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Drug Design by Pharmacophore and Virtual Screening Approach. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15050646. [PMID: 35631472 PMCID: PMC9145410 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Computer-aided drug discovery techniques reduce the time and the costs needed to develop novel drugs. Their relevance becomes more and more evident with the needs due to health emergencies as well as to the diffusion of personalized medicine. Pharmacophore approaches represent one of the most interesting tools developed, by defining the molecular functional features needed for the binding of a molecule to a given receptor, and then directing the virtual screening of large collections of compounds for the selection of optimal candidates. Computational tools to create the pharmacophore model and to perform virtual screening are available and generated successful studies. This article describes the procedure of pharmacophore modelling followed by virtual screening, the most used software, possible limitations of the approach, and some applications reported in the literature.
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Moshawih S, Goh HP, Kifli N, Idris AC, Yassin H, Kotra V, Goh KW, Liew KB, Ming LC. Synergy between machine learning and natural products cheminformatics: Application to the lead discovery of anthraquinone derivatives. Chem Biol Drug Des 2022; 100:185-217. [PMID: 35490393 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cheminformatics utilizing machine learning (ML) techniques have opened up a new horizon in drug discovery. This is owing to vast chemical space expansion with rocketing numbers of expected hits and lead compounds that match druggable macromolecular targets, in particular from natural compounds. Due to the natural products' (NP) structural complexity, uniqueness, and diversity, they could occupy a bigger space in pharmaceuticals, allowing the industry to pursue more selective leads in the nanomolar range of binding affinity. ML is an essential part of each step of the drug design pipeline, such as target prediction, compound library preparation, and lead optimization. Notably, molecular mechanic and dynamic simulations, induced docking, and free energy perturbations are essential in predicting best binding poses, binding free energy values, and molecular mechanics force fields. Those applications have leveraged from artificial intelligence (AI), which decreases the computational costs required for such costly simulations. This review aimed to describe chemical space and compound libraries related to NPs. High-throughput screening utilized for fractionating NPs and high-throughput virtual screening and their strategies, and significance, are reviewed. Particular emphasis was given to AI approaches, ML tools, algorithms, and techniques, especially in drug discovery of macrocyclic compounds and approaches in computer-aided and ML-based drug discovery. Anthraquinone derivatives were discussed as a source of new lead compounds that can be developed using ML tools for diverse medicinal uses such as cancer, infectious diseases, and metabolic disorders. Furthermore, the power of principal component analysis in understanding relevant protein conformations, and molecular modeling of protein-ligand interaction were also presented. Apart from being a concise reference for cheminformatics, this review is a useful text to understand the application of ML-based algorithms to molecular dynamics simulation and in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Said Moshawih
- PAP Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Hui Poh Goh
- PAP Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Nurolaini Kifli
- PAP Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Azam Che Idris
- Faculty of Integrated Technologies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Hayati Yassin
- Faculty of Integrated Technologies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Vijay Kotra
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Quest International University, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Khang Wen Goh
- Faculty of Data Science and Information Technology, INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia
| | - Kai Bin Liew
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Cyberjaya, Cyberjaya, Malaysia
| | - Long Chiau Ming
- PAP Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
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Meira CS, Soares JWC, Dos Reis BPZC, Pacheco LV, Santos IP, Silva DKC, de Lacerda JC, Daltro SRT, Guimarães ET, Soares MBP. Therapeutic Applications of Physalins: Powerful Natural Weapons. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:864714. [PMID: 35450054 PMCID: PMC9016203 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.864714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Physalins, or 16,24-cyclo-13,14-seco steroids, are compounds belonging to the class of withanolides that can be found in plants of Solanaceae family, mainly in species belonging to the genus Physalis spp., which are annual herbaceous plants widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Physalins are versatile molecules that act in several cell signaling pathways and activate different mechanisms of cell death or immunomodulation. A number of studies have shown a variety of actions of these compounds, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antinociceptive, and antiviral activities. Here we reviewed the main findings related to the anticancer, immunomodulatory, and antiparasitic activities of physalins and its mechanisms of action, highlighting the \challenges and future directions in the pharmacological application of physalins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cássio Santana Meira
- SENAI Institute of Innovation in Health Advanced Systems (CIMATEC ISI SAS), University Center SENAI/CIMATEC, Salvador, Brazil.,Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil.,Department of Life Sciences, State University of Bahia (UNEB), Salvador, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Julia Costa de Lacerda
- Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, Bahiana Foundation for the Development of Sciences, Salvador, Brazil
| | | | - Elisalva Teixeira Guimarães
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil.,Department of Life Sciences, State University of Bahia (UNEB), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Milena Botelho Pereira Soares
- SENAI Institute of Innovation in Health Advanced Systems (CIMATEC ISI SAS), University Center SENAI/CIMATEC, Salvador, Brazil.,Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador, Brazil
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Serafim CADL, Araruna MEC, Alves Júnior EB, Silva LMO, Silva AO, da Silva MS, Alves AF, Araújo AA, Batista LM. (-)-Carveol Prevents Gastric Ulcers via Cytoprotective, Antioxidant, Antisecretory and Immunoregulatory Mechanisms in Animal Models. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:736829. [PMID: 34497525 PMCID: PMC8419343 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.736829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: (-)-Carveol (p-Mentha-6,8-dien-2-ol) is a monocyclic monoterpenic alcohol, present in essential oils of plant species such as Cymbopogon giganteus, Illicium pachyphyllum and in spices such as Carum carvi (cumin). Pharmacological studies report its antitumor, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, vasorelaxant, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Hypothesis/Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the acute non-clinical oral toxicity, gastroprotective activity of monoterpene (-)-Carveol in animal models and the related mechanisms of action. Methods: Acute toxicity was assessed according to OECD guide 423 in mice. Ethanol, stress, NSAIDs and pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcer models were used to investigate antiulcer properties. The related mechanisms of action were using the ethanol-gastric lesions protocol. Results: (-)-Carveol has low toxicity, with a lethal dose 50% (LD50) equal to or greater than 2,500 mg/kg according to OECD guide nº 423. In all gastric ulcer induction methods evaluated, (-)-Carveol (25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced the ulcerative lesion in comparison with the respective control groups. To investigate the mechanisms involved in the gastroprotective activity, the antisecretory or neutralizing of gastric secretion, cytoprotective, antioxidant and immunoregulatory effects were evaluated. In the experimental protocol of pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcer, (-)-Carveol (100 mg/kg) reduced (p < 0.001) the volume of gastric secretion in both routes (oral and intraduodenal). The previous administration of blockers NEM (sulfhydryl groups blocker), L-NAME (nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor), glibenclamide (KATP channel blocker) and indomethacin (cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor), significantly reduced the gastroprotection exercised by (-)-Carveol, suggesting the participation of these pathways in its gastroprotective activity. In addition, treatment with (-)-Carveol (100 mg/kg) increased (p < 0.001) mucus adhered to the gastric wall. Treatment also increased (p < 0.001) levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). It also reduced (p < 0.001) malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels. Conclusion: Thus, it is possible to infer that (-)-Carveol presents gastroprotective activity related to antisecretory, cytoprotective, antioxidant and immunomodulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Alves de Lima Serafim
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Maria Elaine Cristina Araruna
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Edvaldo Balbino Alves Júnior
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Leiliane Macena Oliveira Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Alessa Oliveira Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Sobral da Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Adriano Francisco Alves
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Aurigena Antunes Araújo
- Department of Morphology, Histology and Basic Pathology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Leônia Maria Batista
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil
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Núñez MJ, Díaz-Eufracio BI, Medina-Franco JL, Olmedo DA. Latin American databases of natural products: biodiversity and drug discovery against SARS-CoV-2. RSC Adv 2021; 11:16051-16064. [PMID: 35481202 PMCID: PMC9030473 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra01507a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we evaluated 3444 Latin American natural products using cheminformatic tools. We also characterized 196 compounds for the first time from the flora of El Salvador that were compared with the databases of secondary metabolites from Brazil, Mexico, and Panama, and 42 969 compounds (natural, semi-synthetic, synthetic) from different regions of the world. The overall analysis was performed using drug-likeness properties, molecular fingerprints of different designs, two parameters similarity, molecular scaffolds, and molecular complexity metrics. It was found that, in general, Salvadoran natural products have a large diversity based on fingerprints. Simultaneously, those belonging to Mexico and Panama present the greatest diversity of scaffolds compared to the other databases. This study provided evidence of the high structural complexity that Latin America's natural products have as a benchmark. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative effect on a global level. Thus, in the search for substances that may influence the coronavirus life cycle, the secondary metabolites from El Salvador and Panama were evaluated by docking against the endoribonuclease NSP-15, an enzyme involved in the SARS CoV-2 viral replication. We propose in this study three natural products as potential inhibitors of NSP-15.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marvin J Núñez
- Natural Product Research Laboratory, School of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of El Salvador San Salvador El Salvador
| | - Bárbara I Díaz-Eufracio
- DIFACQUIM Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico Mexico City 04510 Mexico
| | - José L Medina-Franco
- DIFACQUIM Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico Mexico City 04510 Mexico
| | - Dionisio A Olmedo
- Center for Pharmacognostic Research on Panamanian Flora (CIFLORPAN), College of Pharmacy, University de Panama Panama
- Sistema Nacional de Investigación (SNI), SENACYT Panamá
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Chemoinformatic Screening for the Selection of Potential Senolytic Compounds from Natural Products. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11030467. [PMID: 33809876 PMCID: PMC8004226 DOI: 10.3390/biom11030467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence is a cellular condition that involves significant changes in gene expression and the arrest of cell proliferation. Recently, it has been suggested in experimental models that the elimination of senescent cells with pharmacological methods delays, prevents, and improves multiple adverse outcomes related to age. In this sense, the so-called senoylitic compounds are a class of drugs that selectively eliminates senescent cells (SCs) and that could be used in order to delay such adverse outcomes. Interestingly, the first senolytic drug (navitoclax) was discovered by using chemoinformatic and network analyses. Thus, in the present study, we searched for novel senolytic compounds through the use of chemoinformatic tools (fingerprinting and network pharmacology) over different chemical databases (InflamNat and BIOFACQUIM) coming from natural products (NPs) that have proven to be quite remarkable for drug development. As a result of screening, we obtained three molecules (hinokitiol, preussomerin C, and tanshinone I) that could be considered senolytic compound candidates since they share similarities in structure with senolytic leads (tunicamycin, ginsenoside Rb1, ABT 737, rapamycin, navitoclax, timosaponin A-III, digoxin, roxithromycin, and azithromycin) and targets involved in senescence pathways with potential use in the treatment of age-related diseases.
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Chen Y, Kirchmair J. Cheminformatics in Natural Product-based Drug Discovery. Mol Inform 2020; 39:e2000171. [PMID: 32725781 PMCID: PMC7757247 DOI: 10.1002/minf.202000171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
This review seeks to provide a timely survey of the scope and limitations of cheminformatics methods in natural product-based drug discovery. Following an overview of data resources of chemical, biological and structural information on natural products, we discuss, among other aspects, in silico methods for (i) data curation and natural products dereplication, (ii) analysis, visualization, navigation and comparison of the chemical space, (iii) quantification of natural product-likeness, (iv) prediction of the bioactivities (virtual screening, target prediction), ADME and safety profiles (toxicity) of natural products, (v) natural products-inspired de novo design and (vi) prediction of natural products prone to cause interference with biological assays. Among the many methods discussed are rule-based, similarity-based, shape-based, pharmacophore-based and network-based approaches, docking and machine learning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Chen
- Center for Bioinformatics (ZBH)Department of Computer ScienceFaculty of MathematicsInformatics and Natural SciencesUniversität Hamburg20146HamburgGermany
| | - Johannes Kirchmair
- Center for Bioinformatics (ZBH)Department of Computer ScienceFaculty of MathematicsInformatics and Natural SciencesUniversität Hamburg20146HamburgGermany
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryFaculty of Life SciencesUniversity of Vienna1090ViennaAustria
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Medina-Franco JL, Saldívar-González FI. Cheminformatics to Characterize Pharmacologically Active Natural Products. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1566. [PMID: 33213003 PMCID: PMC7698493 DOI: 10.3390/biom10111566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products have a significant role in drug discovery. Natural products have distinctive chemical structures that have contributed to identifying and developing drugs for different therapeutic areas. Moreover, natural products are significant sources of inspiration or starting points to develop new therapeutic agents. Natural products such as peptides and macrocycles, and other compounds with unique features represent attractive sources to address complex diseases. Computational approaches that use chemoinformatics and molecular modeling methods contribute to speed up natural product-based drug discovery. Several research groups have recently used computational methodologies to organize data, interpret results, generate and test hypotheses, filter large chemical databases before the experimental screening, and design experiments. This review discusses a broad range of chemoinformatics applications to support natural product-based drug discovery. We emphasize profiling natural product data sets in terms of diversity; complexity; acid/base; absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADME/Tox) properties; and fragment analysis. Novel techniques for the visual representation of the chemical space are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- José L. Medina-Franco
- DIFACQUIM Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 3000, Mexico City 04510, Mexico;
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Chávez-Hernández AL, Sánchez-Cruz N, Medina-Franco JL. Fragment Library of Natural Products and Compound Databases for Drug Discovery. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1518. [PMID: 33172012 PMCID: PMC7694623 DOI: 10.3390/biom10111518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products and semi-synthetic compounds continue to be a significant source of drug candidates for a broad range of diseases, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is causing the current pandemic. Besides being attractive sources of bioactive compounds for further development or optimization, natural products are excellent substrates of unique substructures for fragment-based drug discovery. To this end, fragment libraries should be incorporated into automated drug design pipelines. However, public fragment libraries based on extensive collections of natural products are still limited. Herein, we report the generation and analysis of a fragment library of natural products derived from a database with more than 400,000 compounds. We also report fragment libraries of a large food chemical database and other compound datasets of interest in drug discovery, including compound libraries relevant for COVID-19 drug discovery. The fragment libraries were characterized in terms of content and diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - José L. Medina-Franco
- DIFACQUIM Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 3000, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (A.L.C.-H.); (N.S.-C.)
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