Evaluation of pediatric patients for intestinal transplantation in the modern era

OBJECTIVES

To review recent evaluations of pediatric patients with intestinal failure (IF) for intestinal transplantation (ITx), waiting list decisions, and outcomes of patients listed and not listed for ITx at our center.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of 97 patients evaluated for ITx from January 2014 to December 2021 including data from referring institutions and protocol laboratory testing, body imaging, endoscopy, and liver biopsy in selected cases. Survival analysis used Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

Patients were referred almost entirely from outside institutions, one-third because of intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD), two-thirds because of repeated infective and non-IFALD complications under minimally successful intestinal rehabilitation, and a single patient because of lost central vein access. The majority had short bowel syndrome (SBS). Waiting list placement was offered to 67 (69%) patients, 40 of whom for IFALD. The IFALD group was generally younger and more likely to have SBS, have received more parenteral nutrition, have demonstrated more evidence of chronic inflammation and have inferior kidney function compared to those offered ITx for non-IFALD complications and those not listed. ITx was performed in 53 patients. Superior postevaluation survival was independently associated with higher serum creatinine (hazard ratio [HR] 15.410, p = 014), whereas inferior postevaluation survival was associated with ITx (HR 0.515, p = 0.035) and higher serum fibrinogen (HR 0.994, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite recent improvements in IF management, IFALD remains a prominent reason for ITx referral. Complications of IF inherent to ITx candidacy influence postevaluation and post-ITx survival.

Organophosphorus pesticide exposure from house dust and parent-reported child behavior in Latino children from an orchard community

BACKGROUND

Organophosphorus pesticide (OP) exposure is known to have adverse effects on the nervous system. Children from agricultural communities are at risk of exposure to these chemicals from their indoor environments that can lead to neurological and developmental problems, including changes in behavior.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the take-home pathway exposure is associated with behavioral and emotional problems in Latino Orchid Community children.

METHOD

The study was implemented over a period of two years (2008-2010) in an orchard farming community with a total of 324 parents who had children between the ages of 5-12 years old. Mothers of the children were asked to complete the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and dust from their carpets was collected. Emotional and behavioral deficits were assessed based on the CBCL and house dust was assessed for OP concentrations. In this study, correlations between OPs in house dust and CBCL subscales were estimated using linear regression models with total OP concentrations classified by tertiles. This study also facilitated the comparison between the agricultural and non-agricultural families in terms of behavioral deficits and house dust concentrations of pesticides.

RESULTS

The data from the study shows that there was a positive association between the concentration of OP residues in house dust and internalizing behavior (β=2.06, p=0.05) whereas the association with externalizing behavior was not significant after accounting for sociocultural covariates. Significant positive associations of OP residues with somatic problems (p=0.02) and thought problems (p=0.05) were also found.

CONCLUSION

The data support a potential role of OP exposure in childhood development, with a specific focus on internalizing behavior. Future work focused on longitudinal studies may uncover the long-term consequences of OP exposure and behavior.

Biochemical and In Silico Studies on Triazole Derivatives as Tyrosinase Inhibitors: Potential Treatment of Hyperpigmentation Related Skin Disorders

INTRODUCTION

Tyrosinase is a versatile, glycosylated copper-containing oxidase enzyme that mainly catalyzes the biosynthesis of melanin in mammals. Its overexpression leads to the formation of excess melanin, resulting in hyperpigmentary skin disorders, such as dark spots, melasma, freckles, etc. Therefore, inhibition of tyrosinase is a therapeutic approach for the treatment of hyperpigmentation.

METHOD

The current study focused on evaluating tyrosinase inhibitory activities of triazole derivatives 1-20, bearing different substituents on the phenyl ring. 17 derivatives have shown a potent tyrosinase inhibition with IC50 values between 1.6 to 13 μM, as compared to the standard drug, i.e., kojic acid (IC50 = 24.1 ± 0.5 μM). Particularly, compounds 11 and 15 displayed 12 times more potent inhibitory effects than the kojic acid.

RESULT

The structure-activity relationship revealed that substituting halogens at the C-4 position of the benzene ring renders remarkable anti-tyrosinase activities. Compounds 1-3 and 8 showed a competitive type of inhibition, while compounds 5, 11, and 15 showed a non-competitive mode of inhibition. Next, we performed molecular docking analyses to study the binding modes and interactions between the ligands (inhibitors) and the active site of the tyrosinase enzyme (receptor). Besides this, we have assessed the toxicity profile of inhibitors on the BJ human fibroblast cell line.

CONCLUSION

The majority of the newly identified tyrosinase inhibitors were found to be noncytotoxic. The results presented herein form the basis of further studies on triazole derivatives as potential drug leads against tyrosinase-related diseases.

Outcomes of Portosystemic Shunts in Children with and without Liver Transplantation

Purpose

Limited data exist regarding outcome and morbidity associated with portosystemic shunts in the pediatric transplant population. Our study assesses the outcomes of pediatric patients who underwent a portosystemic shunt procedure, both with and without liver transplantation (LT).

Methods

This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients aged 0-19 years who underwent shunt placement between 2003 and 2017 at a tertiary care center. The analysis included cases of shunt placement with or without LT.

Results

A total of 13 pediatric patients were included in the study with median age of 8.8 years. Among the cases, 11 out of 13 (84.6%) underwent splenorenal shunt, 1 (7.7%) underwent a mesocaval shunt, and another 1 (7.7%) underwent a Modified Rex (mesoportal) shunt. Additionally, 5 out of 13 (38.5%) patients had LT, with 4 out of 5 (80.0%) receiving the transplant before shunt placement, and 1 out of 5 (20.0%) receiving it after shunt placement. Gastrointestinal bleeding resulting from portal hypertension was the indication in all cases. A total of 10 complications were reported in 5 patients; the most common complication was anemia in 3 (23.1%) patients. At the most recent follow-up visit, the shunts were functional without encephalopathy, and no deaths were reported.

Conclusion

Shunt placement plays a crucial role in the management of patients with portal hypertension. Our study demonstrates favorable long-term outcomes in pediatric patients who underwent shunt placement. Long term shunt outcomes were similar and unremarkable in patients with LT and without LT.

Role of Metals on SARS-CoV-2 Infection: a Review of Recent Epidemiological Studies

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Metals and metalloids are known for their nutritional as well as toxic effects in humans. In the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, understanding the role of metals on COVID-19 infection is becoming important due to their role in infectious diseases. During the past 2 years, a significant number of studies have examined the impact of metals and metalloids on COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed manuscripts on the association of metals and metalloids with SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity published since the onset of the pandemic.

RECENT FINDINGS

We searched for epidemiological studies available through the PubMed database published from January 2020 to December 2022. Of 92 studies identified, 20 met our inclusion criteria. These articles investigated the association of zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), selenium (Se), manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), chromium (Cr), and/or lead (Pb) levels on SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or COVID-19 severity. Of the ten metals and metalloids of interest that reported either positive, negative, or no associations, Zn yielded the highest number of articles (n = 13), followed by epidemiological studies on Se (n = 7) and Fe (n = 5). Elevated serum Zn and Se were associated with reduced COVID-19 severity and mortality. Similarly, higher levels of serum Fe were associated with lower levels of cellular damage and symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and with faster recovery from COVID-19. On the other hand, higher serum and urinary Cu and serum Mg levels were associated with higher COVID-19 severity and mortality. Along with the positive or negative effects, some studies reported no impact of metals on SARS-CoV-2 infection. This systematic review suggests that metals, particularly Zn, Fe, and Se, may help reduce the severity of COVID-19, while Cu and Mg may aggravate it. Our review suggests that future pandemic mitigation strategies may evaluate the role of Zn, Se, and Fe as potential therapeutic interventions.

Multitargeted inhibition of key enzymes associated with diabetes and Alzheimer's disease by 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives: Synthesis, in vitro screening, and computational studies

A library of 22 derivatives of 1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol was synthesized, structurally characterized, and assessed for its potential to inhibit α-amylase, α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and antioxidant activities. Most of the tested compounds demonstrated good to moderate inhibition potential; however, their activity was lower than that of the standard acarbose. Significantly, compound 3f exhibited the highest inhibition potential against α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes, with IC50 values of 18.52 ± 0.09 and 20.25 ± 1.05 µM, respectively, in comparison to the standard acarbose (12.29 ± 0.26; 15.98 ± 0.14 µM). Compounds also demonstrated varying degrees of inhibitory potential against AChE (IC50  = 9.25 ± 0.19 to 36.15 ± 0.12 µM) and BChE (IC50  = 10.06 ± 0.43 to 35.13 ± 0.12 µM) enzymes compared to the standard donepezil (IC50  = 2.01 ± 0.12; 3.12 ± 0.06 µM), as well as DPPH (IC50  = 20.98 ± 0.06 to 52.83 ± 0.12 µM) and ABTS radical scavenging activities (IC50  = 22.29 ± 0.18 to 47.98 ± 0.03 µM) in comparison to the standard ascorbic acid (IC50  = 18.12 ± 0.15; 19.19 ± 0.72). The kinetic investigations have demonstrated that the compounds exhibit competitive-type inhibition for α-amylase, noncompetitive-type inhibition for α-glucosidase and AChE, and mixed-type inhibition for BChE. Additionally, a molecular docking study was performed on all synthetic oxadiazoles to explore the interaction details of these compounds with the active sites of the enzymes.

Idiopathic Ileal Ulceration After Intestinal Transplantation

Background

Idiopathic ileal ulceration after intestinal transplantation (ITx) has been discussed infrequently and has an uncertain natural history and relation to graft rejection. Herein, we review our experience with this pathology.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 225 ITx in 217 patients with minimum 1 y graft survival. Routine graft endoscopy was conducted up to twice weekly within the first 90 d after ITx, gradually decreasing to once yearly. Risks for ulceration over time were evaluated using Cox regression.

Results

Of 93 (41%) patients with ulcers, 50 were found within 90 d after ITx mostly via ileoscopy; delayed healing after biopsy appeared causal in the majority. Of the remaining 43 patients with ulcers found >90 d after ITx, 36 were after ileostomy closure. Multivariable modeling demonstrated within 90-d ulcer associations with increasing patient age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.027; P < 0.001) and loop ileostomy (versus Santulli ileostomy; HR, 0.271; P < 0.001). For ulcers appearing after ileostomy closure, their sole association was with absence of graft colon (HR, 7.232; P < 0.001). For ulcers requiring extended anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory therapy, associations included de novo donor-specific antibodies (HR, 3.222; P < 0.007) and nucleotide oligomerization domain mutations (HR, 2.772; P < 0.016). Whole-cohort post-ITx ulceration was not associated with either graft rejection (P = 0.161) or graft failure (P = 0.410).

Conclusions

Idiopathic ulceration after ITx is relatively common but has little independent influence on outcome; risks include ileostomy construction, colon-free ITx, immunologic mutation, and donor sensitization.

Determining the 3-substituted Coumarins inhibitory potential against the HslV protease of E. coli

OBJECTIVE

The growing bacterial resistance towards classical antibiotics demands the development of novel approaches for the effective treatment of potentially fatal bacterial infections in humans. Proteostasis is crucial for the survival of every living cell, as several important physiological functions depend on well-regulated proteostasis. Within bacteria, the regulation of proteostasis relies on AAA+ (Adenosine 5'-triphosphatases associated with diverse cellular activities), ATPases, such as the HslVU complex (heat shock locus gene products U and V), along with other proteases. The HslVU protease/chaperon complex is thought to be the progenitor of the eukaryotic proteasome that regulates proteostasis mostly in prokaryotes. This study aimed to determine the inhibitory potential of 3-substituted coumarin derivatives against Escherichia coli heat shock locus V (HslV) protease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, twenty-three derivatives of 3-substituted coumarin were assessed for their inhibitory potential against E. coli HslV protease using both in-vitro and in-silico techniques.

RESULTS

Among all the tested compounds, US-I-64, US-I-66, US-I-67, and US-I-68 displayed notable inhibitory potential against the HslV protease, showing IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) values ranging from 0.2 to 0.73 μM. Additionally, the inhibitory potential of these compounds against the eukaryotic proteasome was also evaluated using a separate in-silico study. It was found that these compounds did not bind with the proteasomal active site, suggesting no apparent side effects of these lead molecules.

CONCLUSIONS

These identified HslV protease inhibitors can be used for the development of novel and safer anti-bacterial drugs.

Synthetic piperidine-substituted chalcones as potential hits for α-amylase inhibitory and antioxidant activities

Background: In medicinal chemistry, searching for new therapeutic entities to treat diabetes mellitus is of great concern. The piperidinyl-substituted chalcone scaffold has piqued our interest as a potential antidiabetic agent. Methods: A variety of piperidinyl-substituted chalcones 2-28 were synthesized and tested for α-amylase inhibitory and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical-scavenging activities. Results: Compared with the standard acarbose, all compounds inhibited α-amylase, with IC₅₀ values of 9.86-35.98 μM. Docking studies revealed an important binding interaction with the enzyme's catalytic site. The compounds also demonstrated promising radical-scavenging potential against DPPH and ABTS radicals. Conclusion: This study has identified potential lead candidates for further advanced research searching for antidiabetic agents.

Thiourea derivatives inhibit key diabetes-associated enzymes and advanced glycation end-product formation as a treatment for diabetes mellitus

This study was designed to screen novel thiourea derivatives against different enzymes, such as α-amylase, α-glucosidase, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 B, and advanced glycated end product (AGEs). A cytotoxicity analysis was performed using rat L6 myotubes and molecular docking analysis was performed to map the binding interactions between the active compounds and α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The data revealed the potency of five compounds, including E (1-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(3,4-dimethyl phenyl) thiourea), AG (1-(2-methoxy-5-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl)-3-(3-methoxy phenyl) thiourea), AF (1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-(4-ethylphenyl) thiourea), AD (1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-(4-ethylphenyl) thiourea), and AH (1-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(2-iodophenyl) thiourea), showed activity against α-amylase. The corresponding percentage inhibitions were found to be 85 ± 1.9, 82 ± 0.7, 75 ± 1.2, 72 ± 0.4, and 65 ± 1.1%, respectively. These compounds were then screened using in vitro assays. Among them, AH showed the highest activity against α-glucosidase, AGEs, and PTP1B, with percentage inhibitions of 86 ± 0.4% (IC₅₀  = 47.9 μM), 85 ± 0.7% (IC₅₀  = 49.51 μM), and 85 ± 0.5% (IC₅₀  = 79.74 μM), respectively. Compound AH showed an increased glucose uptake at a concentration of 100 μM. Finally, an in vivo study was conducted using a streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse model and PTP1B expression was assessed using real-time PCR. Additionally, we examined the hypoglycemic effect of compound AH in diabetic rats compared to the standard drug glibenclamide.

Author Correction: Inhibitory potential of triazines and hydrazinyl thiazole substituted chromones against the HslVU protease/chaperone complex, a novel drug target

Correction to: European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences 2022; 26 (22): 8567-8575. DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202211_30392-PMID: 36459037-published online on November 30, 2022. After publication, the authors applied some corrections to the text: - Dr. U. Salar's affiliation has been corrected as follows: Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan. - The values in the row "Binding energy with HsIV (Kcal/mol)" Table I have been corrected as follows: from -8.4 into -9.0; from -8.6 into -9.2; from -8.0 into -8.5 from -8.3 into -8.7. There are amendments to this paper. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/30392.

Inhibitory potential of triazines and hydrazinyl thiazole substituted chromones against the HslVU protease/chaperone complex, a novel drug target

OBJECTIVE

Proteostasis is an important process occurring in all living cells and is highly indispensable for cell survival. The HslVU protease/chaperone complex's critical role in regulating proteostasis to maintain a healthy cellular proteome and its presence in pathogenic microbes made it an important drug target. This study aimed to identify small molecular inhibitors of the HslV protease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Herein, a library of small molecules belonging to the triazine and chromone families has been evaluated for their inhibitory potential against the E. coli HslV protease using both in silico and in vitro techniques.

RESULTS

Four compounds, i.e., SHS-II-123a, SHS-II-147a, US-IV-89, and US-IV-92, were identified as potential inhibitors of the HslV protease having IC50 values in the range of 0.1 to 0.32 µM. Additionally, these compounds' drug-likeness and ADMET profiles indicated their compatibility to be considered safer drug candidates.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on small molecules having inhibitory effects on the HslVU complex. These identified compounds can be efficiently subjected to further investigations to develop novel and safer antimicrobial agents.

Mismatch epitope load predicts de novo-DSA-free survival in pediatric liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Our knowledge of de novo anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies (dnDSA) in liver transplantation continues to be defined. We hypothesized that differences of HLA-DR/DQ mismatches can improve precision in alloimmune risk categorization and be applied to tailor immunosuppression.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of 244 pediatric patients consecutively transplanted at our center between 2003 and 2019 was performed to identify patients tested for dnDSA. Records were queried for: demographics, pre-transplant diagnosis, biopsy-proven T-cell-mediated rejection (TCMR), radiology proven biliary complications, tacrolimus trough levels, dnDSA characteristics, and HLA typing. The eplet mismatch analyses were performed using HLAMatchmaker^™ 3.1. All statistical analyses were conducted using R software version 3.40.

RESULTS

There were 99 dnDSA-negative patients and 73 dnDSA-positive patients (n = 70 against class II and n = 3 against class I and II). ROC analysis identified optimal cutoff of eplet mismatch load for dnDSA and defined risk groups for an alloimmune outcome. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests showed high eplet mismatch load was associated with shorter dnDSA-free survival (log-rank p = .001). Multivariable Cox regression models showed that tacrolimus coefficient of variation and tacrolimus mean levels were significantly associated with dnDSA-free survival (p < .001 and p = .036). Fisher's exact test showed that dnDSA was associated with an increased likelihood of TCMR (OR 14.94; 95% CI 3.65 - 61.19; p < .001). Patients without TCMR were more likely to have dnDSA to HLA-DQ7 and less likely to have dnDSA to HLA-DQ2 (p = .03, p = .080).

CONCLUSIONS

Mismatched epitope load predicts dnDSA-free survival in pediatric liver transplant, while dnDSA specificity may determine alloimmune outcome.

Isatin thiazoles as antidiabetic: Synthesis, in vitro enzyme inhibitory activities, kinetics, and in silico studies

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent diseases nowadays. Several marketed drugs are available for the cure and treatment of diabetes, but there is still a dire need of introducing compatible drug molecules with lesser side effects. The current study is based on the synthesis of isatin thiazole derivatives 4-30 via the Hantzsch reaction. The synthetic compounds were characterized using different spectroscopic techniques and evaluated for their α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition potential. Of 27 isatin thiazoles, five (4, 5, 10, 12, and 16) displayed good activities against the α-amylase enzyme with IC₅₀ values in the range of 22.22 ± 0.02-27.01 ± 0.06 µM, and for α-glucosidase, the IC₅₀ values of these compounds were in the range of 20.76 ± 0.17-27.76 ± 0.17 µM, respectively. The binding interactions of the active molecules within the active site of enzymes were studied with the help of molecular docking studies. In addition, kinetic studies were carried out to examine the mechanism of action of the synthetic molecules as well. Compounds 3a, 4, 5, 10, 12, and 16 were also examined for their cytotoxic effect and were found to be noncytotoxic. Thus, several molecules were identified as good antihyperglycemic agents, which can be further modified to enhance inhibition ability and to find the lead molecule that can act as a potential antidiabetic agent.

Biology-oriented drug synthesis and evaluation of secnidazole esters as novel enzyme ınhibitors

The identification of novel compounds that can inhibit physiologically and metabolically important drug targets or enzymes has prime importance in medicinal chemistry. With this aim, a range of secnidazole esters 1-30 were synthesized under the heading of biology-oriented drug synthesis by the 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole-mediated coupling reaction between secnidazole and varyingly benzoic acid derivatives. All compounds were screened for inhibitory activity against human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) I and II, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and α-glucosidase. The results indicate that all the synthesized compounds showed potent inhibitory activities against all targets, as compared to the standard inhibitors, revealed by IC₅₀ values. K_i values of the secnidazole derivatives 1-30 for hCA I, hCA II, AChE, BChE, and α-glucosidase enzymes were obtained in the ranges of 47.37-190.74, 44.38-198.21, 12.14-68.37, 8.04-61.53, and 7.78-45.91 nM, respectively. To assess the enzyme-ligand interactions, the optimized most active compounds 2, 3, 8, 9, 14, 17, and 23 were subjected to molecular docking studies with modeled AChE, BChE, hCA I, hCA II, and α-glucosidase enzymes, where several important and key interactions were monitored with amino acid residues of each target enzyme.

Novel Tetrazoles against Acanthamoeba castellanii Belonging to the T4 Genotype

BACKGROUND

Acanthamoeba castellanii is a pathogenic free-living amoeba responsible for blinding keratitis and fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. However, treatments are not standardized but can involve the use of amidines, biguanides, and azoles.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to synthesize a variety of synthetic tetrazole derivatives and test their activities against A. castellanii.

METHODS

A series of novel tetrazole compounds were synthesized by one-pot method and characterized by NMR and mass spectroscopy. These compounds were subjected to amoebicidal, and cytotoxicity assays against A. castellanii belonging to the T4 genotype and human keratinocyte skin cells respectively. Additionally, reactive oxygen species determination and electron microscopy studies were carried out. Furthermore, two of the seven compounds were conjugated with silver nanoparticles to study their antiamoebic potential.

RESULTS

A series of seven tetrazole derivatives were synthesized successfully. The selected tetrazoles showed anti-amoebic activities at 10µM concentration against A. castellanii in vitro. The compounds tested caused increased reactive oxygen species generation in A castellanii, and significant morphological damage to amoebal membranes. Moreover, conjugation of silver nanoparticles enhanced antiamoebic effects of two tetrazoles.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that azole compounds hold promise in the development of new formulations of anti-Acanthamoebic agents.

ROS Inhibitory Activity and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Benzoyl, Acetyl, Alkyl Ester, and Sulfonate Ester Substituted Coumarin Derivatives

BACKGROUND

A number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin, indomethacin, ibuprofen, flufenamic acid, and phenylbutazone are being clinically used to treat inflammatory disorders. These NSAIDs are associated with serious side effects such as gastric ulceration, nephrotoxicity, and bleeding. Therefore, the identification of potent and safe therapy for inflammatory disorders is still of great interest to the medicinal chemist.

METHODS

A series of varyingly substituted benzoyl, acetyl, alkyl ester, and sulfonate ester substituted coumarins 1-64 were screened for the inhibition of ROS, generated from zymosan activated whole blood phagocytes, using luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence technique.

RESULTS

Among all tested compounds, 8 (IC₅₀ = 65.0 ± 3.1 μM), 24 (IC₅₀ = 41.8 ± 1.5 μM), 26 (IC₅₀ = 10.6 ± 2.8 μM), 28 (IC₅₀ = 20.9 ± 1.5 μM), and 41 (IC₅₀ = 4.6 ± 0.3 μM) showed good anti- inflammatory potential as compared to standard antiinflammatory drug ibuprofen (IC₅₀ = 54.3 ± 1.9 μM). Specifically, compounds 24, 26, 28, and 41 showed superior activity than standard antiinflammatory drug. Furthermore, compounds 12 (IC₅₀ = 219.0 ± 1.4 μM), 14 (IC₅₀ = 216.5 ± 6.2 μM), 16 (IC50 = 187.4 ± 2.2 μM), and 20 (IC₅₀ = 196.2 ± 2.0 μM) showed moderate ROS inhibitory activity. Limited SAR study revealed that the hydroxy-substituted compound showed better ROS inhibition potential in case of 3-benzoyl and 3-ethylester coumarin derivatives. Whereas, chloro substitution was found to be important in case of 3-acetyl coumarin derivatives. Similarly, in case of sulfonate ester, chloro, and nitro groups especially at positions -4 and -3 of ring "R" played vital role in ROS inhibition. Furthermore, cytotoxicity of all active compounds was also checked on NIH-3T3 cell line. Compounds 12, 14, and 20 were found to be non-cytotoxic. Whereas, 8, 16, 24, 26, 28, and 41 were found to be very weak cytotoxic as compared to standard cycloheximide (IC₅₀ = 0.13 ± 0.02 μM).

CONCLUSION

Identified ROS inhibitors offer the possibility of additional modifications that could give rise to lead structures for further research in order to obtain more potent, and safer antiinflammatory agent.

Synthesis, In vitro α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Potential and Molecular Docking Studies of 2-Amino-1,3,4-Oxadiazole Derivatives

BACKGROUND

In the recent past, we have synthesized and reported different derivatives of oxadiazoles as potential α-glucosidase inhibitors, keeping in mind, the pharmacological aspects of oxadiazole moiety and in continuation of our ongoing research on the chemistry and bioactivity of new heterocyclic compounds.

METHODS

1,3,4-Oxadiazole derivatives (1-14) have been synthesized and characterized by different spectroscopic techniques such as 1H-, 13C-NMR and HREI-MS.

RESULTS

The synthetic derivatives were screened for α-glucosidase inhibitory potential. All compounds exhibited good inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging between 0.80 ± 0.1 to 45.1 ± 1.7 μM in comparison with the standard acarbose having IC50 value 38.45 ± 0.80 μM.

CONCLUSION

Thirteen compounds 1-6 and 8-14 showed potential inhibitory activity as compared to the standard acarbose having IC50 value 38.45 ± 0.80 μM, however, only one compound 7 (IC50 = 45.1 ± 1.7 μM) was found to be less active. Compound 14 (IC50 = 0.80 ± 0.1 μM) showed promising inhibitory activity among all synthetic derivatives. Molecular docking studies were also conducted for the active compounds to understand the ligand-enzyme binding interactions.

Reliability of a computer-based neurobehavioral assessment test battery for Bangladeshi adolescent children

In developing countries, there is a need for low-cost neurobehavioral (NB) test batteries for vulnerable populations, particularly for children exposed to environmental neurotoxicants. The objective of the current study was to assess the feasibility and test-retest reliability of the Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS) in children from a rural community in Bangladesh. Fifty healthy adolescents living in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) area in Araihazar, Bangladesh completed all six tests from the BARS in two test sessions scheduled two weeks apart. The BARS tests evaluated NB functions such as motor coordination, attention, memory, and information processing speed. The reliability assessment, evaluated by test-retest correlations demonstrated moderate to strong correlations (i.e., correlation coefficients ranged from 0.43 to 0.85), which were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Paired t-tests for comparing the test and retest outcomes indicated significant improvement in NB performance, highlighting learning and practice effects. NB performance improved with increasing age in most cases. Adolescent boys performed better than the girls in Finger Tapping, Digit Span, and Simple Reaction Time, whereas the girls performed better in Continuous Performance and Symbol Digit tests. The reliability scores (Pearson's correlations 0.43-0.85) were consistent with other children studies in different cultural settings. The effects of age and sex on NB tests were also consistent with findings reported in other countries. Overall, the findings of the study support the feasibility of using this computer-based test system to assess vulnerability of brain health due to environmental exposures among rural Bangladeshi children.

Early initiation of insulin attenuates histological and functional changes in the liver of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats using 99mTc-sulfur colloid functional imaging

This study aimed to investigate the effect of insulin on the reticuloendothelial system (RES) in the liver and spleen in diabetic rats. Sprague Dawley rats were divided into control, diabetic rats (DM) and diabetic rats treated with insulin (IDM) for 2 weeks. Rats were imaged with technetium-99m-sulfur colloid (^99mTc-SC) tracer to determine regional distributions of the tracer for all groups by drawing regions of interest and then obtained the ratios as the cumulative counts of heart, liver, and spleen to the whole body (WB). Liver tissue from sacrificed rats from each group was examined by light and electron microscopy. ^99mTc-SC uptake ratios showed a lower liver to WB uptake ratio in the DM rats compared to both controls and IDM rats. Electron microscopy showed severe vacuolization of the hepatocytes of DM rats. The IDM rats show complete resolution of the vacuolization. The early administration of insulin for 2 weeks to diabetic rats could significantly resolve the phagocytic RES function and histological changes in the liver.