Aaptodines A-D, Spiro Naphthyridine-Furooxazoloquinoline Hybrid Alkaloids from the Sponge Aaptos suberitoides

Profiling Prokaryotic Communities and Aaptamines of Sponge Aaptos suberitoides from Tulamben, Bali

Sponges (Porifera) harbor a diversity of microorganisms that contribute largely to the production a vast array of bioactive compounds. The microorganisms associated with sponge have an important impact on the chemical diversity of the natural products. Herein, our study focuses on an Aaptos suberitoides commonly found in Indonesia. The objective of this study was to investigate the profile of prokaryotic community and the presence of aaptamine metabolites in sponge Aaptos suberitoides. Sponges were collected from two site locations (Liberty Wreck and Drop Off) in Tulamben, Bali. The sponges were identified by barcoding DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The profile of prokaryotic composition was investigated by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene using primers 515f and 806r to target the V4 region. The metabolites were analyzed using LC-MS, and dereplication was done to identify the aaptamines and its derivates. The barcoding DNA of the sponges confirmed the identity of samples as Aaptos suberitoides. The prokaryotic communities of samples A. suberitoides were enriched and dominated by taxa Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria. The chemical analysis showed that all sponges produce aaptamine and isoaaptamine except A. suberitoides S2421 produce analog of aaptamines. This is the first report on the profile of prokaryotic community and the aaptamine of tropical marine sponges, A. suberitoides, from Tulamben, Bali.

Investigation of Novel Benzoxazole-Oxadiazole Derivatives as Effective Anti-Alzheimer's Agents: In Vitro and In Silico Approaches

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurological illness that is distinguished clinically by cognitive and memory decline and adversely affects the people of old age. The treatments for this disease gained much attention and have prompted increased interest among researchers in this field. As a springboard to explore new anti-Alzheimer's chemical prototypes, the present study was carried out for the synthesis of benzoxazole-oxadiazole analogues as effective Alzheimer's inhibitors. In this research work, we have focused our efforts to synthesize a series of benzoxazole-oxadiazole (1-19) and evaluating their anti-Alzheimer properties. In addition, the precise structures of synthesized derivatives were confirmed with the help of various spectroscopic techniques including ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR and HREI-MS. To find the anti-Alzheimer potentials of the synthesized compounds (1-19), in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), inhibitory activities were performed using Donepezil as the reference standard. From structure-activity (SAR) analysis, it was confirmed that any variation found in inhibitory activities of both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) enzymes were due to different substitution patterns of substituent(s) at the variable position of both acetophenone aryl and oxadiazole aryl rings. The results of the anti-Alzheimer assay were very encouraging and showed moderate to good inhibitory potentials with IC₅₀ values ranging from 5.80 ± 2.18 to 40.80 ± 5.90 µM (against AChE) and 7.20 ± 2.30 to 42.60 ± 6.10 µM (against BuChE) as compared to standard Donepezil drug (IC₅₀ = 33.65 ± 3.50 µM (for AChE) and 35.80 ± 4.60 µM (for BuChE), respectively. Specifically, analogues 2, 15 and 16 were identified to be significantly active, even found to be more potent than standard inhibitors with IC₅₀ values of 6.40 ± 1.10, 5.80 ± 2.18 and 6.90 ± 1.20 (against AChE) and 7.50 ± 1.20, 7.20 ± 2.30 and 7.60 ± 2.10 (against BuChE). The results obtained were compared to standard drugs. These findings reveal that benzoxazole-oxadiazole analogues act as AChE and BuChE inhibitors to develop novel therapeutics for treating Alzheimer's disease and can act as lead molecules in drug discovery as potential anti-Alzheimer agents.

Sesquiterpene lactone dimers from the fruit of Carpesium abrotanoides L

Seven undescribed sesquiterpene lactone dimers (SLDs) (carpeabrodilactones A-G), one known SLD, and six known sesquiterpenes were isolated from the fruit of Carpesium abrotanoides L. Carpeabrodilactone A was a dimeric carabrane featuring a rare C-13-C-13' linkage. Carpeabrodilactones B and C are the first two SLDs to be described possessing a carabranolide unit and a guaianolide unit connected by an O-ether linkage. The structures of the SLDs were assigned based on HRESIMS, NMR analysis, ¹³C NMR calculation, ECD calculation, and modified Mosher's method. Four SLDs showed potent cytotoxicity against K562 and/or A549 cells, with IC₅₀ values below 10 μM, but none inhibited protein tyrosine phosphatases at 40 μM, including PTP1B, SHP1, CD45, and TCPTP.

Marine natural products

Covering: 2020This review covers the literature published in 2020 for marine natural products (MNPs), with 757 citations (747 for the period January to December 2020) referring to compounds isolated from marine microorganisms and phytoplankton, green, brown and red algae, sponges, cnidarians, bryozoans, molluscs, tunicates, echinoderms, mangroves and other intertidal plants and microorganisms. The emphasis is on new compounds (1407 in 420 papers for 2020), together with the relevant biological activities, source organisms and country of origin. Pertinent reviews, biosynthetic studies, first syntheses, and syntheses that led to the revision of structures or stereochemistries, have been included. A meta analysis of bioactivity data relating to new MNPs reported over the last five years is also presented.

Sequential Ag(I) Salt and Chiral N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysis Enables Enantioselective and Diastereoselective Construction of Complex Heterocyclic Molecules and the Switch of Stereoselectivity

Organic reactions under cascade catalysis provide a powerful strategy to construct molecules of complexed structures. Reported herein is the sequential silver(I) salt and chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed enantioselective and diastereoselective synthesis of a diversity of unprecedented fused heterocyclic compounds from the reactions of readily available N'-((2-alkynyl-3-pyridinyl)methylene)hydrazides with 2-aroylvinylcinnamaldehydes. Both reaction pathways and stereoselectivity were steered conveniently and efficiently by the employment of different NHCs and bases, enabling the selective preparation of pentacyclic ring-fused 1,6-naphthyridine derivatives and 1,6-naphthyridine-substituted tricyclic products in moderated to good yields with high enantioselectivity and diastereoselectivity. Mechanisms accounting for the selective transformations, especially the effect of base and chiral NHC catalyst on the reaction course and stereochemistry of products, were also discussed.

Survey of natural products reported by Asian research groups in 2020

The new natural products reported in 2020 in peer-reviewed articles in journals with good reputations were reviewed and analyzed. The advances made by Asian research groups in the field of natural products chemistry in 2020 were summarized. Compounds with unique structural features and/or promising bioactivities originating from Asian natural sources were discussed based on their structural classification.

One-Pot Multicomponent Coupling Reaction of Catechols, Benzyl Alcohols/Benzyl Methyl Ethers, and Ammonium Acetate toward Synthesis of Benzoxazoles

The multicomponent coupling reaction of catechol, ammonium acetate, and benzyl alcohol/benzyl methyl ether in the presence of a Fe(III) catalyst precursor afforded benzoxazole derivatives in good to excellent yields. The notable features of this protocol are abundant availability of the catalyst system, large-scale synthesis, high diversity, and high yields of products.

Biological Activity of Naturally Derived Naphthyridines

Marine and terrestrial environments are rich sources of various bioactive substances, which have been used by humans since prehistoric times. Nowadays, due to advances in chemical sciences, new substances are still discovered, and their chemical structures and biological properties are constantly explored. Drugs obtained from natural sources are used commonly in medicine, particularly in cancer and infectious diseases treatment. Naphthyridines, isolated mainly from marine organisms and terrestrial plants, represent prominent examples of naturally derived agents. They are a class of heterocyclic compounds containing a fused system of two pyridine rings, possessing six isomers depending on the nitrogen atom's location. In this review, biological activity of naphthyridines obtained from various natural sources was summarized. According to previous studies, the naphthyridine alkaloids displayed multiple activities, i.a., antiinfectious, anticancer, neurological, psychotropic, affecting cardiovascular system, and immune response. Their wide range of activity makes them a fascinating object of research with prospects for use in therapeutic purposes.

Four new aaptamine alkaloids from marine sponge Aaptos aaptos

Four new aaptamine alkaloids, named as 9-methoxy-N-demethylaaptanone (1), 3,5-dicarbomethoxy-1,​6-​naphthyridine (2), aaptosvanphongs A and B (3 and 4), and three known aaptamine alkaloids as 2-methoxy-3-oxoaaptamine (5), 8,9,9-trimethoxy-9H-benzo[de][1,6]-naphthyridine (6), and demethyl(oxy)aaptamine (7) were isolated from the sponge Aaptos by various chromatographic methods. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses (HR-ESI-MS, 1 D and 2 D NMR) and by comparison of the spectral data with those reported in the literature. Compounds 1-7 significantly showed cytotoxic effects against SK-LU-1, MCF-7, HepG2, and SK-Mel-2 cell lines with IC₅₀ values in range from 7.7 ± 0.8 to 51.4 ± 1.8 µM. Among them, compound 7 exhibited the most cytotoxic activity with corresponding IC₅₀ values of 9.2 ± 1.0, 7.8 ± 0.6, 8.4 ± 0.8, and 7.7 ± 0.8 µM.