Glycerol based carbon sulfonic acid catalyzed synthesis, in silico studies and in vitro biological evaluation of isonicotinohydrazide derivatives as potent antimicrobial and anti-tubercular agents

Synthesis of indole-functionalized isoniazid conjugates with potent antimycobacterial and antioxidant efficacy

Aim: Developing potent medicinal alternates for tuberculosis (TB) is highly desirable due to the advent of drug-resistant lethal TB strains.Methods & results: Novel indole-isoniazid integrates have been synthesized with promising antimycobacterial action against the H37Rv strain, and the nitro analogs 4e and 4j show the highest efficacy with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.25 μg/ml. The molecular docking studies against InhA support the experimental findings. Indole conjugates display remarkable radical quenching efficiency, and compounds 4e and 4j demonstrate maximum IC50 values of 50.19 and 52.45 μg/ml, respectively. Pharmacokinetic analysis anticipated appreciable druggability for the title compounds.Conclusion: The notable bioaction of the indole-isoniazid templates projects them as potential lead in developing anti-TB medications with synergetic antioxidant action.

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.

Comparative study of antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of berberine-derived Schiff bases, nitro-berberine and amino-berberine

In recent years, the scientific community has focused on traditional natural products and their potential therapeutic benefits. Berberine is a plant-derived isoquinoline alkaloid with a variety of biological properties and identified as a promising pharmacophore for discovering new therapeutic agents against various diseases. However, unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties of berberine have limited its clinical application so much that researchers pursue its structure modification to overcome this problem. This study focuses on the synthesis of new berberine derivatives to improve its antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials, which were characterized using CHNO and NMR instruments. Berberine extracted from barberry root was nitrated, reduced to amine and condensed with benzaldehyde derivatives to produce berberine-based Schiff bases. The H atom donating ability of all compounds was measured against DPPH free radicals, with IC50 values ranging from 18.28 to 108.20 μg ml-1. All berberine-based Schiff bases exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than nitro-berberine and amino-berberine. Only Schiff base derived from 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde showed slightly better antioxidant effects than original berberine. The inhibitory effects of the synthesized compounds were evaluated against important pathogenic fungal and bacterial strains using disk diffusion assays, with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 8.36 to 25.48 μg ml-1. Berberine itself only affected Candida albicans fungus. Nitrated berberine was effective against all microorganisms except Gram-negative Acinetobacter baumannii. The results suggest that structural modifications and functionalization can enhance the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of berberine.