Discovery of novel pyrazole and pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives as cyclooxygenase inhibitors (COX-1 and COX-2) using molecular modeling simulation

Discovery of new anti-diabetic potential agents based on paracetamol incorporating sulfa-drugs: Design, synthesis, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibitors with molecular docking simulation

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to hyperglycemia, which causes neuropathy, heart attacks, retinopathy, and nervous system damage over time, therefore, controlling hyperglycemia using potential drug target inhibitors is a promising strategy. This work focused on synthesizing new derivatives via the diazo group, using a hybridization strategy involving two approved drugs, paracetamol and several sulfonamides. The newly designed diazo-paracetamols 5-12 were fully characterized and then screened for in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities and exhibited inhibitory percentages (IP) = 92.5-96.5 % and 91.0-95.7 % compared to Acarbose IP = 96.5 and 95.8 %, respectively at 100 μg/mL. The IC50 values of the synthesized derivatives were evaluated against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, and the results demonstrated moderate to potent activity. Among the tested diazo-paracetamols, compound 11 was found to have the highest potency activity against α-amylase with IC50 value of 0.98 ± 0.015 μM compared to Acarbose IC50 = 0.43 ± 0.009 μM, followed by compound 10 (IC50 = 1.55 ± 0.022 μM) and compound 9 (IC50 = 1.59 ± 0.023 μM). On the other hand, for α-glucosidase, compound 10 with pyrimidine moiety demonstrated the highest inhibitory activity with IC50 = 1.39 ± 0.021 μM relative to Acarbose IC50 = 1.24 ± 0.029 μM and the order of the most active derivatives was 10 > 9 (IC50 = 2.95 ± 0.046 μM) > 11 (IC50 = 5.13 ± 0.082 μM). SAR analysis confirmed that the presence of 4,5-dimethyl-isoxazole or pyrimidine nucleus attached to the sulfonyl group is important for activity. Finally, the docking simulation was achieved to determine the mode of binding interactions for the most active derivatives in the enzyme's active site.

Discovery of novel 6-(piperidin-1-ylsulfonyl)-2H-chromenes targeting α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and PPAR-γ: Design, synthesis, virtual screening, and anti-diabetic activity for type 2 diabetes mellitus

A new series of 2H-chromene-based sulfonamide derivatives 3-12 has been synthesized and characterized using different spectroscopic techniques. The synthesized 2H-chromenes were synthesized by reacting activated methylene with 5-(piperidin-1-ylsulfonyl)salicylaldehyde through one-step condensation followed by intramolecular cyclization. Virtual screening of the designed molecules on α-glucosidase enzymes (PDB: 3W37 and 3A4A) exhibited good binding affinity suggesting that these derivatives may be potential α-glucosidase inhibitors. In-vitro α-glucosidase activity was conducted firstly at 100 µg/mL, and the results demonstrated good inhibitory potency with values ranging from 90.6% to 96.3% compared to IP = 95.8% for Acarbose. Furthermore, the IC50 values were determined, and the designed derivatives exhibited inhibitory potency less than 11 µg/mL. Surprisingly, two chromene derivatives 6 and 10 showed the highest potency with IC50 values of 0.975 ± 0.04 and 0.584 ± 0.02 µg/mL, respectively, compared to Acarbose (IC50 = 0.805 ± 0.03 µg/mL). Moreover, our work was extended to evaluate the in-vitro α-amylase and PPAR-γ activity as additional targets for diabetic activity. The results exhibited moderate activity on α-amylase and potency as PPAR-γ agonist making it a multiplet antidiabetic target. The most active 2H-chromenes 6 and 10 exhibited significant activity to PPAR-γ with IC50 values of 3.453 ± 0.14 and 4.653 ± 0.04 µg/mL compared to Pioglitazone (IC50 = 4.884±0.29 µg/mL) indicating that these derivatives improve insulin sensitivity by stimulating the production of small insulin-sensitive adipocytes. In-silico ADME profile analysis indicated compliance with Lipinski's and Veber's rules with excellent oral bioavailability properties. Finally, the docking simulation was conducted to explain the expected binding mode and binding affinity.

In vivo and in silico studies of the effects of oil extracted from Cannabis sativa L. seeds on healing of burned skin wounds in rats

Introduction

This study investigates the potential effects of cannabis seed oil (CSO) on the wound healing process. The aim was to assess the efficacy of CSO in treating skin wounds using an animal model and to explore its anti-inflammatory properties through in silico analysis.

Methods

Eighteen male albino Wistar rats, weighing between 200 and 250 g, were divided into three groups: an untreated negative control group, a group treated with the reference drug silver sulfadiazine (SSD) (0.01 g/mL), and a group treated topically with CSO (0.962 g/mL). The initial wound diameter for all groups was 1 cm. In silico studies were conducted using Maestro 11.5 to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of phytoconstituents against cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2).

Results

CSO and SSD treatments led to a significant reduction (p <0.05) in the size of burned skin wounds by day 5, with contraction rates of 53.95% and 45.94%, respectively, compared to the untreated negative control group. By day 15, wounds treated with CSO and SSD had nearly healed, showing contraction rates of 98.8% and 98.15%, respectively. By day 20, the wounds treated with CSO had fully healed (100%), while those treated with SSD had almost completely healed, with a contraction rate of 98.97%. Histological examination revealed granulated tissue, neo-blood vessels, fibroblasts, and collagen fibers in wounds treated with CSO. In silico studies identified arachidic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and linolenic acid as potent inhibitors of COX-1 and COX-2. Serum biochemical parameters indicated no significant changes (p > 0.05) in liver and kidney function in rats treated with CSO, whereas a significant increase (p < 0.01) in ALAT level was observed in rats treated with SSD.

Discussion

The findings demonstrate that CSO has a promising effect on wound healing. The CSO treatment resulted in significant wound contraction and histological improvements, with no adverse effects on liver and kidney function.However, the study's limitations, including the small sample size and the need for detailed elucidation of CSO's mechanism of action, suggest that further research is necessary. Future studies should focus on exploring the molecular pathways and signaling processes involved in CSO's pharmacological effects.

Explore new quinoxaline pharmacophore tethered sulfonamide fragments as in vitro α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors with ADMET and molecular modeling simulation

A new series of quinoxaline-sulfonamide derivatives 3-12 were synthesized using fragment-based drug design by reaction of quinoxaline sulfonyl chloride (QSC) with different amines and hydrazines. The quinoxaline-sulfonamide derivatives were evaluated for antidiabetic and anti-Alzheimer's potential against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and acetylcholinesterase enzymes. These derivatives showed good to moderate potency against α-amylase and α-glucosidase with inhibitory percentages between 24.34 ± 0.01%-63.09 ± 0.02% and 28.95 ± 0.04%-75.36 ± 0.01%, respectively. Surprisingly, bis-sulfonamide quinoxaline derivative 4 revealed the most potent activity with inhibitory percentages of 75.36 ± 0.01% and 63.09 ± 0.02% against α-glucosidase and α-amylase compared to acarbose (IP = 57.79 ± 0.01% and 67.33 ± 0.01%), respectively. Moreover, the quinoxaline derivative 3 exhibited potency as α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory with a minute decline from compound 4 and acarbose with inhibitory percentages of 44.93 ± 0.01% and 38.95 ± 0.01%. Additionally, in vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity for designed derivatives exhibited weak to moderate activity. Still, sulfonamide-quinoxaline derivative 3 emerged as the most active member with inhibitory percentage of 41.92 ± 0.02% compared with donepezil (IP = 67.27 ± 0.60%). The DFT calculations, docking simulation, target prediction, and ADMET analysis were performed and discussed in detail.

Exploring the Potential Biological Activities of Pyrazole-Based Schiff Bases as Anti-Diabetic, Anti-Alzheimer's, Anti-Inflammatory, and Cytotoxic Agents: In Vitro Studies with Computational Predictions

In this innovative research, we aim to reveal pyrazole-based Schiff bases as new multi-target agents. In this context, we re-synthesized three sets of pyrazole-based Schiff bases, 5a-f, 6a-f, and 7a-f, to evaluate their biological applications. The data from in vitro biological assays (including antioxidant and scavenging activities, anti-diabetes, anti-Alzheimer's, and anti-inflammatory properties) of the pyrazole-based Schiff bases 5a-f, 6a-f, and 7a-f showed that the six pyrazole-based Schiff bases 5a, 5d, 5e, 5f, 7a, and 7f possess the highest biological properties among the compounds evaluated. The cytotoxicity against lung (A549) and colon (Caco-2) human cancer types, as well as normal lung (WI-38) cell lines, was evaluated. The data from the cytotoxicity investigation demonstrated that the three Schiff bases 5d, 5e, and 7a are active against lung (A549) cells, while the two Schiff bases 5e and 7a exhibited the highest cytotoxicity towards colon (Caco-2) cells. Additionally, the enzymatic activities against caspase-3 and Bcl-2 of the six pyrazole-based Schiff bases 5a, 5d, 5e, 5f, 7a, and 7f were evaluated. Furthermore, we assessed the in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, and toxicity (ADMT) properties of the more potent pyrazole-based Schiff bases. After modifying the structures of the six pyrazole-based Schiff bases, we plan to further extend the studies in the future.

Synthesis, structural, molecular docking, and in vitro biological activities of Cu-doped ZnO nanomaterials

Copper-doped ZnO nanoparticles with the formula Zn1-x(Cu)O, where x = 0.0, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.07 were produced using the co-precipitation process. Physical, chemical, and structural properties were properly examined. Powdered X-ray diffraction (P-XRD) patterns revealed the formation of hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure in all samples, through atomic substitutional incorporation in the Cu-doped ZnO lattice. The presence of Cu ions and their dissolution in the host ZnO crystal structure was supported by FT-IR spectra. HR-TEM images were used to assess the average size, morphology, and shape regularity of the synthesized samples. The form and homogeneity of the ZnO changed when Cu ions were substituted, as evidenced by FE-SEM/EDX analysis. The presence of copper signals in the Cu-doped samples indicates that the doping was successful. The decrease in zeta potential with an increased copper doping percentage designates that the nanoparticles (NPs) are more stable, which could be attributed to an increase in the ionic strength of the aqueous solution. The synthesized NPs were evaluated for their substantial in vitro antioxidant properties. In addition, the antimicrobial efficacy of the materials was tested against pathogenic microorganisms. Regarding the anti-diabetic activity, the 7Cu ZnO sample showed the highest inhibitory effect on the α-amylase enzyme. No variations were observed in the activities of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) and proteinase enzymes with ZnO and samples doped with different concentrations of Cu. Therefore, further studies are recommended to reveal the in-vitro anti-diabetic activity of the studied doped samples. Finally, molecular docking provided valuable insights into the potential binding interactions of Cu-doped ZnO with α-amylase, FabH of E. coli, and Penicillin-binding proteins of S. aureus. These outcomes suggest that the prepared materials may have an inhibitory effect on enzymes and hold promise in the battle against microbial infections and diabetes.

Evaluation of the biological efficiency of Terminalia chebula fruit extract against neurochemical changes induced in brain of diabetic rats: an epigenetic study

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic and progressive metabolic disorder that can stimulate neuroinflammation and increase oxidative stress in the brain. Therefore, the present study was aimed to assess the efficacy of ethanolic Terminalia chebula extract against the neurochemical and histopathological changes induced in the brains of diabetic rats. The study clarified the reduction in oxidative stress induced in the brains of diabetic rats by the significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in levels of the antioxidants with decreasing the peroxidation products via ethanolic T. chebula extract at both doses (400 and 600 mg/kg). Moreover, T. chebula extract improved the brain integrity by lowering levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), β-amyloid (Aβ) content, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and acetylcholine esterase (ACHE) significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in a dose dependent manner compared to brain of diabetic rats. Severe nuclear pyknosis and degeneration were noticed in neurons of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and striatum in brains of diabetic rats. The severity of these alterations decreased with T. chebula extract at a dose of 600 mg/kg compared to the other treated groups. The different electrophoretic protein and isoenzyme assays revealed that the lowest similarity index (SI%) values exist in the brains of diabetic rats compared to the control group. The quantity of the most native proteins and isoenzyme types increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in the brains of diabetic rats, and these electrophoretic variations were completely diminished by T. chebula extract. The study concluded that T. chebula extract ameliorated the biochemical, histopathological and electrophoretic abnormalities induced in the brains of diabetic rats when administered at a dose of 600 mg/kg.

In vitro biological studies and computational prediction-based analyses of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives

There is a need for new pharmaceutical discoveries from bioactive nitrogenous derivatives due to the emergence of scourges, numerous pandemics, and diverse health problems. In this context, pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives 12a and 12b were synthesized and screened to evaluate their biological potentials in vitro as antioxidants, anti-diabetics, anti-Alzheimer's, anti-arthritics, and anti-cancer agents. Additionally, the computational pharmacokinetic and toxicity properties of the two pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines 12a and 12b were calculated and analyzed. The preliminary studies and results of this work represent the initial steps toward more advanced studies and define the bioactive chemical structure of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives with the goal of exploring new drugs to address numerous health problems.

Synthesis, photophysical properties, anticancer evaluation, and molecular docking studies of new pyrimidine linked 4-arylidene-thiazolidin-4-ones as potent anticancer agents

The reaction of 4-(chloroacetamido)pyrimidine (1) with ammonium thiocyanate gave 2-(pyrimidin-4-ylimino)thiazolidin-4-one (2), which, when condensed with four substituted benzaldehyde analogues, gave the consequent 5-arylidine-2-(pyrimidin-4-ylimino)thiazolidin-4-ones 3a-d. In addition, the absorbance and fluorescence behaviours of pyrimidinylimino-thiazolidin-4-one hybrids 3a-d in various organic solvents were investigated. The emphasis was on studying UV absorption capacities and the effect of various structural components on photophysical qualities such as the 5-arylidene-2-(pyrimidin-4-ylimino)thiazolidin-4-ones and N,N-dimethylamino tail. The cytotoxic effect of four pyrimidinylimino-thiazolidin-4-one hybrids 3a-d on tumour cell lines (HepG2, HCT-116, PC3, MCF-7) and a normal cell line (WI38) is investigated in this work. The cytotoxicity was measured by comparing the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) to the reference medication, 5-fluorouracil. The findings indicate that these hybrid compounds had varying cytotoxic effects on the cell lines examined; hybrids 3b and 3c demonstrated significant anticancer activity against MCF-7 with IC50 values of 7.53 ± 0.43 and 9.17 ± 0.31 μM, respectively. The inhibitory efficacy of various synthesized hybrids on the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase was investigated. EGFR is a crucial target in cancer treatment because inhibiting it may reduce tumour development and proliferation. The IC50 value was used to calculate the inhibitory activity, which is the concentration of inhibitor necessary to induce half-maximal inhibition of EGFR kinase activity. In addition, the predicted ADME results show that pyrimidinylimino-thiazolidin-4-one hybrids have good pharmacokinetic properties; hybrid 3d is more lipophilic than the other compounds. It has a medium molecular weight, a small number of hydrogen bond acceptors and donors, and a large number of aromatic heavy atoms. Moreover, molecular docking simulations revealed precise information on the interactions of pyrimidinylimino-thiazolidin-4-one hybrids 3a-d and 5-Fu with their respective protein targets. These interactions point to possible pathways for their biological activities and call for more testing to establish their effectiveness as bioactive molecules or therapeutic candidates.

Developing a new multi-featured chitosan-quinoline Schiff base with potent antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities: design and molecular modeling simulation

A new chitosan Schiff base was developed via the reaction of chitosan (CH) with 2-chloro-3-formyl-7-ethoxy quinoline (Q) derivative. The alteration in the chemical structure and morphology of CHQ derivative was confirmed by 1H NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy and SEM analysis. The antibacterial activity was considerably promoted with increasing quinoline concentration up to 1 M with maximal inhibition reached 96 and 77% against Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Escherichia coli, respectively. Additionally, CHQ derivative afforded higher ABTS·+ radical scavenging activity reached 59% compared to 13% for native chitosan, approving its acceptable antioxidant activity. Moreover, the developed CHQ derivative can stimulate the glucose uptake in HepG-2 and yeast cells, while better inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase was accomplished with maximum values of 99.78 and 92.10%, respectively. Furthermore, the molecular docking simulation clarified the binding mode of CHQ derivative inside the active site of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, suggesting its potential use as diabetes mellitus drug. The DFT calculations indicated an improvement in the electronic properties of CHQ with a lower energy band gap reached 4.05eV compared to 5.94eV for CH. The cytotoxicity assay revealed the safety of CHQ towards normal HSF cells, hypothesizing its possible application as non-toxic antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic agent for biomedical applications.

Dual-target inhibitors based on COX-2: a review from medicinal chemistry perspectives

Inhibitors of COX-2 constitute a class of anti-inflammatory analgesics, showing potential against certain types of cancer. However, such inhibitors are associated with cardiovascular toxicity. Moreover, although single-target molecules possess specificity for particular targets, they often lead to poor safety, low efficacy and drug resistance due to compensatory mechanisms. A new generation of dual-target drugs that simultaneously inhibit COX-2 and another target is showing strong potential to treat cancer or reduce adverse cardiac effects. The present perspective focuses on the structure and functions of COX-2, and its role as a therapeutic target. It also explores the current state and future possibilities for dual-target strategies from a medicinal chemistry perspective.

One-pot synthesis of pyrazolo[4,3-d]thiazole derivatives containing α-aminophosphonate as potential Mur A inhibitors against MDR pathogens with radiosterilization and molecular modeling simulation

The present study involves the synthesis of a new series of α-aminophosphonate derivatives in good yields with a simple workup via the Kabachnik-Fields reaction using lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) as a catalyst to facilitate the reaction. All the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed using various physical, spectroscopic, and analytical data, and the obtained results correlated with the proposed molecular structure. The in vitro antimicrobial activities of each compound were evaluated against different clinical isolates. The results indicated that among these derivatives, two compounds (5a and 5b) were the most active and displayed potent activity with MICs in the range from 0.06 to 0.25 μg mL-1 compared with fosfomycin and fluconazole as standard antibiotics. Moreover, the synthesized phosphonates displayed a broad spectrum of bactericidal and fungicidal activities depending on MICs, MBCs/MFCs, and the time-kill kinetics. In addition, the checkerboard assay showed synergistic and partial synergistic activities between the active compounds combined with fosfomycin and fluconazole. Furthermore, the SEM images showed distinct ruptures of the OM integrity of the FOS-R E. coli at their MICs, which was further indicated by the increased EtBr accumulation within the bacterial cells. Moreover, active derivatives revealed MurA inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 3.8 ± 0.39 and 4.5 ± 0.23 μM compared with fosfomycin (IC50 = 12.7 ± 0.27 μM). To our surprise, exposing 5a and 5b compounds to different gamma radiation doses revealed that 7.0 kGy eradicated the microbial load completely. Finally, the results of quantum chemical study supported the binding mode obtained from the docking study performed inside the active site of MurA (PDB: 1UAE), suggesting that these phosphonates may be promising safe candidates for MDR infection therapy clinical trials with no toxic effects on the normal human cells.

Preparation of Some New Pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant, Antibacterial (MIC and ZOI) Activities, and Cytotoxic Effect on MCF-7 Cell Lines

This study aims to synthesize some novel pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives, and investigate their biological activities. These compounds exhibited good to high antioxidant activities [2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capabilities]. Among them, Ethyl 5-(2-ethoxy-2-oxoethyl)-7-hydroxy-2-methylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylate (3h) showed the highest antioxidant activity [Half-maximal Inhibitory Concentration (IC50 )=15.34 μM] compared to ascorbic acid (IC50 =13.53 μM) as a standard compound. Their antibacterial activities were investigated against two Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli). The results showed that Ethyl 7-hydroxy-5-phenylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylate (3i) has the best antibacterial activity against Gram-positive B. subtilis [Zone of Inhibition (ZOI)=23.0±1.4 mm, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)=312 μM]. Also, the cytotoxicity of these compounds was assessed against breast cancer cell lines [human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7)], which 7-Hydroxy-2-methyl-5-phenylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile (3f) displayed the most cytotoxicity (IC50 =55.97 μg/mL), in contrast with Lapatinib (IC50 =79.38 μg/mL) as a known drug.

A new class of anti-proliferative activity and apoptotic inducer with molecular docking studies for a novel of 1,3-dithiolo[4,5-b]quinoxaline derivatives hybrid with a sulfonamide moiety

A new series of 6-(pyrrolidin-1-ylsulfonyl)-[1,3]dithiolo[4,5-b]quinoxaline-2-ylidines 10a-f, 12, 14, 16, and 18 were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity. The structures of the novel compounds were systematically characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and elemental analysis. The synthesized derivatives were evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activity against three human cancer cell lines (HepG-2, HCT-116, and MCF-7) with more sensitivity to MCF-7. Moreover, three derivatives 10c, 10f, and 12 were the most promising candidates with sub-micromole values. These derivatives were further evaluated against MDA-MB-231, and the results displayed significant IC₅₀ values ranging from 2.26 ± 0.1 to 10.46 ± 0.8 μM and showed low cellular cytotoxicity against WI-38. Surprisingly, the most active derivative 12 revealed sensitivity towards the breast cell lines MCF-7 (IC₅₀ = 3.82 ± 0.2 μM) and MDA-MB-231 (IC₅₀ = 2.26 ± 0.1 μM) compared with doxorubicin (IC₅₀ = 4.17 ± 0.2 and 3.18 ± 0.1 M). Cell cycle analysis showed that compound 12 arrests and inhibits the growth of MCF-7 cells in the S phase with values of 48.16% compared with the untreated control 29.79% and exhibited a significantly higher apoptotic effect in MCF-7 with a value of 42.08% compared to control cell at 1.84%. Furthermore, compound 12 decreased Bcl-2 protein 0.368-fold and activation on pro-apoptotic genes Bax and P53 by 3.97 and 4.97 folds, respectively, in MCF-7 cells. Compound 12 exhibited higher inhibitory activity to EGFR^Wt, EGFR^L858R, and VEGFR-2 with IC₅₀ values (0.19 ± 0.009, 0.026 ± 0.001, and 0.42 ± 0.021 μM) compared with erlotinib (IC₅₀ = 0.037 ± 0.002 and 0.026 ± 0.001 μM) and sorafenib (IC₅₀ = 0.035 ± 0.002 μM). Finally, in silico ADMET prediction presented that 1,3-dithiolo[4,5-b]quinoxaline derivative 12 obeys the Lipinski rule of five and the Veber rule with no PAINs alarms and moderately soluble properties. Additionally, toxicity prediction revealed that compound 12 demonstrated inactivity to hepatotoxic carcinogenicity, immunotoxicity, mutagenicity, and cytotoxicity. Moreover, molecular docking studies showed good binding affinity with lower binding energy inside the active site of Bcl-2 (PDB: 4AQ3), EGFR (PDB: 1M17), and VEGFR (PDB: 4ASD).

Exploring novel derivatives of isatin-based Schiff bases as multi-target agents: design, synthesis, in vitro biological evaluation, and in silico ADMET analysis with molecular modeling simulations

Recently, scientists developed a powerful strategy called "one drug-multiple targets" to discover vital and unique therapies to fight the most challenging diseases. Novel derivatives of isatin-based Schiff bases 2-7 have been synthesized by the reaction of 3-hydrazino-isatin (1) with aryl aldehydes, hetero-aryl aldehydes, and dialdehydes. The structure of the synthesized derivatives was proved by physical and spectral analysis. Additionally, in vitro biological studies were performed, including antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-Alzheimer, and anti-arthritic activities. The four derivatives 3b, 5a, 5b, and 5c possess the highest activities. Among the four potent derivatives, compound 5a exhibited the highest antioxidant (TAC = 68.02 ± 0.15 mg gallic acid per g; IRP = 50.39 ± 0.11) and scavenging activities (ABTS = 53.98 ± 0.12% and DPPH = 8.65 ± 0.02 μg mL^-1). Furthermore, compound 5a exhibited an α-amylase inhibitory percentage of 57.64 ± 0.13% near the acarbose (ACA = 69.11 ± 0.15%) and displayed inhibitor activity of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme = 36.38 ± 0.08%. Moreover, our work extended to determining the anti-arthritic effect, and compound 5a revealed good inhibitor activities with very close values for proteinase denaturation (PDI) = 39.59 ± 0.09% and proteinase inhibition (PI) = 36.39 ± 0.08%, compared to diclofenac sodium PDI = 49.33 ± 0.11% and PI = 41.88 ± 0.09%. Additionally, the quantum chemical calculations, including HOMO, LUMO, and energy band gap were determined, and in silico ADMET properties were predicted, and their probability was recorded. Finally, molecular docking simulations were performed inside α-amylase and acetylcholinesterase enzymes.

Development of novel pyrazole, imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole, and pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives as a new class of COX-2 inhibitors with immunomodulatory potential

Searching for new compounds with anti-inflammatory properties is a significant target since inflammation is a major cause of pain. A series of pyrazole, imidazopyrazolone, and pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesized by reaction of 3,5-diamino-1H-pyrazole derivative with cyclic and acyclic carbonyl reagents. The structure of the newly synthesized derivatives were fully characterized using different spectroscopic data and elemental analysis, and therefore, evaluated as COX-2 inhibitors. The in vitro COX-2 activity of the tested derivatives 2-13 displayed moderate to good potency with two derivatives 8 and 13 that exhibiting high potency to COX-2 with IC₅₀ values of 5.68 ± 0.08 and 3.37 ± 0.07 μM compared with celecoxib (IC₅₀ = 3.60 ± 0.07 μM) and meloxicam (IC₅₀ = 7.58 ± 0.13 μM). Furthermore, the most active pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives 8 and 13 were evaluated to measure the levels of pro-inflammatory proteins such as TNF-α and IL-6 using qRT-PCR in RAW264.7 cells, and the results showed down-regulation of two immunomodulatory proteins. Surprisingly, these derivatives 8 and 13 revealed a decrease in IL-6 level with inhibition percentages of 65.8 and 70.3%, respectively, compared with celecoxib (% = 76.8). Further, compounds 8 and 13 can regulate and suppress the TNF-α with percentage inhibition of 63.1 and 59.2% to controls, while celecoxib displayed an inhibition percentage of 72.7. The Quantum chemical calculation was conducted, and data explained the structural features crucial to the activity. The molecular docking simulation and ADMET predictions revealed that the most active derivatives have good binding affinity, possess appropriate drug-likeness properties and low toxicity profiles. Finally, compounds 8 and 13 demonstrated COX-2 inhibitors with α-TNF and IL-6 suppression capabilities as a dual-action strategy to get more effective treatment.

Development of new spiro[1,3]dithiine-4,11'-indeno[1,2-b]quinoxaline derivatives as S. aureus Sortase A inhibitors and radiosterilization with molecular modeling simulation

Multi-drug resistant microbes have become a severe threat to human health and arise a worldwide concern. A total of fifteen spiro-1,3-dithiinoindenoquinoxaline derivatives 2-7 were synthesized and evaluated for their biological activities against five standard and MDRB pathogens. The MIC and MBC/MFC for the most active derivatives were determined in vitro via broth microdilution assay. These derivatives showed significant activity against the tested strains with microbicidal behavior, with compound 4b as the most active compound (MIC range between 0.06 and 0.25 µg/mL for bacteria strains and MIC = 0.25 µg/mL for C. albicans). The most active spiro-1,3-dithiinoindenoquinoxaline derivatives were able to inhibit the activity of SrtA with IC₅₀ values ranging from 22.15 ± 0.4 µM to 37.12 ± 1.4 µM. In addition, the active spiro-1,3-dithiinoindenoquinoxaline attenuated the in vitro virulence-related phenotype of SrtA by weakening the adherence of S. aureus to fibrinogen and reducing the biofilm formation. Surprisingly, compound 4b revealed potent SrtA inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ = 22.15 µM, inhibiting the adhesion of S. aureus with 39.22 ± 0.15 % compared with untreated 9.43 ± 1.52 %, and showed a reduction in the biofilm biomass of S. aureus with 32.27 ± 0.52 %. We further investigated the effect of gamma radiation as a sterilization method on the microbial load and found that a dose of 5 kGy was sufficient to eradicate the microbial load. The quantum chemical studies exhibited that the tested derivatives have a small energy band gap (ΔE = -2.95 to -3.61 eV) and therefore exert potent bioactivity by interacting with receptors more stabilizing.

In vitro enzymatic evaluation of some pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives: Design, synthesis, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-Alzheimer, and anti-arthritic activities with molecular modeling simulation

The strategy of utilizing nitrogen compounds in various biological applications has recently emerged as a powerful approach to exploring novel classes of therapeutics to face the challenge of diseases. A series of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-based compounds 3a-l and 5a-f were prepared by the direct cyclo-condensation reaction of 5-amino-1H-pyrazoles 1a, b with 2-(arylidene)malononitriles and 3-(dimethylamino)-1-aryl-prop-2-en-1-ones, respectively. The structures of the new pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine compounds were confirmed via spectroscopic techniques. The in vitro biological activities of all pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines 3a-l and 5a-f were evaluated by assaying total antioxidant capacity, iron-reducing power, the scavenging activity against 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radicals, anti-diabetic, anti-Alzheimer, and anti-arthritic biological activities. All compounds displayed good to potent bioactivity, and three compounds 3g, 3h, and 3l displayed the most active derivatives. Among these derivatives, compound 3l exhibited the highest antioxidant (total antioxidant capacity [TAC] = 83.09 mg gallic acid/g; iron-reducing power [IRP] = 47.93 µg/ml) and free radicals scavenging activities with (DPPH = 18.77 µg/ml; ABTS = 40.44%) compared with ascorbic acid (DPPH = 4.28 µg/ml; ABTS = 38.84%). Furthermore, compound 3l demonstrated the strongest inhibition of α-amylase with a percent inhibition of 72.91 ± 0.14 compared to acarbose = 67.92 ± 0.09%. Similarly, it displayed acetylcholinesterase inhibition of 62.80 ± 0.06%. However, compound 3i showed a significantly higher inhibition percentage for protein denaturation and proteinase at 20.66 ± 0.00 and 26.42 ± 0.06%, respectively. Additionally, some in silico ADMET properties were predicted and studied. Finally, molecular docking simulation was performed inside the active site of α-amylase and acetylcholinesterase to study their interactions.

Synthesis, antimicrobial activity and molecular docking studies of spiroquinoline-indoline-dione and spiropyrazolo-indoline-dione derivatives

Spiro[benzo[h]quinoline-7,3'-indoline]diones and spiro[indoline-3,4'-pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline]diones were efficiently synthesized via one-pot multi-component reactions under ultrasound-promoted conditions. Spiro[benzo[h]quinoline-7,3'-indoline]dione derivatives were successfully developed by the reaction of isatins, naphthalene-1-amine and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. The spiro[indoline-3,4'-pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline]dione derivatives were prepared by the reaction of isatins, 5-amino-1-methyl-3-pheylpyrazole, and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds by using ( ±)-camphor-10-sulfonic acid as a catalyst in H₂O/EtOH (3:1 v/v) solvent mixture. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized compounds was evaluated against, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Compounds 4b, 4h, and 6h showed the strongest antimicrobial activity toward both bacteria. The MIC values of these compounds ranged from 375-3000 µg/mL. The effect of these compounds (4b, 4h, 6h) as a function of applied dose and time was investigated by a kinetic study, and the interaction with these antimicrobial results was simulated by a molecular docking study. We also used the docking approach with Covid-19 since secondary bacterial infections. Docking showed that indoline-quinoline hybrid compounds 4b and 4h exerted the strongest docking binding value against the active sites of 6LU7. In addition, the synthesized compounds had a moderate to good free radical scavenging activity.

Antibiofilm and Anti-Quorum-Sensing Activities of Novel Pyrazole and Pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine Derivatives as Carbonic Anhydrase I and II Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, Radiosterilization, and Molecular Docking Studies

Nowadays, searching for new anti-infective agents with diverse mechanisms of action has become necessary. In this study, 16 pyrazole and pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives were synthesized and assessed for their preliminary antibacterial and antibiofilm activities. All these derivatives were initially screened for their antibacterial activity against six clinically isolated multidrug resistance by agar well-diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The initial screening presented significant antibacterial activity with a bactericidal effect for five compounds, namely 3a, 5a, 6, 9a, and 10a, compared with Erythromycin and Amikacin. These five derivatives were further evaluated for their antibiofilm activity against both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, which showed strong biofilm-forming activity at their MICs by >60%. The SEM analysis confirmed the biofilm disruption in the presence of these derivatives. Furthermore, anti-QS activity was observed for the five hybrids at their sub-MICs, as indicated by the visible halo zone. In addition, the presence of the most active derivatives reduces the violacein production by CV026, confirming that these compounds yielded anti-QS activity. Furthermore, these compounds showed strong inhibitory action against human carbonic anhydrase (hCA-I and hCA-II) isoforms with IC50 values ranging between 92.34 and 168.84 nM and between 73.2 and 161.22 nM, respectively. Finally, radiosterilization, ADMET, and a docking simulation were performed.

Evaluation of the anti-proliferative activity of 2-oxo-pyridine and 1′H-spiro-pyridine derivatives as a new class of EGFRWt and VEGFR-2 inhibitors with apoptotic inducers†

Developing new agents for cancer treatment remains a top priority because it is one of the deadliest worldwide. A new series of 2-oxo-pyridine and 1′H-spiro-pyridine derivatives were designed and synthesized based on an N-(ethyl benzoate) moiety. The structure of the designed derivatives was confirmed by different spectroscopic techniques (FT-IR and NMR) and elemental analysis and then evaluated as antiproliferative against HepG-2 and Caco-2 cell lines compared with Doxorubicin. The spiro-pyridine derivatives 5, 7, and 8 exhibited a remarkably higher activity against Caco-2 cell lines than that of other derivatives. Additionally, these derivatives exhibited activation in the Bax and suppressed Bcl-2 expression with variable degrees. Interestingly, compound 7 showed the lowest cytotoxicity value on Caco-2 cells (IC₅₀ = 7.83 ± 0.50 μM) compared with Doxorubicin (IC₅₀ = 12.49 ± 1.10 μM). Additionally, this compound showed activation of the Bax gene (7.508-fold) and suppressed Bcl-2 (0.194-fold) compared to untreated Caco-2 cells, as revealed by the qRT-PCR technique. Moreover, compound 7 could inhibit EGFR and VEGFR-2 with sub-micromole values of 0.124 μM and 0.221 μM compared with Erlotinib (IC₅₀ = 0.033 μM) and Sorafenib (IC₅₀ = 0.043 μM), respectively. Further, cell cycle and apoptosis analysis demonstrated that compound 7 promoted apoptosis by increasing the apoptosis rate from 1.92 to 42.35% and the S cell accumulation ratio from 31.18 to 42.07% compared to untreated Caco-2 cells. Finally, the most active compound 7 showed good drug-likeness and toxicity profiles. Besides, molecular docking studies were performed to determine the binding mode, which is in agreement with the in vitro results.

Design and synthesis a novel of 2-oxo-pyridine and 1′H-spiro-pyridine derivatives as a new apoptotic inducers agents.