Synthesis and antioxidant activity of new hydroxy derivatives of chalcones

A highly specific chalcone derivative grafted ethylcellulose fluorescent probe for rapid and sensitive detection of Al3+ in actual environmental and food samples

Al3+ is commonly utilized in daily life, however, the excessive accumulation of Al3+ within organisms can result in severe health problems. Herein, a highly efficient fluorescent probe EC-HTC for Al3+ was synthesized through chemical modification of ethyl cellulose. This probe exhibited a significant fluorescence enhancement response to Al3+, and it interestingly also possessed an obvious aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect. The detection limit of probe EC-HTC for Al3+ was as low as 0.23 μM, and its pH usage range was as wide as 5-10. The complexation ratio of EC-HTC with Al3+ was determined to be 1:1 based on Job's plot, which was further confirmed by 1H NMR titration and HRMS analysis. Moreover, the probe EC-HTC was successfully employed for the determination of Al3+ in environmental and food samples. In addition, the probe EC-HTC compositing PS (polystyrene) electrostatic spun fiber membranes EHP with high specific surface area were prepared to achieve the rapid and portable detection of Al3+.

Chalcone: A Promising Bioactive Scaffold in Medicinal Chemistry

Chalcones are a class of privileged scaffolds with high medicinal significance due to the presence of an α,β-unsaturated ketone functionality. Numerous functional modifications of chalcones have been reported, along with their pharmacological behavior. The present review aims to summarize the structures from natural sources, synthesis methods, biological characteristics against infectious and non-infectious diseases, and uses of chalcones over the past decade, and their structure–activity relationship studies are detailed in depth. This critical review provides guidelines for the future design and synthesis of various chalcones. In addition, this could be highly supportive for medicinal chemists to develop more promising candidates for various infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity of Aromatic Oligosulfides

Natural or synthetic antioxidants with biomimetic fragments protect the functional and structural integrity of biological molecules at a minimum concentration, and may be used as potential chemotherapeutic agents. This paper is devoted to in silico and in vitro evaluation of the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of synthetic analogues of natural compounds—aromatic oligosulfides. The antiradical and SOD-protective activity of oligosulfides was demonstrated in the reaction with O₂^–• generated in enzymatic and non-enzymatic systems. It was found that phenol-containing disulfides significantly reduced the accumulation level of hydroperoxides and secondary carbonyl thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, which are primary products of oleic acid peroxidation. The antioxidant efficiency of bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) disulfide increased over time due to the synergistic action of the 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol fragment and the disulfide linker. The highest cytotoxicity on the A-549 and HCT-116 cell lines was found for bis(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl) disulfide. Significant induction of apoptosis in HCT-116 cells in the presence of bis(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl) disulfide indicates the prospect of its use as an antitumor agent. The significant and moderate dependences revealed between various types of activities of the studied aromatic oligosulfides can be used in the development of a strategy for the synthesis and study of target-oriented compounds with predictable biological activity.