Multitarget Effect of 2-(4-(Methylthio)phenyl)-3-(3-(piperidin-1-yl)propyl)thiazolidin-4-one in a Scopolamine-Induced Amnesic Rat Model

Thiazolidin-4-one prevents against memory deficits, increase in phosphorylated tau protein, oxidative damage and cholinergic dysfunction in Alzheimer disease model: Comparison with donepezil drug

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized mostly by memory decline. The current therapeutic arsenal for treating AD is limited, and the available drugs only produce symptomatic benefits, but do not stop disease progression. The search for effective therapeutic alternatives with multitarget actions is therefore imperative. One such a potential alternative is thiazolidin-4-one, a compound that exhibits anti-amnesic, anticholinesterase, and antioxidant activities. The aim of this study was evaluated the effects of 2-(4-(methylthio)phenyl)- 3-(3-(piperidin-1-yl)propyl) thiazolidin-4-one (DS12) on memory and neurochemical parameters in a model of AD induced by an intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Adult male rats were divided into five groups: I, control (saline); II, DS12 (10 mg/kg); III, STZ; IV, STZ + DS12 (10 mg/kg); V, STZ + donepezil (5 mg/kg). The rats were orally treated with DS12 and donepezil for a period of 20 days. Memory, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, phosphorylated tau protein levels and oxidative stress were analyzed in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Biochemical and hematological parameters were evaluated in the blood and serum. Memory impairment and the increase in AChE activity and phosphorylated tau protein level induced by STZ were prevented by DS12 and donepezil treatment. Streptozotocin induces an increase in reactive oxygen species levels and a decrease in catalase activity in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum. DS12 treatment conferred protection from oxidative alterations in all brain structures. No changes were observed in serum biochemical parameters (glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, uric acid, and urea) or hematological parameters, such as platelets, lymphocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and total plasma protein. DS12 improved memory and neurochemical changes in an AD model and did not show toxic effects, suggesting the promising therapeutic potential of this compound.

Effect of Thiazolidin-4-one Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Oxidative Damage, and Alterations in Adenine Nucleotide Hydrolysis and Acetylcholinesterase Activity in Cultured Astrocytes

Astrocytes play multiple important roles in brain physiology. However, depending on the stimuli, astrocytes may exacerbate inflammatory reactions, contributing to the development and progression of neurological diseases. Therefore, therapies targeting astrocytes represent a promising area for the development of new brain drugs. Thiazolidinones are heterocyclic compounds that have a sulfur and nitrogen atom and a carbonyl group in the ring and represent a class of compounds of great scientific interest due to their pharmacological properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 3-(3-(diethylamino)propyl)-2-(4-(methylthio)phenyl)thiazolidin-4-one (DS27) on cell proliferation and morphology, oxidative stress parameters, activity of the enzymes ectonucleotidases and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels in primary astrocyte cultures treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), to model neuroinflammation. The astrocyte culture was exposed to LPS (10 μg/ml) for 3 h and subsequently treated with compound DS27 for 24 and 48 h (concentrations ranging to 10-100 μM). LPS induced an increase in astrocyte proliferation, AChE activity, IL-6 levels, oxidative damage, ATP and ADP and a reduction in AMP hydrolysis in rat primary astrocyte cultures. DS27 treatment was effective in reversing these alterations induced by LPS. Our findings demonstrated that DS27 is able to modulate cholinergic and purinergic signaling, redox status, and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-induced astrocyte damage. These glioprotective effects of DS27 may be very important for improving neuroinflammation, which is associated with many brain diseases.

The Bioactivity of Thiazolidin-4-Ones: A Short Review of the Most Recent Studies

Thiazolidin-4-ones is an important heterocyclic ring system of a pharmacophore and a privileged scaffold in medicinal chemistry. This review is focused on the latest scientific reports regarding biological activities of thiazolidin-4-ones published in 2020 and 2021. The review covers recent information about antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticonvulsant, antidiabetic, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antitubercular and antiviral properties of thiazolidin-4-ones. Additionally, the influence of different substituents in molecules on their biological activity was discussed in this paper. Thus, this study may help to optimize the structure of thiazolidin-4-one derivatives as more efficient drug agents. Presented information may be used as a practical hint for rational design of new small molecules with biological activity, especially among thiazolidin-4-ones.