1-(1-Arylethylidene)thiosemicarbazide derivatives: a new class of tyrosinase inhibitors

Anilino-1,4-naphthoquinones as potent mushroom tyrosinase inhibitors: in vitro and in silico studies

Tyrosinase, a pivotal enzyme in melanin synthesis, is a primary target for the development of depigmenting agents. In this work, in vitro and in silico techniques were employed to identify novel tyrosinase inhibitors from a set of 12 anilino-1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives. Results from the mushroom tyrosinase activity assay indicated that, among the 12 derivatives, three compounds (1, 5, and 10) demonstrated the most significant inhibitory activity against mushroom tyrosinase, surpassing the effectiveness of the kojic acid. Molecular docking revealed that all studied derivatives interacted with copper ions and amino acid residues at the enzyme active site. Molecular dynamics simulations provided insights into the stability of enzyme-inhibitor complexes, in which compounds 1, 5, and particularly 10 displayed greater stability, atomic contacts, and structural compactness than kojic acid. Drug likeness prediction further strengthens the potential of anilino-1,4-naphthoquinones as promising candidates for the development of novel tyrosinase inhibitors for the treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.

Green Biocatalyst for Ultrasound-Assisted Thiazole Derivatives: Synthesis, Antibacterial Evaluation, and Docking Analysis

The catalytic activity of chitosan (Cs) and grafted Cs led to the preparation of terephthalohydrazide Cs Schiff's base hydrogel (TCsSB), which was then investigated as an eco-friendly biocatalyst for synthesizing novel thiazole derivatives. TCsSB exhibited greater surface area and higher thermal stability compared to Cs, making it a promising eco-friendly biocatalyst. We synthesized two novel series of thiazoles via the reaction of 2-(2-oxo-1,2-diphenylethylidene) hydrazine-1-carbothioamide with various hydrazonoyl chlorides and 2-bromo-1-arylethan-1-ones, employing ultrasonic irradiation and using TCsSB as a catalyst. A comparative study between Cs and TCsSB revealed higher yields than TCsSB. The methodology offered advantages such as mild reaction conditions, quick reaction times, and high yields. TCsSB could be reused multiple times without a significant loss of potency. The chemical structures of the newly synthesized compounds were verified through IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and MS analyses. Six synthesized compounds were assessed for their in vitro antibacterial effectiveness by establishing the minimum inhibitory concentration against four distinct bacterial strains. The docking analyses revealed favorable binding scores against several amino acids within the selected protein (PDB Code-1MBT) for these compounds, with compound 4c exhibiting particularly noteworthy binding properties. Additionally, the in silico ADME parameter estimation for all compounds indicated favorable pharmacological properties for these compounds.

Recent advances in triazoles as tyrosinase inhibitors

The tyrosinase enzyme, which is widely found in microorganisms, animals and plants, has a significant position in melanogenesis, plays an important role in undesirable browning of fruits and vegetables, antibiotic resistance, skin pigment formation, sclerotization of cuticle, neurodegeneration, etc. Therefore, with the wide potential application fields of tyrosinase in food, agriculture, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, which has become the target enzyme for the development of therapeutic agents such as antibrowning, anticancer, antibacterial, skin whitening, insecticides, etc., a large number of synthetic tyrosinase inhibitors have been widely reported in recent years. The triazole ring, which has a broad spectrum of biological action, is of increasing interest in the synthesis of new tyrosinase inhibitors. In this review, tyrosinase inhibition effects, structure-activity relationships, enzyme inhibition kinetics and mechanisms of action of 1,2,3- or 1,2,4-triazole derivatives were investigated. The data gathered is anticipated to supply rational guidance and an influential strategy for the development of novel, potent and safe tyrosinase inhibitors for better practical application in the future.

Exploration of Thiourea-Based Scaffolds for the Construction of Bacterial Ureases Inhibitors

A series of 32 thiourea-based urease inhibitors were synthesized and evaluated against native bacterial enzyme and whole cells of Sporosarcina pasteurii and Proteus mirabilis strains. The proposed inhibitors represented structurally diverse thiosemicarbazones and thiocarbohydrazones, benzyl-substituted thiazolyl thioureas, 1H-pyrazole-1-carbothioamides, and dihydropirimidine-2(1H)-thiones. Kinetic characteristics with purified S. pasteurii enzyme determined low micromolar inhibitors within each structural group. (E)-2-(1-Phenylethylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide 19 (Ki = 0.39 ± 0.01 μM), (E)-2-(4-methylbenzylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide 16 (Ki = 0.99 ± 0.04 μM), and N'-((1E,2E)-1,3-diphenylallylidene)hydrazinecarbothiohydrazide 29 (Ki = 2.23 ± 0.19 μM) were used in modeling studies that revealed sulfur ion coordination of the active site nickel ion and hydrogen bonds between the amide group and the side chain of Asp363 and Ala366 carbonyl moiety. Whole-cell studies proved the activity of compounds in Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. Ureolysis control observed in P. mirabilis PCM 543 (e.g., IC50 = 304 ± 14 μM for 1-benzyl-3-(4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)thiazol-2-yl)thiourea 52) is a valuable achievement, as urease is recognized as a major virulence factor of this urinary tract pathogen.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new kojic acid-1,3,4-oxadiazole hybrids as tyrosinase inhibitors and their application in the anti-browning of fresh-cut mushrooms

In the food industry, inhibition of tyrosinase activity is considered as one of the main means to prevent browning. Therefore, fourteen kojic acid-1,3,4-oxadiazole hybrids (5a-5n) were prepared and tested for their tyrosinase inhibitory effects. Among them, 5f (IC₅₀ = 5.32 ± 0.58 μM) has the best anti-tyrosinase activity and was 9 times higher than that of kojic acid (IC₅₀ = 49.77 ± 1.19 μM). Additionally, the inhibitory mechanism was studied by copper-chelating assay, ultraviolet spectrophotometry, fluorescence quenching, molecular docking, etc. The results had shown that 5f could not only bind to the copper ion in the active region of tyrosinase but also change the secondary structure of tyrosinase. Combined with the outstanding anti-browning effect and low cytotoxicity of 5f, it is concluded that these title derivatives could be used as the leading molecules in the development of new anti-browning agents.

Anti-browning and antibacterial dual functions of novel hydroxypyranone-thiosemicarbazone derivatives as shrimp preservative agents: Synthesis, bio-evaluation, mechanism, and application

To develop new shrimp preservative agents with dual functions of anti-browning and antibacterial, thirteen hydroxypyranone-thiosemicarbazone derivatives were prepared according to molecular hybridization. Thereinto, compound 7j (IC₅₀ = 1.99 ± 0.19 μM) shown the strongest anti-tyrosinase activity and was about twenty-three folds stronger than kojic acid (45.73 ± 4.03 μM). The anti-tyrosinase mechanism of 7j was illustrated through enzyme kinetic, copper ion chelating ability, fluorescence quenching, ultraviolet spectrum, AFM analysis, and molecular docking study. On the other hand, antibacterial assay and time-kill kinetics analysis confirmed that 7j also had good antibacterial activity against V. parahaemolyticus (MIC = 0.13 mM). PI uptake test, SDS-PAGE, and fluorescence spectrometry analysis proved that 7j can affect the bacterial cell membrane. Finally, the shrimp preservation and safety study indicated that 7j has dual effects of inhibiting bacterial growth and preventing enzyme browning, and can be applied to the preservation of fresh shrimp.

Exploring Synthesis and Chemotherapeutic Potential of Thiosemicarbazide Analogs

BACKGROUND

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. Researchers are continually finding new and more effective medications to battle the diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to identify the emerging role of Thiosemicarbazide analogs for different types of cancer targets with a glance at different novel synthetic routes reported for their synthesis.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted from various sources over the last 15 years with the inclusion of published research and review articles that involves the synthesis and use of thiosemicarbazide analogs for different targets of cancer. Data from the literature review for synthesis and anticancer potential for specific targets for cancer studies of thiosemicarbazide analogs are summarized in the paper.

RESULTS

There are several emerging studies for new synthetic routes of thiosemicarbazide derivatives with their role in various types of cancers. The main limitation is the lack of clinical trial of the key findings for the emergence of new anticancer medication with thiosemicarbazide moiety.

CONCLUSION

Emerging therapies exist for use of a limited number of medications for the treatment of cancer; results of the ongoing studies will provide more robust evidence in the future.

Tyrosinase inhibitory mechanism and anti-browning properties of novel kojic acid derivatives bearing aromatic aldehyde moiety

Kojic acid-aromatic aldehydes 6a-6m were synthesized and screened for their anti-tyrosinase activities. These compounds showed potently anti-tyrosinase activity with IC₅₀ values in the range of 5.32 ± 0.23 to 77.89 ± 3.36 μM compared with kojic acid (IC₅₀ = 48.05 ± 3.28 μM). Thereinto, compound 6j with 3-fluorine and 4-aldehyde substitutions showed the most potent anti-tyrosinase activity (IC₅₀ = 5.32 ± 0.23 μM). Enzyme kinetic study revealed that 6j is a noncompetitive tyrosinase inhibitor (Ki = 2.73 μM). The action mechanism of 6j was evaluated by fluorescence spectrum quenching, molecular docking, ¹H NMR titration, etc. The anti-browning assay showed that 6j could delay the enzymatic browning of fresh-cut apples. Besides, the cell viability assay proved that 6j had a good safety profile as an anti-browning agent. Hence, these results identify a new class of anti-tyrosinase and anti-browning agents for further investigation in the food industry.

Design, Synthesis, and Structural Characterization of Thioflavones and Thioflavonols as Potential Tyrosinase Inhibitors: In Vitro and In Silico Studies

To find new potential tyrosinase inhibitors, a diverse range of 2-arylchromone-4-thione derivatives (2a-2p) were designed and synthesized by employing a multistep strategy, and the newly synthesized compounds, for the first time, were screened in vitro for their tyrosinase inhibitory activity. In this context, the newly synthesized compounds (2a-2p) were characterized using a combination of several spectroscopic techniques including Fourier transform infrared, UV-vis, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies and electron ionization-mass spectrometry. All the target compounds were potent against tyrosinase as compared to the standard inhibitor kojic acid (half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) = 12.6 ± 0.6 μM). The compounds (2a-2p) produced IC₅₀ values in the range from 1.12 ± 0.04 to 5.68 ± 0.13 μM. Among the synthesized 4-thioflavones and 4-thioflavonols, the compound 2n exhibited excellent tyrosinase inhibitory activity with the lowest IC₅₀ of 1.12 ± 0.04 μM that could be recommended as potential lead candidates to cure tyrosinase-mediated hyperpigmentation in the future. A kinetic study of compound 2n revealed that compound 2n inhibited tyrosinase in a competitive mode. Furthermore, the nontoxic performance of the most beneficial compounds ranging from 1 to 25 g/mL was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide test method for A375 human melanoma cells for the highly efficient target compounds (2m, 2n, 2o, and 2p). Moreover, a molecular modeling study was performed against tyrosinase enzyme (2Y9X) to check the binding interactions of the synthesized compounds (2a-2p) against the target protein. Furthermore, quantitative structure-activity relationship studies were conducted based on an antityrosinase assay. The value of the correlation coefficient (R ²) 0.9997 shows that there was a good correlation between (2a-2p) structures and selected properties. The geometry optimization of all complexes was performed by using Gaussian 09. Additionally, a drug-likeness research was used to establish the potent analogues' positive action as a new antityrosinase agent (2n, 2o, and 2p).

4-Arylthiosemicarbazide Derivatives as Toxoplasmic Aromatic Amino Acid Hydroxylase Inhibitors and Anti-inflammatory Agents

Approximately one-third of the human population is infected with the intracellular cosmopolitan protozoan Toxoplasma gondii (Tg), and a specific treatment for this parasite is still needed. Additionally, the increasing resistance of Tg to drugs has become a challenge for numerous research centers. The high selectivity of a compound toward the protozoan, along with low cytotoxicity toward the host cells, form the basis for further research, which aims at determining the molecular targets of the active compounds. Thiosemicarbazide derivatives are biologically active organic compounds. Previous studies on the initial preselection of 58 new 4-arylthiosemicarbazide derivatives in terms of their anti-Tg activity and selectivity made it possible to select two promising derivatives for further research. One of the important amino acids involved in the proliferation of Tg and the formation of parasitophorous vacuoles is tyrosine, which is converted by two unique aromatic amino acid hydroxylases to levodopa. Enzymatic studies with two derivatives (R: para-nitro and meta-iodo) and recombinant aromatic amino acid hydroxylase (AAHs) obtained in the E. coli expression system were performed, and the results indicated that toxoplasmic AAHs are a molecular target for 4-arylthiosemicarbazide derivatives. Moreover, the drug affinity responsive target stability assay also confirmed that the selected compounds bind to AAHs. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory activity of these derivatives was tested using THP1-Blue™ NF-κB reporter cells due to the similarity of the thiosemicarbazide scaffold to thiosemicarbazone, both of which are known NF-κB pathway inhibitors.

Tyrosinase inhibition by novel benzimidazole-thione Schiff base derivatives

Background:

Tyrosinase is the enzyme responsible for the conversion of tyrosine to dopaquinone, which is related to melanoma, neurodegenerative disorders, freckles, pigmented acne and age spots. Controlling the tyrosinase activity could be an important way for treating overproduction of melanin.

Objective:

The development of safe and specific tyrosinase inhibitors could be used to treat hypermelanosis.

Methods:

5-nitro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-2(3H)-thione was synthesized from 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine and carbon disulfide. The nitro group of 5-nitro-1H- S-1 ESI-HRMS benzo[d]imidazole-2(3H)-thione was reduced with iron powder. The 5-amino-1H-benzo[d]imidazole- 2(3H)-thione Schiff base derivatives were obtained by the reaction of 5-amino-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-2(3H)-thione with substituted benzaldehyde. The tyrosinase inhibitory activities were investigated. The studies of kinetic analysis, metal-chelating properties, docking and cytotoxicity were also performed.

Results:

All of the compounds showed strong tyrosinase inhibitory activities with 5-((4-nitrobenzylidene) amino)-1H-benzo [d]imidazole-2(3H)-thione (S-4) as the best tyrosinase inhibitor with an IC50 value of 4.8 ± 1.4 nM. Compound S-4 exhibited mixed type inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase, with Ki 15 nM and Kis 42 nM. Copper binding to S-4 was detected spectrophotometrically and 1-100 ìÌ S-4 displayed negligible cytotoxicity to murine B16 melanoma cells.

Conclusion:

Our results demonstrated that these benzimidazolethione Schiff base derivatives might be promising candidates as tyrosinase inhibitors.

Anti-tyrosinase, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of gallic acid-benzylidenehydrazine hybrids and their application in preservation of fresh-cut apples and shrimps

A series of gallic acid-benzylidenehydrazine hybrids were synthesized and evaluated for their tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Thereinto, compounds 5d and 5f potently inhibited tyrosinase with IC₅₀ of 15.3 and 3.3 μM, compared to kojic acid (44.4 μM). The inhibition mechanism suggested that 5d and 5f not only chelated with Cu²⁺, but also reduced Cu²⁺ to Cu¹⁺ in the tyrosinase active site. Additionally, 5d and 5f exhibited strong DPPH scavenging and antibacterial activities against Vibrio parahaemolyticu and Staphylococcus aureus, which can be attributed to the function of gallic acid and hydrazone moiety. These compounds also exhibited capacity to preserve fresh-cut apples and shrimps. Finally, 5d and 5f exhibited low cytotoxic activity in a human cell line (HEK293). Therefore, these compounds possess anti-tyrosinase, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities, and can be used in the development of novel food preservatives.

5-Substituted isatin thiosemicarbazones as inhibitors of tyrosinase: Insights of substituent effects

Seven isatin-thiosemicarbazone analogues bearing different substituents (R) attached at C-5 of the indoline ring, TSC-ISA-R (R = -H, -CH₃, -OCH₃, -OCF₃, -F, -Cl and -NO₂), were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of mushroom tyrosinase (TYR). The inhibitory behaviour and performance of TSC-ISA-R were investigated spectroscopically in relation to the substituent modifications through examining their inhibition against the diphenolase activity of TYR using L-DOPA as a substrate. The IC₅₀ values of TSC-ISA-R were determined to be in the range of 81-209 μM. The kinetic analysis showed that TSC-ISA-R were reversible and mixed type inhibitors. Three potential non-covalent interactions rather than complexation including the binding of TSC-ISA-R with free TYR, TYR-L-DOPA complex, and with substrate L-DOPA were found to be involved in the inhibition. The substituent modifications affected these interactions by varying the characters of the resulting TSC-ISA-R in different degrees. The thiosemicarbazido moiety of each TSC-ISA-R contributed predominantly to the inhibition, and the isatin moiety seemed to play a regulatory role in the binding of TSC-ISA-R to the target molecules. The results of theoretical calculations using density functional theory method indicated a different effect of -R on the electron distribution in HOMO of TSC-ISA-R. The LUMO-HOMO energy gap of TSC-ISA-R almost accords with the trend of their experimental inhibition potency.

4-Arylthiosemicarbazide derivatives as a new class of tyrosinase inhibitors and anti-Toxoplasma gondii agents

We report herein anti-proliferation effects of 4-arylthiosemicarbazides, with a cyclopentane substitution at N1 position, on highly virulent RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Among them, the highest in vitro anti-Toxoplasma activity was found with the meta-iodo derivative. Further experiments demonstrated inhibitory effects of thiosemicarbazides on tyrosinase (Tyr) activity, and good correlation was found between percentage of Tyr inhibition and IC_50Tg. To confirm the concept that thiosemicarbazides are able to disrupt tyrosine metabolism in Toxoplasma tachyzoites, the most potent Tyr inhibitors were tested for their efficacy of T. gondii growth inhibition. All of them significantly reduced the number of tachyzoites in the parasitophorous vacuoles (PVs) compared to untreated cells, as well as inhibited tachyzoites growth by impeding cell division. Collectively, these results indicate that compounds with the thiosemicarbazide scaffold are able to disrupt tyrosine metabolism in Toxoplasma tachyzoites by deregulation of their crucial enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TyrH).

SAR and QSAR research on tyrosinase inhibitors using machine learning methods

Tyrosinase is a key rate-limiting enzyme in the process of melanin synthesis, which is closely related to human pigmentation disorders. Tyrosinase inhibitors can down-regulate tyrosinase to effectively reduce melanin synthesis. In this work, we conducted structure-activity relationship (SAR) study on 1097 diverse mushroom tyrosinase inhibitors. We applied five kinds of machine learning methods to develop 15 classification models. Model 5B built by fully connected neural networks and ECFP4 fingerprints achieved the highest prediction accuracy of 91.36% and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.81 on the test set. The applicability domains (AD) of classification models were defined by d S T D - P R O method. Moreover, we clustered the 1097 inhibitors into eight subsets by K-Means to figure out inhibitors' structural features. In addition, 10 quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were constructed by four machine learning methods based on 813 inhibitors. Model 6 J, the best QSAR model, was developed by fully connected neural networks with 50 RDKit descriptors. It resulted in a coefficient of determination (r ²) of 0.770 and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.482 on the test set. The AD of Model 6 J was visualized by Williams plot. The models built in this study can be obtained from the authors.

A systematic review of synthetic tyrosinase inhibitors and their structure-activity relationship

Tyrosinase is a copper-containing oxidation enzyme, which is responsible for the production of melanin. This enzyme is widely distributed in microorganisms, animals and plants, and plays an essential role in undesirable browning of fruits and vegetables, antibiotic resistance, skin pigment formation, sclerotization of cuticle, neurodegeneration, etc. Hence, it has been recognized as a therapeutic target for the development of antibrowning agents, antibacterial agents, skin-whitening agents, insecticides, and other therapeutic agents. With great potential application in food, agricultural, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, a large number of synthetic tyrosinase inhibitors have been widely reported in recent years. In this review, we systematically summarized the advances of synthetic tyrosinase inhibitors in the literatures, including their inhibitory activity, cytotoxicity, structure-activity relationship (SAR), inhibition kinetics, and interaction mechanisms with the enzyme. The collected information is expected to provide a rational guidance and effective strategy to develop novel, potent and safe tyrosinase inhibitors for better practical applications in the future.

Monosubstituted Acetophenone Thiosemicarbazones as Potent Inhibitors of Tyrosinase: Synthesis, Inhibitory Studies, and Molecular Docking

A set of 12 monosubstituted acetophenone thiosemicarbazone derivatives (TSCs) were synthesized and their inhibitory properties toward tyrosinase activity were tested. Moreover, their ability to inhibit melanogenesis in the B16F10 murine melanoma cell line was studied. In order to investigate the nature of interactions between the enzyme and the inhibitors, molecular docking to the active site was performed. TSCs 5, 6, 8, and 9 revealed a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) below 1 µM. Compound 6 turned out to be the most potent tyrosinase inhibitor. All investigated compounds showed reversible inhibition of competitive or mixed type. The para-substituted TSCs had higher affinity for the enzyme as compared to their ortho- and meta-analogues. All investigated compounds inhibited melanin production in B16F10 cells at the micromolar level. Molecular docking showed that the sulfur atom of the thiourea moiety penetrates the active site and interacts with copper ions. The above outcomes might be helpful in the design of new tyrosinase inhibitors in the food and cosmetic industries.

Synthesis, anticancer and antimicrobial evaluation of new benzofuran based derivatives: PI3K inhibition, quorum sensing and molecular modeling study

A new series of benzofuran derivatives has been designed and synthesized. The structures of the synthesized compounds have been confirmed by the use of ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, 2D ¹H-¹H NOESY NMR, and IR. Anticancer activity is evaluated against Hepatocellular carcinoma (HePG2), mammary gland breast cancer (MCF-7), Epitheliod carcinoma cervix cancer (Hela) and human prostate cancer (PC3). Compounds 8, 9, and 11 showed the highest activity towards the four cell lines with an IC₅₀ range of 8.49-16.72 µM, 6.55-13.14 µM and 4-8.99 µM respectively in comparison to DOX (4.17-8.87 µM). Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases (PI3K) inhibition was evaluated against the most active anticancer compounds 8, 9 and 11. Compounds 8, 9 and 11 showed good inhibitory activity against PI3Kα with IC₅₀ values 4.1, 7.8, and 20.5 µM, respectively in comparison to 6.18 µM for the reference compound LY294002. In addition, activity of compounds 8 and 9 on cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis in different phases of MCF-7 cells were assessed and detected pre-G1 apoptosis and cell growth arrest at G2/M. Also, both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis in MCF-7 cells induced by compounds 8 and 9. Molecular docking, binding affinity surface mapping, and contact preference of the synthesized compounds 8, 9 and 11 against PI3K were estimated and studied computationally using molecular operating environment software (MOE) and showed good interaction with essential residues for inhibition Val851. In addition, antimicrobial activity was evaluated against gram positive isolates as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, gram negative isolate as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antifungal potential against Candida albicans. Compound 17 showed outstanding anti Gram-positive activity with MIC values 8 and 256 µg/mL in Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus respectively. Also, compounds 15, 17, 18 and 21 showed good anti Gram-negative activity with MIC value 512 µg/mL for all compounds. In addition, the state-of-art quorum sensing (QS) inhibiting effects were detected using Chromobacterium violaceum and compounds 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12 showed good QS inhibition (3, 3, 5, 2, and 7 mm).

Identification of novel C-2 symmetric Bis-Azo-Azamethine molecules as competitive inhibitors of mushroom tyrosinase and free radical scavengers: synthesis, kinetics, and molecular docking studies

Tyrosinase is a multi-copper enzyme found in plants, animals and microorganisms, plays a critical role in the melanogenesis and browning process critical to cosmetics and food industries. Many natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic inhibitors have been discovered. To this end, a small library of symmetrical Bis-Azo-Azamethine hybrids 5a-j was synthesized and characterized through spectroscopic and analytical data and explored for mushroom tyrosinase and free radical scavenging activity. All of the molecules 5a-j explicated better potential compared to the standard Kojic acid. On the whole, compound 5i having IC₅₀ value 0.002 ± 0.004 µM was found to be the most potent derivative. The Kinetic studies were performed for 5i and indicating the mode of inhibition in a competitive manner. Structure Activity Relationship (SAR) analysis and docking studies were carried out. Thus compound 5i bearing bulky naphthyl groups was most potent and, The molecular docking indicated formation of two hydrogen bonds with Arg268 and one hydrophobic interaction with Glu322. The carbonyl oxygen of 5i interacts with Arg268 and form two hydrogen bonds having lengths 2.44 and 2.62 Å, respectively. In the same way, compounds 5a-j were appraised for DPPH free radical scavenging ability and five of them 5d, 5e, 5h, 5i and 5j were found to exhibit higher % scavenging potency compared with vitamin C, as the standard. Interesting compound 5i was again the most potent in the series. The current investigation points towards the role of naphthyl group in design of new inhibitors of melanogenesis and the antioxidants with improved efficacy.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Synthesis, antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase activity of 1,2,4-triazole hydrazones as antibrowning agents

A series of 1,2,4-triazole hydrazones (1-16) were synthesized, and their inhibitory activities and mechanisms on tyrosinase were investigated by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, fluorescence quenching, molecular docking study, etc. Most of compounds possessed potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Thereinto, compound 9 presented the superior activity with IC₅₀ of 0.9 μM, which was markedly lower than the standard kojic acid (IC₅₀ = 64.1 μM). Compound 9 not only interacted with copper ions in the active center of the enzyme but also bound to the enzyme-substrate complex, indicating that it was a competitive-noncompetitive mixed inhibitor. Additionally, it also displayed potent DPPH scavenging activity. Antibrowning test showed that compound 9 effectively reduced the enzymatic browning of fresh-cut potatoes. Furthermore, compound 9 exhibited low cytotoxic activity against human normal cell line with IC₅₀ of 49.9 µM. Overall, the present study suggests that these compounds may serve as lead molecules for developing novel antibrowning agents in food industry.

A comprehensive review on tyrosinase inhibitors

Tyrosinase is a multi-copper enzyme which is widely distributed in different organisms and plays an important role in the melanogenesis and enzymatic browning. Therefore, its inhibitors can be attractive in cosmetics and medicinal industries as depigmentation agents and also in food and agriculture industries as antibrowning compounds. For this purpose, many natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic inhibitors have been developed by different screening methods to date. This review has focused on the tyrosinase inhibitors discovered from all sources and biochemically characterised in the last four decades.

Synthesis and Evaluation of the in vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Triazoles, Morpholines and Thiosemicarbazones

BACKGROUND

Microbial infections is a global public health problem. The aim of this work was to synthesize and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of novel triazoles, morpholines and thiosemicarbazones.

METHODS

Compounds were synthesized using 2,4-Dihydroxyacetophenone and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde as starting materials. The antimicrobial activity of these compounds against bacteria and yeast was evaluated by the broth microdilution method.

RESULTS

The proposed route for synthesis gave high to moderate yields, moreover these compounds were successfully characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and LC-MS. Antimicrobial testing indicated that the thiosemicarbazone and morphine derivatives had the best antimicrobial activity against the microorganisms tested with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) between 0.29 and 5.30 µM. Thiosemicarbazone derivative (12) was able to inhibit the growth of C. tropicalis, with minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 0.55 µM. In addition, this compound was active against E. coli, S. aureus and S. epidermidis, with MIC values ranging from 0.29 to 1.11 µM. Moreover, the morpholine derivative (15) had an MIC value of 0.83 µM against C. albicans and E. coli.

CONCLUSION

We have efficiently synthesized a series of eleven novel triazoles, thiosemicarbazones and morpholine derivatives using 2,4-Dihydroxyacetophenone and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde as starting materials. Thiosemicarbazone derivative (12) showed promising antifungal and antibacterial activity and these findings suggest that this compound can be used as scaffolds to design new antimicrobial drugs.

Thiosemicarbazones with tyrosinase inhibitory activity

Tyrosinase plays an essential role in melanogenesis. Excess production of melanin can be a reason for hyperpigmentation skin disorders in mammals and enzymatic browning in plant-derived foods. Catalyzing the rate-limiting step of melanin synthesis, tyrosinase has become the most studied target for melanogenesis inhibition. Over the past ten years, a number of synthetic thiosemicarbazone derivatives have been reported to possess strong tyrosinase inhibitory properties with IC₅₀ values below 1 μM, placing them among the most potent tyrosinase inhibitors. This review gives an overview of tyrosinase activity and describes tyrosinase-inhibiting thiosemicarbazones in terms of their structure-activity relationships, kinetics of enzyme inhibition and mechanism of action. Results of the studies of thiosemicarbazones as tyrosinase inhibitors from over 20 research articles have been analyzed, compared and summarized in the present paper. Using thiosemicarbazones as tyrosinase inhibitors is a promising approach in developing anti-melanogenetic agents for skin-whitening cosmetics and anti-browning agents for food.

Inhibitors of Melanogenesis: An Updated Review

Melanins are pigment molecules that determine the skin, eye, and hair color of the human subject to its amount, quality, and distribution. Melanocytes synthesize melanin and provide epidermal protection from various stimuli, such as harmful ultraviolet radiation, through the complex process called melanogenesis. However, serious dermatological problems occur when there is excessive production of melanin in different parts of the human body. These include freckles, melasma, senile lentigo, pigmented acne scars, and cancer. Therefore, controlling the production of melanin is an important approach for the treatment of pigmentation related disorderes. In this Perspective, we focus on the inhibitors of melanogenesis that directly/indirectly target a key enzyme tyrosinase as well as its associated signaling pathways.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of S-Substituted Perhalo-2-nitrobuta-1,3-dienes as Novel Xanthine Oxidase, Tyrosinase, Elastase, and Neuraminidase Inhibitors

S-substituted perhalo-2-nitrobuta-1,3-dienes 3a, b were synthesized by the reaction of polyhalo-2-nitrobuta-1,3-dienes 1a, b with allyl mercaptan. 1-(2,3-Dibromopropanethio)-4-bromo-1,3,4-trichloro-2-nitrobuta-1,3-diene 4 was obtained from the addition of bromine to S-substituted polyhalo-2-nitrobuta-1,3-diene 3b in carbon tetrachloride. Sulfoxides 5a, b, and 6 were obtained from the reaction of thiosubstituted polyhalonitrobutadienes 3a, b, and 4 with m-CPBA in CHCl3. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic data (FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS). These compounds exhibited antixanthine oxidase, antityrosinase, antielastase, and antineuraminidase activities.

Skin whitening agents: medicinal chemistry perspective of tyrosinase inhibitors

Melanogenesis is a process to synthesize melanin, which is a primary responsible for the pigmentation of human skin, eye and hair. Although numerous enzymatic catalyzed and chemical reactions are involved in melanogenesis process, the enzymes such as tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) and TRP-2 played a major role in melanin synthesis. Specifically, tyrosinase is a key enzyme, which catalyzes a rate-limiting step of the melanin synthesis, and the downregulation of tyrosinase is the most prominent approach for the development of melanogenesis inhibitors. Therefore, numerous inhibitors that target tyrosinase have been developed in recent years. The review focuses on the recent discovery of tyrosinase inhibitors that are directly involved in the inhibition of tyrosinase catalytic activity and functionality from all sources, including laboratory synthetic methods, natural products, virtual screening and structure-based molecular docking studies.

Crystal structure of a 1,1,2,2-tetra-chloro-ethane-solvated hydrazinecarbo-thio-amide compound

The title compound, [(1-{4-[2-(2,4-di-hydroxy-phen-yl)diazen-1-yl]phen-yl}ethyl-idene)amino]-thio-urea, 1,1,2,2-tetra-chloro-ethane monosolvate, C15H15N5O2S·C2H2Cl4, was prepared from 4-(4-acetyl-phenyl-diazendi-yl)resorcinol and thio-semicarbazide and recrystallized from mixed solvents of tetra-chloro-ethane and n-hexane. 1H NMR and X-ray diffraction data are in support of the thione tautomeric form. The X-ray analysis shows the mol-ecule crystallizes as a zwitterion, with proton transfer from the nominal phenol to the azide group; the N-N bond length is 1.291 (5) Å, and an intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bond is formed. In the crystal, N-H⋯O, N-H⋯N and O-H⋯S hydrogen bonds connect the mol-ecules into a three-dimensional network. The tetra-chloro-ethane solvent mol-ecules are linked to this network through weak C-H⋯O linkages.

Study on the design, synthesis and structure-activity relationships of new thiosemicarbazone compounds as tyrosinase inhibitors

52 Structure-based thiosemicarbazone compounds bearing various substituted-lipophilic part, including substituted-benzaldehyde, substituted-phenylalkan-1-one and their biphenyl-type thiosemicarbazone analogs, were designed, synthesized and evaluated as new tyrosinase inhibitors. The results demonstrated that 22 compounds have potent inhibitory activities against tyrosinase with the IC₅₀ value of lower than 1.0 μM. On the basis of the obtained experimental data, the structure-activity relationships (SARs) were rationally derived. Besides, the inhibition mechanism and the inhibitory kinetics of selected compounds 3d and 6e were investigated, revealing that such type of compounds were belonged to the reversible and competitive tyrosinase inhibitors. To verify the safety of these developed thiosemicarbazone compounds, four randomly selected compounds 3d, 4e, 6a and 9a were also tested in 293T cell line for the evaluation of the cytotoxicity. Interestingly, all these compounds almost did not perform any toxicity to 293T cells even at a high concentration of 1000 μmol/L. Taken together, these results suggested that such compounds could serve as the highly efficient and more safe candidates for the treatment of tyrosinase-related disorders.

Facile synthesis, characterization, and cytotoxicity study of new 3-(indol-2-yl)bicyclotetrazatridecahexaens

A new series of thiosemicarbazone-based indole derivatives 12–15 has been prepared by condensation reaction of indole-2-carboxamide derivatives 8–11 with thiosemicarbazide. The former compounds underwent intracyclization in the presence of chloroacetic acid and sodium acetate to afford a set of new 3-(indol-2-yl)bicyclotetrazatridecahexaens 16–19. These newly synthesized compounds have been characterized by means of FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS and by elemental analyses. Cytotoxic activities of the prepared compounds along with LY294002 were evaluated in vitro against normal human skin fibroblast, human colon carcinoma (HCT116), and leukemia (K562) cell lines; results revealed that the series inhibits only HCT116 cell line. In addition, results showed that compound 18 exerts moderate potency in HCT116 with an IC50 value of 54 μmol/L and significantly induces apoptosis.

Molecular docking studies and biological evaluation of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives bearing Schiff base moieties as tyrosinase inhibitors

1,3,4-Thiadiazole derivatives bearing Schiff base moieties were designed, synthesized, and their tyrosinase inhibitory activities were evaluated. Some compounds displayed potent tyrosinase inhibitory activities, especially, 4-(((5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-imino)methyl)-2-methoxy-phenol (14) exhibited superior inhibitory effect to the other compounds with an IC₅₀ value of 0.036μM. The structure-activity relationships (SARs) were preliminarily discussed and docking studies showed compound 14 had strong binding affinity to mushroom tyrosinase. Hydroxy might be the active groups. The inhibition kinetics study revealed that compounds (13 and 14) inhibited tyrosinase by acting as uncompetitive inhibitors. The LD₅₀ value of the compound 14 was 5000mg/kg.

Estimation of Inhibitory Effect against Tyrosinase Activity through Homology Modeling and Molecular Docking

Tyrosinase is a key enzyme in melanogenesis. Generally, mushroom tyrosinase from A. bisporus had been used as a model in skin-whitening agent tests employed in the cosmetic industry. The recently obtained crystal structure of bacterial tyrosinase from B. megaterium has high similarity (33.5%) to the human enzyme and thus it was used as a template for constructing of the human model. Binding of tyrosinase to a series of its inhibitors was simulated by automated docking calculations. Docking and MD simulation results suggested that N81, N260, H263, and M280 are involved in the binding of inhibitors to mushroom tyrosinase. E195 and H208 are important residues in bacterial tyrosinase, while E230, S245, N249, H252, V262, and S265 bind to inhibitors and are important in forming pi interaction in human tyrosinase.

Design and synthesis of aloe-emodin derivatives as potent anti-tyrosinase, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents

Twenty aloe-emodin derivatives were designed, synthesized, and their biological activities were evaluated. Some compounds displayed potent tyrosinase inhibitory activities, especially, compounds with thiosemicarbazide moiety showed more potent inhibitory effects than the other compounds. The structure-activity relationships (SARs) were preliminarily discussed. The inhibition mechanism of selected compounds 1 and 13 were investigated. The results showed compound 1 was reversible inhibitor, however, compound 13 was irreversible. Kinetic analysis indicated that compound 1 was competitive tyrosinase inhibitor. Furthermore, the antibacterial activities and anti-inflammatory activities of some selected compounds were also screened. The results showed that compound 3 exhibited more potent antibacterial activity than the aloe-emodin, compounds 5 and 6 possessed more potent anti-inflammatory activities than the diacerein.

Molecular docking studies and biological evaluation of chalcone based pyrazolines as tyrosinase inhibitors and potential anticancer agents

A series of synthetic chalcones and pyrazoline derivatives showed antityrosinase, anticancer and considerable tubulin polymerization activity.

Exploring the interaction of N/S compounds with a dicopper center: tyrosinase inhibition and model studies

Tyrosinase (Ty) is a copper-containing enzyme widely present in plants, bacteria, and humans, where it is involved in biosynthesis of melanin-type pigments. Development of Ty inhibitors is an important approach to control the production and the accumulation of pigments in living systems. In this paper, we focused our interest in phenylthiourea (PTU) and phenylmethylene thiosemicarbazone (PTSC) recognized as inhibitors of tyrosinase by combining enzymatic studies and coordination chemistry methods. Both are efficient inhibitors of mushroom tyrosinase and they can be considered mainly as competitive inhibitors. Computational studies verify that PTSC and PTU inhibitors interact with the metal center of the active site. The KIC value of 0.93 μM confirms that PTSC is a much more efficient inhibitor than PTU, for which a KIC value of 58 μM was determined. The estimation of the binding free energies inhibitors/Ty confirms the high inhibitor efficiency of PTSC. Binding studies of PTSC along with PTU to a dinuclear copper(II) complex ([Cu2(μ-BPMP)(μ-OH)](ClO4)2 (1); H-BPMP = 2,6-bis-[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]-4-methylphenol) known to be a structural and functional model for the tyrosinase catecholase activity, have been performed. Interactions of the compounds with the dicopper model complex 1 were followed by spectrophotometry and electrospray ionization (ESI). The molecular structure of 1-PTSC and 1-PTU adducts were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis showing for both an unusual bridging binding mode on the dicopper center. These results reflect their adaptable binding mode in relation to the geometry and chelate size of the dicopper center.

Antimicrobial activity of allylic thiocyanates derived from the Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

Bacterial resistance to commonly used antibiotics has been recognized as a significant global health issue. In this study, we carried out the screening of a family of allylic thiocyanates for their action against a diversity of bacteria and fungi with a view to developing new antimicrobial agents. Allylic thiocyanates bearing halogenated aryl groups, which were readily obtained in two steps from the Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts, showed moderate-to-high activity against selective pathogens, including a methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain. In particular cases, methyl (Z)-3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-(thiocyanomethyl)-2-propenoate exhibited antimicrobial activity comparable to the reference antibiotic Imipenem.

Modeling the met form of human tyrosinase: a refined and hydrated pocket for antagonist design

Tyrosinases are type 3 copper proteins involved in melanin biosynthesis, responsible for skin and hair color in mammals. To steer tyrosinase inhibitor discovery for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes, structural information about human tyrosinase is necessary. As this protein has never been crystallized so far, we derived a robust homology model built using structural information from Streptomyces castaneoglobisporus and Ipomea batata catecholoxidase enzymes. The active site containing two copper atoms in co-ordination with six histidine residues was refined through an optimization protocol based on molecular mechanics parameters for copper co-ordination and charges calculated by quantum mechanics methods. Five structural water molecules and a hydroxyl ion were found to be essential for optimization. The superimposition of the human homology model on crystallographic structures of tyrosinases from other species revealed similar overall backbone topologies, active site conformations, and conserved water molecules. Phenylthiourea (PTU), the tyrosinase inhibitor of reference, was then docked into the solvated human active pocket. A binding mode consistent with crystallographic information was obtained. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that the human tyrosinase model, deposited in the Protein Model Database, is a reliable structure for future rational inhibitor design projects.