Synthesis, biological screening and in silico studies of new N-phenyl-4-(1,3-diaryl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)thiazol-2-amine derivatives as potential antifungal and antitubercular agents

Design, Synthesis, Characterization, and Cytotoxicity of New Pyrazolylmethylene-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-one Derivatives towards Androgen-Sensitive LNCaP Prostate Cancer Cells

A new class of pyrazolylmethylene-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-one derivatives 3a-p were rationally designed and synthesized with the aim of exploring their potential as treatments for prostate cancer. The synthesized compounds 3a-p were biologically analyzed for their anticancer effects against AR+LNCaP, AR-PC-3, and Wi38 cell lines. The observed IC50 values against AR+LNCaP ranged between 10.27 ± 0.14 and 109.72 ± 2.06 µM after 24 h of incubation. Compounds 3i-k, 3m, and 3o-p recorded IC50 values of 05.22 ± 0.12 to 11.75 ± 0.07 µM after 48 h incubation in the presence of 1 nM DHT, with higher selectivity towards AR+LNCaP. Moreover, compounds 3i and 3k significantly induced Caspase 3 accumulation, reduced DNA content at the various stages of the cell cycle, and ultimately caused AR+LNCaP cell growth arrest, as confirmed by cell apoptosis assays. These findings suggest that these analogues of androgen receptor blockers have promising potential for further investigation as effective treatments for prostate cancer.

In silico drug design strategies for discovering novel tuberculosis therapeutics

INTRODUCTION

Tuberculosis remains a significant concern in global public health due to its intricate biology and propensity for developing antibiotic resistance. Discovering new drugs is a protracted and expensive endeavor, often spanning over a decade and incurring costs in the billions. However, computer-aided drug design (CADD) has surfaced as a nimbler and more cost-effective alternative. CADD tools enable us to decipher the interactions between therapeutic targets and novel drugs, making them invaluable in the quest for new tuberculosis treatments.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, the authors explore recent advancements in tuberculosis drug discovery enabled by in silico tools. The main objectives of this review article are to highlight emerging drug candidates identified through in silico methods and to provide an update on the therapeutic targets associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

EXPERT OPINION

These in silico methods have not only streamlined the drug discovery process but also opened up new horizons for finding novel drug candidates and repositioning existing ones. The continued advancements in these fields hold great promise for more efficient, ethical, and successful drug development in the future.

New thiazolyl-isoxazole derivatives as potential anti-infective agents: design, synthesis, in vitro and in silico antimicrobial efficacy

Antimicrobial resistance threatens the efficacious prevention and treatment of infectious diseases caused by microorganisms. To combat microbial infections, the need for new drug candidates is essential. In this context, the design, synthesis, antimicrobial screening, and in silico study of a new series of 5-aryl-3-(2-arylthiazol-4-yl)isoxazole (9a-t) have been reported. The structure of new compounds was confirmed by spectrometric methods. Compounds 9a-t were evaluated for in vitro antitubercular and antimicrobial activity. Against M. tuberculosis H37Rv, fourteen compounds showed good to excellent antitubercular activity with MIC 2.01-9.80 µM. Compounds 9a, 9b, and 9r showed four-fold more activity than the reference drug isoniazid. Nine compounds, 9a, 9b, 9d, 9e, 9i, 9q, 9r, 9s, and 9t, showed good antibacterial activity against E. coli with MIC 7.8-15.62 µg/mL. Against A. niger, four compounds showed good activity with MIC 31.25 µg/mL. Against C. albicans, all twenty compounds reported excellent to good activity with MIC 7.8-31.25 µg/mL. Compounds 9c-e, 9g-j, and 9q-t showed comparable activity concerning the reference drug fluconazole. The compounds 9a-t were screened for cytotoxicity against 3t3l1 cell lines and found to be less or non-cytotoxic. The in silico study exposed that these compounds displayed high affinity towards the M. tuberculosis targets PanK, DprE1, DHFR, PknA, KasA, and Pks13, and C. albicans targets NMT, CYP51, and CS. The compound 9r was evaluated for structural dynamics and molecular dynamics simulations. The potent antitubercular and antimicrobial activity of 5-aryl-3-(2-arylthiazol-4-yl)isoxazole (9a-t) derivatives has recommended that these compounds could assist in treating microbial infections.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Synthesis of Imidazole-2,3-dihydrothiazole Compounds as VEGFR-2 Inhibitors and Their Support with in Silico Studies

In this study, 12 novel 2-((1-(4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenyl)ethylidene)hydrazineylidene)-3-ethyl-4-(substitutephenyl)-2,3-dihydrothiazole derivatives were obtained. Among these compounds, 2-((1-(4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenyl)ethylidene)hydrazineylidene)-4-([1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)-3-ethyl-2,3-dihydrothiazole (4h) was chosen as the most active derivative in the series. According to the MTT results, compounds 4h and 4k showed activity with IC50 =4.566±0.246 μM and IC50 =4.537±0.463 μM, respectively. Unlike other derivatives, compound 4h carries a phenyl ring in the 4th position of the phenyl ring. This bulky group allowed the compound to settle in the enzyme active site. Dynamic studies show that the stability of the compound does not change over 40 ns. RMSD, RMSF and Rg parameters all remained within acceptable limits. The uninterrupted aromatic hydrogen bonding of the enzyme active site with the important amino acids Cys919, Glu885 and Asp1046 proves the inhibitory potential of compound 4h on the VEGFR-2 enzyme. It is thought that more active compounds will be reached with the derivatives to be synthesized starting from compound 4h.