A new chromanone derivative isolated from Hypericum lissophloeus (Hypericaceae) potentiates GABAA receptor currents in a subunit specific fashion

Pervasive approximate periodic symmetry in organic P1 structures

The goal of this project was to identify the prevalence of approximate symmetry in organic P1 structures. In the November 2019 version of the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD), there are 2592 organic, P1, R ≤ 0.050 structures; complete, unique entries are available for 1407 Z = Z' > 1 and 1049 Z = Z' = 1 structures. All the Z > 1 structures can have approximate symmetry; the Z = 1 structures were scanned to find those composed of molecules or ions that might lie on a special position and those that have two or more large molecules or ions that are very similar. The number of Z = 1 structures so identified was 285, of which 49 were grouped with the Z > 1 structures because Z_effective > 1. The packing in each of the 1407 + 285 = 1692 structures was investigated. The 144 that should almost certainly have been described in a smaller or higher-symmetry unit cell were removed from the list; 120 of the 144 are composed of achiral or racemic material. (About half of the Z = 1 and 89% of the Z > 1 structures are composed of enantiopure material.) Approximate periodic symmetry was found in 86% of the 1337 remaining Z > 1 structures and in 72% of the 211 remaining Z = 1 structures. About a third of the enantiomerically pure structures mimic inversion symmetry; 38% have approximate rotational symmetry. For the structures of achiral and racemic material, distorted glide or mirror symmetry is more common than is distorted inversion symmetry. Approximate rotational and glide symmetry was found to be periodic in two dimensions considerably more often than in three. In 4% of the structures, different layer types alternate or layers are related by approximate local rotations, as well as by small translations. In 5% of the structures, different parts of the molecule are segregated into two-dimensional regions that have different approximate symmetries. More than a third of the structures that are a distorted version of a higher-symmetry structure were determined at T ≥ 288 K.

5-O-methylcneorumchromone K Exerts Antinociceptive Effects in Mice via Interaction with GABAA Receptors

The proper pharmacological control of pain is a continuous challenge for patients and health care providers. Even the most widely used medications for pain treatment are still ineffective or unsafe for some patients, especially for those who suffer from chronic pain. Substances containing the chromone scaffold have shown a variety of biological activities, including analgesic effects. This work presents for the first time the centrally mediated antinociceptive activity of 5-O-methylcneorumchromone K (5-CK). Cold plate and tail flick tests in mice showed that the 5-CK-induced antinociception was dose-dependent, longer-lasting, and more efficacious than that induced by morphine. The 5-CK-induced antinociception was not reversed by the opioid antagonist naloxone. Topological descriptors (fingerprints) were employed to narrow the antagonist selection to further investigate 5-CK's mechanism of action. Next, based on the results of fingerprints analysis, functional antagonist assays were conducted on nociceptive tests. The effect of 5-CK was completely reversed in both cold plate and tail-flick tests by GABA_A receptor antagonist bicuculline, but not by atropine or glibenclamide. Molecular docking studies suggest that 5-CK binds to the orthosteric binding site, with a similar binding profile to that observed for bicuculline and GABA. These results evidence that 5-CK has a centrally mediated antinociceptive effect, probably involving the activation of GABAergic pathways.

Rational approaches for the design of various GABA modulators and their clinical progression

GABA (γ-amino butyric acid) is an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Attenuation of GABAergic neurotransmission plays an important role in the etiology of several neurological disorders including epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's chorea, migraine, Parkinson's disease, neuropathic pain, and depression. Increase in the GABAergic activity may be achieved through direct agonism at the GABAA receptors, inhibition of enzymatic breakdown of GABA, or by inhibition of the GABA transport proteins (GATs). These functionalities make GABA receptor modulators and GATs attractive drug targets in brain disorders associated with decreased GABA activity. There have been several reports of development of GABA modulators (GABA receptors, GABA transporters, and GABAergic enzyme inhibitors) in the past decade. Therefore, the focus of the present review is to provide an overview on various design strategies and synthetic approaches toward developing GABA modulators. Furthermore, mechanistic insights, structure-activity relationships, and molecular modeling inputs for the biologically active derivatives have also been discussed. Summary of the advances made over the past few years in the clinical translation and development of GABA receptor modulators is also provided. This compilation will be of great interest to the researchers working in the field of neuroscience. From the light of detailed literature, it can be concluded that numerous molecules have displayed significant results and their promising potential, clearly placing them ahead as potential future drug candidates.

Isolation and characterization of two new chroman-4-ones from the endophytic fungus Penicillium chrysogenum obtained from Eucommia ulmoides Oliver

Two new chroman-4-ones penicichromanone A (1) and penicichromanone B (2), together with three known compounds conioxepinol C (3), emodin (4) and moniliphenone (5), were obtained from the endophytic fungus Penicillium chrysogenum, which was isolated from the bark of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by detailed analysis of HRESIMS, 1D/2D NMR and ECD spectra. All the compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities using HEK293 cells, and compounds 1, 3, 4 and 5 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on TNF-α-stimulated NF-κB activation.

Hypericum spp.: An Update on the Biological Activities and Metabolic Profiles

Plants from the genus Hypericum, one genus of the Hypericaceae family, have attracted a lot of attention for their potential pharmaceutical applications. Most of the studies in the literature focus on H. perforatum L. (common St. John's wort), whose complex spectrum of bioactive compounds makes this species one of the top herbal remedies and supplements in the world. It is also important to compare the studies on other Hypericum species, both from the phytochemical and biological point of view. The aim of this review was to provide an update of most recent studies about biological investigations of plants belonging to Hypericum genus. The metabolic profiles of Hypericum spp. were also discussed in order to present a spectrum of secondary metabolites not previously identified in this genus.

Structural diversity and biological activities of phloroglucinol derivatives from Hypericum species

Plants of the genus Hypericum (Hypericaceae) are used in folk medicine all over the world, H. perforatum being the most well-known species. Standardized extracts of this plant are commercially-available to treat mild to moderate depression cases. The present review summarizes the literature published up to 2016 concerning the phloroglucinol derivatives isolated from Hypericum species, together with their structural features and biological activities. These phytochemical studies led to the isolation of 101 prenylated phloroglucinols, chromanes and chromenes, 35 dimeric acylphloroglucinols, 235 polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, 25 simple benzophenones and 33 phloroglucinol-terpene adducts. These compounds show a diverse range of biological activities, such as antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antinociceptive and antidepressant-like effects.