing active ingredients with proven efficacy, namely cosmeceuticals, are based on various compounds, including peptides. Different whitening agents featuring anti-tyrosinase activity have been applied in the cosmeceutical field. Despite their availability, their applicability is often limited due to several drawbacks including toxicity, lack of stability, and other factors. In this work, we present the inhibitory effect on diphenolase activity of thiosemicarbazone (TSC)-peptide conjugates. Tripeptides FFY, FWY, and FYY were conjugated with three TSCs bearing one or two aromatic rings via amide bond formation in a solid phase. Compounds were then examined as tyrosinase and melanogenesis inhibitors in murine melanoma B16F0 cell line, followed by the cytotoxicity assays of these cells. In silico investigations explained the differences in the activity, observed among tested compounds. Mushroom tyrosinase was inhibited by TSC1-conjugates at micromolar level, with IC50 lower than this for kojic acid, a widely used reference compound. Up to now, this is the first report regarding thiosemicarbazones conjugated with tripeptides, synthesised for the purpose of tyrosinase inhibition.

Abstract 4901: The role of protein disulfide isomerase and copper in the paraptotic cell death of clinically investigated anticancer thiosemicarbazones

Abstract α-N-Heterocyclic thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) have long been investigated as anticancer compounds. Triapine is one of the best-known TSCs for anticancer therapy and is currently tested in a clinical phase III trial. To further improve the anticancer activity of TSCs, novel derivatives (such as DpC and COTI-2) have been developed and clinically investigated for their activity against solid tumors. These novel TSCs belong to a subclass (incl. the tetra-methylated Triapine derivative, Me2NNMe2) that are terminally disubstituted and demonstrated enhanced anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo. The improved activity of these TSCs correlated with their ability to form stable copper complexes as well as induce paraptosis, a form of programmed but caspase-independent cell death, that is characterized by the formation of vesicles originating from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, the molecular events behind paraptosis induction are still not fully elucidated. Consequently, the aim of this study was to investigate the molecular signaling behind paraptosis as well as the reasons behind the induction of this quite unknown form of cell death by TSCs. A whole-genome gene expression analysis of cells treated with a terminally disubstituted TSC revealed an upregulation of thiol homeostasis-related genes, copper metabolism, and metallothionein genes as well as ER stress response genes. In addition, we found an upregulation of the copper-sensitive and thiol-containing protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), which was confirmed on protein level. In cell-free activity studies, PDI was indeed inhibited by terminally disubstituted TSCs, although only in form of their copper complexes. In agreement, removal of copper ions by specific chelators greatly reduced their anticancer activity as well as paraptotic potential in cell culture. This inhibition was hypothesized to be induced by a general disruption of the thiol redox homeostasis affecting also other responsive proteins and resulting in a more oxidative environment, especially in the ER. In confirmation, thiol-containing small molecules could reduce the compound’s anticancer activity in viability assays. Furthermore, glutathione as well as PDI were detected predominantly in their oxidized form in cells treated with terminally disubstituted TSCs. Consequently, terminally disubstituted TSCs, which are characterized by higher anticancer activity, induce paraptosis due to their high copper complex stability. The formation of the complex results in the interaction with thiol-containing proteins and subsequently in the disruption of the thiol-redox homeostasis, which leads to paraptotic cell death. Overall this work shed light on the paraptotic cell death and will be of interest for future clinical development of anticancer TSCs, as paraptosis is hypothesized to overcome apoptosis-resistance of cancer cells. Citation Format: Sonja Hager, Walter Berger, Christian R. Kowol, Eva A. Enyedy, Petra Heffeter. The role of protein disulfide isomerase and copper in the paraptotic cell death of clinically investigated anticancer thiosemicarbazones. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 4901.

Potent saccharinate-containing palladium(II) complexes for sensitization to cancer therapy

Palladium(II) (PdII) complexes are among the most promising anticancer compounds. Both 2`-benzoylpyridine thiosemicarbazone (BpT) and saccharinate (Sac) are efficient metal chelators with potent anticancer activity. To explore a more effective new anticancer drug, we synthesized a series of Sac and BpT-containing PdII complexes coordinated with thiosemicarbazone (TSC)-derived ligands, and characterized them through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analysis, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Each target complex was composed of PdII, BpT, and one or two Sac molecules. Both the in vitro and in vivo anti-growth effects of those ligands and the obtained PdII complexes were investigated in the human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines A549 and Spc-A1. The coordination of PdII with the TSC-derivatives and Sac resulted in clearly greater anticancer activity than single ligands. These compounds were demonstrated to be safe for 293 T normal human kidney epithelial cells. The introduction of Sac into the TSC-derived PdII complex significantly enhanced anti-growth effects, and induced apoptosis of human lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, the PdII complex containing two Sac molecules showed the most promising therapeutic effects, thereby confirming that Sac increases the cancer therapeutic efficacy of PdII complexes and providing a new strategy for exploring anticancer drugs for potential clinical treatment.

Synthesis, characterization, and anticancer activity of chitosan functionalized isatin based thiosemicarbazones, and their copper(II) complexes

The one-pot synthetic method of condensation of isatin and 5-chloroisatin on to amino group at C2 position of the pyranose ring chitosan in chitosan thiosemicarbazide was employed to get these chitosan thiosemicarbazones (TSCs). The partial incorporation of thiosemicarbazone moiety in chitosan was shown by FT-IR and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies, powder X ray diffraction, and CHNS microanalysis. The NOS tridentate coordination behavior of TSCs with copper(II) chloride to give the square planar complexes was established by FT-IR spectroscopic data, magnetic susceptibility measurement, and EPR spectral analysis. The thermal stability of these biomaterial chitosan derivatives till the commencement of chain disruption at 200C was shown by thermal studies. As revealed by colorimetric MTT assays, the in vitro anticancer activity enhancement accorded with the functionalization of chitosan as isatin based chitosan TSCs, and NOS tridentate coordination of TSCs plus a monodentate coordination of chloride ion with copper(II) ion. Only a marginal activity difference of these compounds was observed against the tumorigenic MDCK and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, irrespective of unit molecular weight (Mw) and degree of deacetylation (DDA) of ring chitosan. The 5-chloroisatin chitosan TSCs showed better activity than isatin chitosan TSCs against both the cell lines.

Dual Role of Glutathione as a Reducing Agent and Cu-Ligand Governs the ROS Production by Anticancer Cu-Thiosemicarbazone Complexes.

α-Pyridyl thiosemicarbazones (TSC) such as Triapine (3AP) and Dp44mT are a promising class of anticancer agents. Contrary to Triapine, Dp44mT showed a pronounced synergism with CuII, which may be due to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by Dp44mT-bound CuII ions. However, in the intracellular environment, CuII complexes have to cope with glutathione (GSH), a relevant CuII reductant and CuI-chelator. Here, aiming at rationalizing the different biological activity of Triapine and Dp44mT, we first evaluated the ROS production by their CuII-complexes in the presence of GSH, showing that CuII-Dp44mT is a better catalyst than CuII-3AP. Furthermore, we performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which suggest that a different hard/soft character of the complexes could account for their different reactivity with GSH.

Molecular dynamics simulations suggest Thiosemicarbazones can bind p53 cancer mutant R175H

Cancer pathologies are associated with the unfolding and aggregation of most recurring mutations in the DNA Binding Domain (DBD) of p53 that coordinate the destabilization of protein. Substitution at the 175th codon with arginine to histidine (R175H, a mutation of large to small side-chain amino acid) destabilizes the DBD by 3 kcal/mol and triggers breasts, lung cancer, etc. Stabilizing the p53 mutant by small molecules offers an attractive drug-targeted anti-cancer therapy. The thiosemicarbazone (TSC) molecules NPC and DPT are known to act as zinc-metallochaperones to reactivate p53R175H. Here, a combination of LESMD simulations for 10 TSC conformations with a p53R175H receptor, single ligand-protein conformation MD, and ensemble docking with multiple p53R175H conformations observed during simulations is suggested to identify the potential binding site of the target protein in light of their importance for the direct TSC – p53R175H binding. NPC binds mutant R175H in the loop region L2-L3, forming pivotal hydrogen bonds with HIS175, pi‑sulfur bonds with TYR163, and pi-alkyl linkages with ARG174 and PRO190, all of which are contiguous to the zinc-binding native site on p53DBD. DPT, on the other hand, was primarily targeting alternative binding sites such as the loop-helix L1/H2 region and the S8 strand. The similar structural characteristics of TSC-bound p53R175H complexes with wild-type p53DBD are thought to be attributable to involved interactions that favour binding free energy contributions of TSC ligands. Our findings may be useful in the identification of novel pockets with druggable properties.

TZD-Based Hybrid Molecules Act as Dual Anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Agents.

Two distinct intracellular pathogens, namely Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Toxoplasma gondii (Tg), cause major public health problems worldwide. In addition, serious and challenging health problems of co-infections of Tg with Mtb have been recorded, especially in developing countries. Due to this fact, as well as the frequent cases of resistance to the current drugs, novel anti-infectious therapeutics, especially those with dual (anti-Tg and anti-Mtb) modes of action, are needed. To address this issue, we explored the anti-Tg potential of thiazolidinedione-based (TZD-based) hybrid molecules with proven anti-Mtb potency. Several TZD hybrids with pyridine-4-carbohydrazone (PCH) or thiosemicarbazone (TSC) structural scaffolds were more effective and more selective than sulfadiazine (SDZ) and trimethoprim (TRI). Furthermore, all of these molecules were more selective than pyrimethamine (PYR). Further studies for the most potent TZD-TSC hybrids 7, 8 and 10 and TZD-PCH hybrid molecule 2 proved that these compounds are non-cytotoxic, non-genotoxic and non-hemolytic. Moreover, they could cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is a critical factor linked with ideal anti-Tg drug development. Finally, since a possible link between Tg infection and the risk of glioblastoma has recently been reported, the cytotoxic potential of TZD hybrids against human glioblastoma cells was also evaluated. TZD-PCH hybrid molecule 2 was found to be the most effective, with an IC50 of 19.36 ± 1.13 µg/mL against T98G cells.

Cytotoxicity effect of nickel hydroxide nanoparticles functionalized by glutamine and conjugated by thiosemicarbazide on human lung cancer cell line (A549) and evaluation of bax and bcl-2 genes expression

Lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-associated death, worldwide and current therapeutic approaches have low efficiency in treating metastatic lung cancers. Thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) in the free and complexed forms showed promising anticancer potential. This study aimed to fabricate nickel oxide nanoparticles conjugated with TSC and characterize their anticancer mechanism. Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles were conjugated with TSC through glutamine (Gln) linker. The physicochemical feature of the nanoparticle (NP) was characterized and their cytotoxicity mechanism was investigated by the cellular and molecular assays. The FT-IR and XRD analyses confirmed the fabrication of the nanoparticle and the purity of the particles was confirmed by EDX-mapping. The particles were spherical within a size range of 23–55 nm. The hydrodynamic size and zeta potential of the nanocomposite were 265 nm and −45 mV, respectively. Ni(OH)2@Gln-TSC showed considerably higher toxicity for A549 lung cancer cells than HEK-293 human normal cells with IC50 of 160 and 310 μg/mL, respectively. Treating the A549 cells with Ni(OH)2@Gln-TSC caused apoptosis induction in 79.5 % of the cells and 66.6 % of the cells were arrested at the sub-G1 phase. Also, the expression of the bax gene was increased by 2.8 folds following treating with the NP, while the bcl-2 gene was attenuated by 0.85 folds. Furthermore, the activity of Caspase-3 was increased in the Ni(OH)2@Gln-TSC treated cells, and nuclear damages including chromatin condensation and fragmentation were observed. This study showed that the Ni(OH)2@Gln-TSC NP has considerable cytotoxicity for lung cancer cells through the activation of cell apoptosis pathways.

Synthesis, Characterization, X-Ray Single-Crystal Structure, Potentiometric Measurements, Molecular Modeling, and Bioactivity Screening of Some Thiosemicarbazones

A series of thiosemicarbazone (TSCN) compounds including ((E)-2-((E)-1-(2-(p-tolyl)hydrazono)propan-2-ylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide (TSC1), (E)-N-ethyl-2-((E)-1-(2-(p-tolyl)hydrazono)propan-2-ylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide (TSC2), and (E)-N-phenyl-2-((E)-1-(2-(p-tolyl)hydrazono)propan-2-ylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide) (TSC3) were synthesized and fully characterized by diverse spectroscopies, such as X-ray single-crystal, infrared, mass, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and ultraviolet-visible. Potentiometric measurements, molecular modeling, and biological and antitumor activity screening were studied. The thermodynamics and protonation constants of TSC1 as a representative of the synthesized TSCs were calculated and discussed. The solution speciation of different species was studied with pH. The molecular parameters of the optimized structures were calculated and discussed. The X-ray single crystals of TSC2 and TSC3 were established. Considering the antimicrobial activities and correlating structure-activity relationship of the synthesized compounds, the TSC1 molecule was considered a promising candidate as an antifungal agent against Candida albicans. Thus, it would be extremely helpful in the field of medicinal chemistry, particularly as an antimicrobial agent. The results are of significance to the chemistry of antimicrobial agents.

Heteroleptic silver(I), nickel(II), and copper(II) complexes of N4‐substituted thiosemicarbazones and ciprofloxacin: Theoretical, in vitro anti‐proliferative, and in silico molecular modeling and pharmacokinetics studies

In this study, a series of new heteroleptic silver(I), nickel(II), and copper(II) complexes of the type [M(L1–3)(Cfx)n] (1–9), where L1–3 = N4‐substituted thiosemicarbazones (TSCs), Cfx = ciprofloxacin, M = Ag(I), Ni(II), or Cu(II), and n = 1 or 2, have been synthesized and characterized by spectral methods. The spectral data of the complexes suggest bidentate behavior of the TSC ligand, which coordinate with metal ion through thione sulphur and hydrazine nitrogen atoms, and neutral bidentate behavior of the ciprofloxacin drug that coordinates with metal ion through pyridone oxygen and one of the carboxylate oxygen atoms. The structural properties of the silver(I) complexes (1–3) were studied by density functional theory calculations, which indicate the distorted tetrahedral geometry with lower energy gap for complex 3. All the heteroleptic complexes were screened for their in vitro anti‐proliferative activity against four cancerous (lung [A549], estrogen negative [MDA‐MB‐231], estrogen positive [MCF‐7] and Henrietta's cancer cells [HeLa]), and one non‐cancerous (non‐tumorigenic human breast epithelial cell line [MCF‐10a]) cell lines by MTT reduction assay. The obtained results revealed the lower activity of silver(I) complexes and higher activity of copper(II) complexes against the tested cancer cell lines. The complexes 6 and 9 induce apoptosis in MDA‐MB‐231 cells, which was evidenced by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining method. The molecular docking studies revealed hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions between the complexes and the epidermal growth factor receptor. The in silico analysis of the complexes for Lipinski's “rule of five” and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion properties predicted the drug‐likeness of the synthesized complexes.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Toxic Properties of Novel Δ2 -1,3,4-thiadiazoline and Δ2 -1,3,4-selenadiazoline Derivatives

Two new series of N-(4-acetyl-5-aryl-4,5-dihydro-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)acetamide and N-(4-acetyl-5-aryl-4,5-dihydro1,3,4-selenadiazol-2-yl)acetamide compounds (where aryl = 4-nitrophenyl, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl, 3-ethoxy-4- hydroxyphenyl, 2-chloroquinolinyl, and 6-chloro-4-oxo-4H-chromenyl) were synthesized in good yields by heterocyclization of thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) and selenosemicarbazones (SSCs) with acetic anhydride, respectively. The new TSCs and SSCs compounds was prepared by condensation reaction of thiosemicarbazide and Selenosemicarbazide with aromatic aldehydes in acidic medium. The structures of newly synthesized 1,3,4-thiadiazoline (TDZs) and 1,3,4-selenadiazoline (SDZs) derivatives were characterized by the analytical and spectroscopic method such as IR, 1 H NMR, 13C NMR, mass spectra and elemental analysis. The purity of compound and evaluation of Rf value were determined by TLC. The toxicity of new compounds was assayed via the determination of their LD50 value by using Dixon’ s up and down method. The antibacterial activity of 1,3,4-thiadiazoline and 1,3,4-selenadiazoline compounds were tested in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Finally, antioxidant efficiency of all compounds were detected according to β-carotene bleaching method.

Impact of denticity of chromone/chromene thiosemicarbazones in the ruthenium(II)‐DMSO complexes on their cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells

AbstractDenticity plays a prominent role in the cytotoxicity of metal complexes. The impact of ligand denticity of chromone/chromene thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) in the Ru(II)‐DMSO complexes on the cytotoxicity of cancer cells was evaluated. Ru(II)‐DMSO complex containing tridentate chromone TSC (D1) exhibited better in vitro anticancer activity than the one with bidentate chromene TSC (D2). Using the optimized structures of the complexes, the reason behind the same was attributed to the thermodynamically stable nature of the tridentate system. Hydrolysis study of the complexes showed the kinetically labile nature of the chloride ligand in the tridentate species with respect to the bidentate counterpart. The selective cytotoxicity of complex D1 against breast cancer cells and its less toxicity against normal cells demonstrated the effective anticancer potential of the complex. Further, the binding efficacy of the complexes against DNA and BSA, along with imaging and flow cytometry experiments, warranted the effective cell death induced by the complexes against breast cancer cells via apoptosis.

A new series of thiosemicarbazone-based anti-inflammatory agents exerting their action through cyclooxygenase inhibition.

In an endeavor to identify potent anti-inflammatory agents, new thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) incorporated into a diaryl ether framework (2a-2l) were prepared and screened for their in vitro inhibitory effects on cyclooxygenases (COXs). 4-[4-(Piperidin-1-ylsulfonyl)phenyl]-1-[4-(4-cyanophenoxy)benzylidene]thiosemicarbazide (2c) was the most potent and selective COX-1 inhibitor in this series, with an IC50 value of 1.89 ± 0.04 µM. On the other hand, 4-[4-(piperidin-1-ylsulfonyl)phenyl]-1-[4-(4-nitrophenoxy)benzylidene]thiosemicarbazide (2b) was identified as a nonselective COX inhibitor (COX-1 IC50 = 13.44 ± 0.65 µM, COX-2 IC50 = 12.60 ± 0.78 µM). Based on molecular docking studies, the diaryl ether and the TSC groups serve as crucial moieties for interactions with pivotal amino acid residues in the active sites of COXs. According to MTT test, compounds 2b and 2c showed low cytotoxic activity toward NIH/3T3 cells. Their in vivo anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potencies were also assessed using the lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis model. Compounds 2b and 2c diminished high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, and malondialdehyde levels. Both compounds also caused a significant decrease in aspartate aminotransferase levels as well as alanine aminotransferase levels. In silico pharmacokinetic studies suggest that compounds 2b and 2c possess favorable drug-likeness and oral bioavailability. It can be concluded that these compounds may act as orally bioavailable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents.

Synthesis, single-crystal exploration, hirshfeld surface analysis, and DFT investigation of the thiosemicarbazones

Thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) are considered as one of the most significant classes of organic compounds in recent time due to their applications in pharmaceutical chemistry. Two TSCs, (E)-4-((2-(cyclohexyl-carbamothioyl)hydrazineylidene)methyl)benzoic acid (CHMB) and (E)-2-(4-ethoxy-2-hydroxy-benzylidene)-N-(3-methoxyphenyl)-hydrazine-1-carbothioamide (BMHC), were successfully prepared via condensation reaction using substituted hydrazinecarbothioamide and substituted benzaldehydes. The detailed crystallographic investigation showed that the O-H···O and N-H···S bonding in CHMB and the N-H···O, O-H···S, and C-H···S bonding in BMHC, respectively, are responsible for the crystal packing. The Hirshfeld surface study showed the crystal packing of both compounds to be stabilized by non-covalent interactions. The density functional theory (DFT) study showed that the optimized geometries are close to the experimental structures while the frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis implied that CHMB is more reactive in redox reactions. The charge analysis supports the formation of intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds whereas the Natural Bonding Orbitals (NBO) analysis implies that both compounds possess noticeable stability, with somewhat higher stability of BMHC. CHMB should be considered as more stable in oxidation reactions than BMHC but should be much more prone to the reduction reactions. The Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP) analysis implies noticeable reactivity of both compounds along with formation of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding.

Effect of N-benzyl group in indole scaffold of thiosemicarbazones on the biological activity of their Pd(II) complexes: DFT, biomolecular interactions, in silico docking, ADME and cytotoxicity studies

A series of N-benzyl substituted indole-based thiosemicarbazone (TSC) ligands (L4-L6) and palladium(II) TSC complexes, [Pd(L)2] (1–6) (L = monoanionic bidentate un/N-substituted indole-based TSC ligand) have been synthesized and characterized using analytical and spectroscopic tools. The exact molecular structures of L4-L6 and the complexes (2–4 and 6) were ascertained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. Spectroscopic and crystallographic studies indicated that Pd(II) ion was coordinated with TSCs as monobasic bidentate ligands, forming two five-membered rings with square planar geometry. The effect of N-benzyl substitution in indole scaffold of TSCs in the complexes was studied using DFT method, and structure–activity relationships (SAR) were explored. The in silico ADME properties of the ligands and their complexes were thoroughly analyzed with respect to their lipophilicity and oral bioavailability. The complexes (1–6) exhibited strong intercalation with calf thymus DNA (CT DNA), which was examined by absorption/emission spectroscopic titrations and viscosity measurements. Similarly, the interaction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with complexes examined using spectroscopic methods showed a strong binding between them. A better picture of various possible interactions was acquired from the molecular docking of the complexes with the targets like DNA, BSA, DNA Topoisomerase II and CASP3. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity of the complexes was screened against two cancer (HeLa-S3 and A549) and one normal (IMR-90) cell lines. It was learnt that the N-benzyl substitution in the indole system inactivated the whole molecule by diminishing its anticancer activity. The unsubstituted indole TSC complex (2) displayed significant activity towards HeLa-S3 cells, and the results were compared with those of cisplatin. Beneficially, the active complex showed less toxicity against IMR-90 normal cells. Further, the results of AO-EB staining studies indicated that the complexes induced cell death via apoptosis pathway. The steric influence of the substituted indole moiety, its limited electronic effects and lesser stability in aqueous systems retarded the Pd(II) complexes of N-benzyl substituted indole TSCs from exhibiting their biological activities.

Effect of Thiosemicarbazone Derivatives and Fusarium culmorum (Wm.G. Sm.) Sacc. Infection of Winter Wheat Seedlings on Their Health Status and Soil Biological Activity

Climate change has an impact on agricultural production, including the greater persistence of plant pathogens in the environment. Therefore, the question arises as to how to effectively and safely protect plants by using chemicals, the number of which is decreasing each year. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fungistatic effect of 2 acetylthiophenethiosemicarbazone (2actpTS) and Cis-jasmonethiosemicarbazone (JTS) against Fusarium culmorum (Fc) on winter wheat seedlings. The influence of thiosemicarbazones (TSs) on the health status and phytotoxicity of seedlings and soil biological activity was investigated. Before TSs application (watering or spraying), soil was infected with F. culmorum (strain No. 37). The substance type and method of its application significantly influenced only the fresh weight of the seedlings. The varying phytotoxicity of the molecules depended primarily on their application method to the plants. The highest seedling phytotoxicity was recorded when compounds were applied during watering and the lowest when they were sprayed. The results showed that the application of substances 2actpTS and JTS, both in the form of watering and spraying, had a positive effect on plant health status, as expressed by the disease index (DI) value. The presence of the infectious agent and the type of chemical compound increased soil enzyme activity. The highest total number of bacteria was found in the soil that was infected with Fc and in soil samples where JTS was applied by watering and spraying. The highest utilization of amines, amides and amino acids by microorganisms was found in the samples where JTS was applied. The obtained results will be used to create intermediate products for the protection of cereals against Fusarium diseases, not only at the stage of germination and tillage of plants, but also at subsequent developmental stages.