Novel bioactive bromopyrrole alkaloids from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa

Investigation Into Novel Mukanadin B, Mukanadin D and Mukanadin F Derivatives as Antagonists of 5-HT1A Signalling

Marine bromopyrrole alkaloids are a diverse family of natural products with a large array of biological applications. The mukanadin family is a group of molecules consisting of seven members (mukanadin A-G) that possess a range of biological activities. Inhibition of serotonergic signaling has been demonstrated by mukanadin B derivatives, presenting this chemical scaffold as a candidate for further SAR exploration. A library of thirteen novel mukanadin B and D derivatives with structural variation targeted at the pyrrole ring, central linker and hydantoin ring, were synthesized. These analogues were subsequently assessed for serotonergic antagonism, in addition to natural products, mukanadin B, D, F and 9-hydroxy mukanadin B. A collection of compounds exhibited significant 5-HT1A signaling, including five of the novel derivatives and two of the naturally occurring bromopyrroles, mukanadin B and F. Particular SAR information could be determined from these results, such as modification of the pyrrole ring being a well-tolerated strategy for improving serotonergic inhibition. Other changes to the pharmacophore led to significant reduction in activity such as saturation of the linker region, or no conclusive improvement in inhibitory activity such as a 9-OH group or replacement of the hydantoin ring with a triazole moiety.

Core Structure-Oriented Asymmetric α-Allenylic Alkylation of Amino Acid Esters Enabled by Chiral Aldehyde/Palladium Catalysis

Aiming at the reported chiral synthons leading to manzacidins A and D, here we report a highly efficient catalytic asymmetric α-allenylic alkylation reaction of NH2-unprotected amino acid esters that is promoted by combined chiral aldehyde/palladium catalysis. Fifty examples of unnatural α,α-disubstituted amino acid esters are reported with good-to-excellent yields and stereoselectivities. Based on this methodology, a key intermediate leading to manzacidin C and its other three stereoisomers is prepared accordingly.

Axinellamine E, One New Pyrrololactam Alkaloid from the South China Sea Sponge Axinella sp

Chemical investigation of the EtOH extract of the sponge Axinella sp. collected from the South China Sea resulted in the identification of one new pyrrololactam alkaloid, axinellamine E (2), along with four known analogs (1, 3-5). Compound 1 was initially separated as enantiomers and was further separated to be optically pure compounds (1 a and 1 b) by a chiral column. The planar structure of compound 2 was determined mainly by 1D-, 2D-NMR, and HR-ESI-MS data analyses. Absolute configurations of 1 a and 1 b was defined by calculated ECD spectra method. All of the compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities against nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells among which compound 1 showed weak activity at 40 μg/mL. Plausible biosynthetic pathways corresponding to aldisine analogs of 1, 2, 4, and 5 were also discussed.

Synthesis of pyrimidine-containing alkaloids

This review deals with the synthesis of naturally occurring alkaloids containing partially or completely saturated pyrimidine nuclei. The interest in these compounds is associated with their structural diversity, high biological activity and toxicity. The review is divided into four parts, each of which describes a number of synthetic methodologies toward structurally different naturally occurring alkaloids containing saturated cyclic six-membered amidine, guanidine, aminal and urea (thiourea) moieties, respectively. The development of various synthetic strategies for the preparation of these compounds has remarkably increased during the past few decades. This is primarily due to the fact that some of these compounds are isolated only in limited quantities, which makes it practically impossible to study their full structural characteristics and biological activity.

Pharmacological Activities of Extracts and Compounds Isolated from Mediterranean Sponge Sources

Marine pharmacology is an exciting and growing discipline that blends blue biotechnology and natural compound pharmacology together. Several sea-derived compounds that are approved on the pharmaceutical market were discovered in sponges, marine organisms that are particularly rich in bioactive metabolites. This paper was specifically aimed at reviewing the pharmacological activities of extracts or purified compounds from marine sponges that were collected in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most biodiverse marine habitats, filling the gap in the literature about the research of natural products from this geographical area. Findings regarding different Mediterranean sponge species were individuated, reporting consistent evidence of efficacy mainly against cancer, infections, inflammatory, and neurological disorders. The sustainable exploitation of Mediterranean sponges as pharmaceutical sources is strongly encouraged to discover new compounds.

Marine Pyrrole Alkaloids

Nitrogen heterocycles are essential parts of the chemical machinery of life and often reveal intriguing structures. They are not only widespread in terrestrial habitats but can also frequently be found as natural products in the marine environment. This review highlights the important class of marine pyrrole alkaloids, well-known for their diverse biological activities. A broad overview of the marine pyrrole alkaloids with a focus on their isolation, biological activities, chemical synthesis, and derivatization covering the decade from 2010 to 2020 is provided. With relevant structural subclasses categorized, this review shall provide a clear and timely synopsis of this area.

Bromopyrrole Alkaloids of the Sponge Agelas oroides Collected Near the Israeli Mediterranean Coastline

Chemical investigation of the Mediterranean Sea sponge, Agelas oroides, collected off the Tel Aviv coast, yielded eight new bromopyrrole metabolites, agesamine C (1), dioroidamide A (2), slagenin D (3), (-)-monobromoagelaspongin (4), (-)-11-deoxymonobromoagelaspongin (5), (-)-11-O-methylmonobromoagelaspongin (6), E-dispacamide (7), and pyrrolosine (8), along with 18 known bromopyrrole alkaloids and a known bromotyrosine derivative. The structures of the new metabolites were elucidated by analysis of the spectroscopic and spectrometric data, including 1D and 2D NMR, ECD, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The sponge extract exhibited antimicrobial activity against pathogenic and environmental bacteria, and quorum sensing inhibitory activity (QSI) against Chromobacterium violaceum. QSI guided separation of the extract established oroidin, benzosceptrin C, and 4,5-dibromopyrrole-2-carboxamide as the active components. The latter compounds were tested for inhibition of growth and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The most active and available compound, oroidin, was assayed for inhibition of growth and biofilm formation in bacteria that were isolated from the sponge and its environment.

The Role of Natural Products in Drug Discovery and Development against Neglected Tropical Diseases

Endemic in 149 tropical and subtropical countries, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect more than 1 billion people annually, including 875 million children in developing economies. These diseases are also responsible for over 500,000 deaths per year and are characterized by long-term disability and severe pain. The impact of the combined NTDs closely rivals that of malaria and tuberculosis. Current treatment options are associated with various limitations including widespread drug resistance, severe adverse effects, lengthy treatment duration, unfavorable toxicity profiles, and complicated drug administration procedures. Natural products have been a valuable source of drug regimens that form the cornerstone of modern pharmaceutical care. In this review, we highlight the potential that remains untapped in natural products as drug leads for NTDs. We cover natural products from plant, marine, and microbial sources including natural-product-inspired semi-synthetic derivatives which have been evaluated against the various causative agents of NTDs. Our coverage is limited to four major NTDs which include human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis and lymphatic filariasis.

Marine pharmacology: therapeutic targeting of matrix metalloproteinases in neuroinflammation

Alterations in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression and activity are recognized as key pathogenetic events in several neurological disorders. This evidence makes MMPs possible therapeutic targets. The search for substances that can inhibit MMPs is moving progressively toward the screening of natural products. In particular, marine bioprospecting could be promising for the discovery of marine natural products with anti-MMP activities. Despite recent advances in this field, the possibility of using marine MMP inhibitors (MMPIs) for the treatment of neuroinflammation is still under-investigated. Here, we review the latest findings in this promising research field and the potential that marine MMPIs can have in the management and treatment of various neurological diseases.

Antimicrobial activities of secondary metabolites and phylogenetic study of sponge endosymbiotic bacteria, Bacillus sp. at Agatti Island, Lakshadweep Archipelago

Twenty-one species of sponges were recorded under the class of Demospongiae and Calcareous sponges of which 19 species were new to Agatti reef. A total of 113 Sponge endosymbiotic bacterial strains were isolated from twenty-one species of sponges and screened for antimicrobial activity. Five bacterial strains of sponge endosymbiotic bacteria (SEB) namely SEB32, SEB33, SEB36, SEB43 and SEB51 showed antimicrobial activity against virulent marine fish pathogens such as Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Aeromonas salmonicida, Flavobacterium sp., Edwardsiella sp., Proteus mirabilis and Citrobacter brackii. The secondary metabolites produced by SEB32 from sponge Dysidea fragilis (Montagu, 1818) [48] was selected with broad range of antibacterial activity and subjected for production, characterization by series of chromatography techniques and spectroscopic methods. Based on the results of FT-IR and mass spectrometry, the active molecule was tentatively predicted as "Pyrrol" and the structure is Pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro- with molecular formula of C7H10N2O2. The LC₅₀ of active molecule was 31 μg/ml and molecular weight of the metabolites was 154. The potential strain SEB32 was identified by gene sequence (GenBank Accession number JX985748) and identified as Bacillus sp. from GenBank database.

Modular synthesis of the pyrimidine core of the manzacidins by divergent Tsuji-Trost coupling

The design, development and application of an efficient procedure for the concise synthesis of the 1,3-syn- and anti-tetrahydropyrimidine cores of manzacidins are reported. The intramolecular allylic substitution reaction of a readily available joint urea-type substrate enables the facile preparation of both diastereomers in high yields. The practical application of this approach is demonstrated in the efficient and modular preparation of the authentic heterocyclic cores of manzacidins, structurally unique bromopyrrole alkaloids of marine origin. Additional features of this route include the stereoselective generation of the central amine core with an appending quaternary center by an asymmetric addition of a Grignard reagent to a chiral tert-butanesulfinyl ketimine following an optimized Ellman protocol and a cross-metathesis of a challenging homoallylic urea substrate, which proceeds in good yields in the presence of an organic phosphoric acid.

Emergence of diversity and stereochemical outcomes in the biosynthetic pathways of cyclobutane-centered marine alkaloid dimers

A deep-sea dive into the ecology and chemistry of surprising cyclobutanes from marine invertebrates.

The marine sponge Agelas citrina as a source of the new pyrrole-imidazole alkaloids citrinamines A-D and N-methylagelongine

The chemical investigation of the Caribbean sponge Agelas citrina revealed four new pyrrole-imidazole alkaloids (PIAs), the citrinamines A-D (1-4) and the bromopyrrole alkaloid N-methylagelongine (5). All citrinamines are dimers of hymenidin (6) which was also isolated from this sponge as the major metabolite. Citrinamines A (1) and B (2) are derivatives of the PIA dimer mauritiamine (7), whereas citrinamine C (3) is derived from the PIA dimer nagelamide B (8). Citrinamine D (4) shows an uncommon linkage between the imidazole rings of both monomeric units as it is only observed in the benzocyclobutane ring moiety of benzosceptrins A-C (9-11). Compound 5 is the N-methyl derivative of agelongine (12) which consist of a pyridinium ring and an ester linkage instead of the aminoimidazole moiety and the common amide bond in PIAs.

Tridentate P,N,N-ligand promoted copper-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition of propargylic esters with β-enamino esters: synthesis of highly functionalized pyrroles

By employment of a newly developed tridentate P,N,N-ligand, a copper-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition of propargylic esters with β-enamino esters for the construction of highly functionalized pyrroles has been developed.

Isolation of Hydroxyoctaprenyl-1′,4′-hydroquinone, a new Octaprenylhydroquinone from the Marine Sponge Sarcotragus spinosulus and Evaluation of its Pharmacological Activity on Acetylcholine and Glutamate Release in the Rat Central Nervous System

Three polyprenyl-1′,4′-hydroquinone derivatives, heptaprenyl-1′,4′-hydroquinone (1), octaprenyl-1′,4′-hydroquinone (2), and hydroxyoctaprenyl-1′,4′-hydroquinone (3) were isolated from the marine sponge Sarcotragus spinosulus collected at Baia di Porto Conte, Alghero (Italy). Our findings indicate that the compounds isolated from S. spinosulus can significantly modulate the release of glutamate and acetylcholine in the rat hippocampus and cortex and might, therefore, represent the prototype of a new class of drugs regulating glutamatergic and cholinergic transmission in the mammalian central nervous system.

Bioactive marine drugs and marine biomaterials for brain diseases

Marine invertebrates produce a plethora of bioactive compounds, which serve as inspiration for marine biotechnology, particularly in drug discovery programs and biomaterials development. This review aims to summarize the potential of drugs derived from marine invertebrates in the field of neuroscience. Therefore, some examples of neuroprotective drugs and neurotoxins will be discussed. Their role in neuroscience research and development of new therapies targeting the central nervous system will be addressed, with particular focus on neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. In addition, the neuronal growth promoted by marine drugs, as well as the recent advances in neural tissue engineering, will be highlighted.

An odorless, one-pot synthesis of nitroaryl thioethers via SNAr reactions through the in situ generation of S-alkylisothiouronium salts

The synthesis of nitroaryl thioethers using thiourea as the sulfur source in water by an odorless one-pot process was disclosed.

Trypanocidal activity of marine natural products

Marine natural products are a diverse, unique collection of compounds with immense therapeutic potential. This has resulted in these molecules being evaluated for a number of different disease indications including the neglected protozoan diseases, human African trypanosomiasis and Chagas disease, for which very few drugs are currently available. This article will review the marine natural products for which activity against the kinetoplastid parasites; Trypanosoma brucei brucei, T.b. rhodesiense and T. cruzi has been reported. As it is important to know the selectivity of a compound when evaluating its trypanocidal activity, this article will only cover molecules which have simultaneously been tested for cytotoxicity against a mammalian cell line. Compounds have been grouped according to their chemical structure and representative examples from each class were selected for detailed discussion.

Further investigation of the Mediterranean sponge Axinella polypoides: isolation of a new cyclonucleoside and a new betaine

An exhaustive exploration into the metabolic content of the Mediterranean sponge Axinella-polypoides resulted in the isolation of the new betaine 5 and the new cyclonucleoside 8. The structures of the new metabolites were elucidated by spectroscopic methods assisted by computational methods. The analysis also provided evidence that the sponge does not elaborate pyrrole-imidazole alkaloids (PIAs) but, interestingly, it was shown to contain two already known cyclodipeptides, compounds 9 (verpacamide A) and 10.

Microwave-assisted polystyrene sulfonate-catalyzed synthesis of novel pyrroles

Background

Pyrroles are widely distributed in nature and important biologically active molecules. The reaction of amines with 2,5-dimethoxytetrahydrofuran is a promising pathway for the synthesis of pharmacologically active pyrroles under microwave irradiation.

Results

Microwave-induced polystyrenesulfonate-catalyzed synthesis of pyrroles from amines and 2,5-diemthoxytetrahydrofuran has been accomplished with excellent yield. This method produces pyrroles with polyaromatic amines.

Conclusion

The present procedure for the synthesis of N-aromatic substituted pyrroles will find useful application in the area of pharmacologically active molecules.

Antimicrobial metabolites from the Paracel Islands sponge Agelas mauritiana

Four new alkaloids, (-)-8'-oxo-agelasine D (2), ageloxime B (3), (+)-2-oxo-agelasidine C (4), and 4-bromo-N-(butoxymethyl)-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxamide (5), and the known compound (-)-ageloxime D (1) were isolated from the marine sponge Agelas mauritiana. Their chemical structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 1 and 3 both showed antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans and antileishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani in vitro. Compound 3 also exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureusin vitro.

The Chemistry of Marine Sponges∗

Marine sponges continue to attract wide attention from marine natural product chemists and pharmacologists alike due to their remarkable diversity of bioactive compounds. Since the early days of marine natural products research in the 1960s, sponges have notoriously yielded the largest number of new metabolites reported per year compared to any other plant or animal phylum known from the marine environment. This not only reflects the remarkable productivity of sponges with regard to biosynthesis and accumulation of structurally diverse compounds but also highlights the continued interest of marine natural product researchers in this fascinating group of marine invertebrates.

Among the numerous classes of natural products reported from marine sponges over the years, alkaloids, peptides, and terpenoids have attracted particularly wide attention due to their unprecedented structural features as well as their pronounced pharmacological activities which make several of these metabolites interesting candidates for drug discovery. This chapter consequently highlights several important groups of sponge-derived alkaloids, peptides, and terpenoids and describes their biological and/or pharmacological properties.

Occurrence of halogenated alkaloids

Once considered to be isolation artifacts or chemical "mistakes" of nature, the number of naturally occurring organohalogen compounds has grown from a dozen in 1954 to >5000 today. Of these, at least 25% are halogenated alkaloids. This is not surprising since nitrogen-containing pyrroles, indoles, carbolines, tryptamines, tyrosines, and tyramines are excellent platforms for biohalogenation, particularly in the marine environment where both chloride and bromide are plentiful for biooxidation and subsequent incorporation into these electron-rich substrates. This review presents the occurrence of all halogenated alkaloids, with the exception of marine bromotyrosines where coverage begins where it left off in volume 61 of The Alkaloids. Whereas the biological activity of these extraordinary compounds is briefly cited for some examples, a future volume of The Alkaloids will present full coverage of this topic and will also include selected syntheses of halogenated alkaloids. Natural organohalogens of all types, especially marine and terrestrial halogenated alkaloids, comprise a rapidly expanding class of natural products, in many cases expressing powerful biological activity. This enormous proliferation has several origins: (1) a revitalization of natural product research in a search for new drugs, (2) improved compound characterization methods (multidimensional NMR, high-resolution mass spectrometry), (3) specific enzyme-based and other biological assays, (4) sophisticated collection methods (SCUBA and remote submersibles for deep ocean marine collections), (5) new separation and purification techniques (HPLC and countercurrent separation), (6) a greater appreciation of traditional folk medicine and ethobotany, and (7) marine bacteria and fungi as novel sources of natural products. Halogenated alkaloids are truly omnipresent in the environment. Indeed, one compound, Q1 (234), is ubiquitous in the marine food web and is found in the Inuit from their diet of whale blubber. Given the fact that of the 500,000 estimated marine organisms--which are the source of most halogenated alkaloids--only a small percentage have been investigated for their chemical content, it is certain that myriad new halogenated alkaloids are awaiting discovery. For example, it is estimated that nearly 4000 species of bryozoans have not been examined for their chemical content. The few species that have been studied contain some extraordinary halogenated alkaloids, such as hinckdentine A (610) and the chartellines (611-613). Of the estimated 1.5 million species of fungi, secondary metabolites have been characterized from only 5000 species. The future seems bright for the collector of halogenated alkaloids!

Efficacy of albendazole combined with a marine fungal extract (m2-9) against Angiostrongylus cantonensis-induced meningitis in mice

The pathogenesis of angiostrongyliasis, resulting from Angiostrongylus cantonensis invasion of the human central nervous system, remains elusive. Anthelmintics are usually used to kill worms, although dead worms in the brain may cause severe inflammation which will lead to central nervous system damage. Therefore, combination therapy with anthelmintics and anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of human angiostrongyliasis needs further study. To evaluate the efficacy of albendazole combined with a marine fungal extract (m2-9) in A. cantonensis infection, BALB/c mice infected by the third-stage larvae of A. cantonensis were divided into three groups: mice treated with albendazole or m2-9 alone or in combination from day 5 post-inoculation (PI). Several efficacy parameters were recorded, including weight change, worm recovery, neurological function, behavioural analysis, eosinophil and leucocyte counts. The results showed that combination therapy increased body weight, reduced worm burden, improved learning ability, memory and action, decreased neurological dysfunction and leucocyte response in these mice. The combination of albendazole and m2-9 treatment significantly decreased leucocyte response and increased the frequency of rearing, compared to infected mice treated with either drug alone. Therefore, m2-9 is a natural product with potentially significant therapeutic value for angiostrongyliasis and is worthy of further study.

Cytotoxic Activity of Crude Extracts as well as of Pure Components from Jatropha Species, Plants Used Extensively in African Traditional Medicine

Extracts from Jatropha curcas, a plant used in African traditional medicine for various diseases, were tested for cytotoxic activity. The root extracts strongly reduced cell growth of tumor cells in vitro, a result consistent with the knowledge of the application of these plant extracts in traditional medicine, especially to cure/ameliorate cancer. A selection of pure diterpenoids existing in extracts from Jatropha species and isolated from J. curcas, for example, curcusone C, curcusone D, multidione, 15-epi-4Z-jatrogrossidentadion, 4Z-jatrogrossidentadion, 4E-jatrogrossidentadion, 2-hydroxyisojatrogrossidion, and 2-epi-hydroxyisojatrogrossidion, were likewise tested, and they also showed strong cytotoxic activity. It turned out that these extracts are highly active against L5178y mouse lymphoma cells and HeLa human cervix carcinoma cells, while they cause none or only very low activity against neuronal cell, for example, PC12. These data underscore that extracts from J. curcas or pure secondary metabolites from the plant are promising candidates to be anticancer drug, combined with low neuroactive effects.

Extending Pummerer reaction chemistry: studies in the palau'amine synthesis area

Exploratory oxidative cyclization studies on cyclopentanelated and cyclohexenelated oroidin derivatives utilized Pummerer chemistry to generate pentacyclic structures related to the palau'amine family of sponge metabolites. Stereochemical issues were paramount, and appropriate choice of annelated ring size led to formation of the pentacyclic framework with complete diastereoselectivity for all of the core bonds.

Bromopyrrole alkaloids as lead compounds against protozoan parasites

In the present study, 13 bromopyrrole alkaloids, including the oroidin analogs hymenidin (2), dispacamide B (3) and dispacamide D (4), stevensine (5) and spongiacidin B (6), their derivatives lacking the imidazole ring bromoaldisin (7), longamide B (8) and longamide A (9), the dimeric oroidin derivatives sceptrin (10) and dibromopalau’amine (11), and the non-oroidin bromopyrrolohomoarginin (12), manzacidin A (13), and agelongine (14), obtained from marine sponges belonging to Axinella and Agelas genera have been screened in vitro against four parasitic protozoa, i.e., two Trypanosoma species (T. brucei rhodesiense and T. cruzi), Leishmania donovani and Plasmodium falciparum (K1 strain, a chloroquine resistant strain), responsible of human diseases with high morbidity and, in the case of malaria, high mortality. Our results indicate longamide B (8) and dibromopalau’amine (11) to be promising trypanocidal and antileishmanial agents, while dispacamide B (3) and spongiacidin B (6) emerge as antimalarial lead compounds. In addition, evaluation of the activity of the test alkaloids (2–14) against three different enzymes (PfFabI, PfFabG, PfFabZ) involved in the de novo fatty acid biosynthesis pathway of P. falciparum (PfFAS-II) identified bromopyrrolohomoarginin (12) as a potent inhibitor of PfFabZ. The structural similarity within the series of tested molecules allowed us to draw some preliminary structure-activity relationships. Tests against the mammalian L6 cells revealed important clues on therapeutic index of the metabolites. This is the first detailed study on the antiprotozoal potential of marine bromopyrrole alkaloids.

Steroids and alkaloids from the South China Sea sponge Axinella sp

A new steroid 24beta-methylcholasta-1,8,14,22,25-penten-3-one-5alpha-ol (1) and a new alkaloid 1-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2,3-dihydroxy-5-methyl-hexane (2), together with four known compounds, were isolated from the EtOH extract of the South China Sea sponge Axinella sp. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR spectral data.