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Georgiou N, Karta D, Cheilari A, Merzel F, Tzeli D, Vassiliou S, Mavromoustakos T. Synthesis of Thiazolidin-4-Ones Derivatives, Evaluation of Conformation in Solution, Theoretical Isomerization Reaction Paths and Discovery of Potential Biological Targets. Molecules 2024; 29:2458. [PMID: 38893334 PMCID: PMC11173912 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Thiazolin-4-ones and their derivatives represent important heterocyclic scaffolds with various applications in medicinal chemistry. For that reason, the synthesis of two 5-substituted thiazolidin-4-one derivatives was performed. Their structure assignment was conducted by NMR experiments (2D-COSY, 2D-NOESY, 2D-HSQC and 2D-HMBC) and conformational analysis was conducted through Density Functional Theory calculations and 2D-NOESY. Conformational analysis showed that these two molecules adopt exo conformation. Their global minimum structures have two double bonds (C=N, C=C) in Z conformation and the third double (C=N) in E. Our DFT results are in agreement with the 2D-NMR measurements. Furthermore, the reaction isomerization paths were studied via DFT to check the stability of the conformers. Finally, some potential targets were found through the SwissADME platform and docking experiments were performed. Both compounds bind strongly to five macromolecules (triazoloquinazolines, mglur3, Jak3, Danio rerio HDAC6 CD2, acetylcholinesterase) and via SwissADME it was found that these two molecules obey Lipinski's Rule of Five.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikitas Georgiou
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou, 11571 Athens, Greece; (N.G.); (D.K.); (S.V.)
| | - Danai Karta
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou, 11571 Athens, Greece; (N.G.); (D.K.); (S.V.)
| | - Antigoni Cheilari
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece;
| | - Franci Merzel
- Theory Department, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Demeter Tzeli
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou, 11571 Athens, Greece;
- Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Ave., 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Stamatia Vassiliou
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou, 11571 Athens, Greece; (N.G.); (D.K.); (S.V.)
| | - Thomas Mavromoustakos
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou, 11571 Athens, Greece; (N.G.); (D.K.); (S.V.)
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Bhat SY. Drug targeting of aminopeptidases: importance of deploying a right metal cofactor. Biophys Rev 2024; 16:249-256. [PMID: 38737204 PMCID: PMC11078913 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-024-01192-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Aminopeptidases are metal co-factor-dependent hydrolases releasing N-terminal amino acid residues from peptides. Many of these enzymes, particularly the M24 methionine aminopeptidases (MetAPs), are considered valid drug targets in the fight against many parasitic and non-parasitic diseases. Targeting MetAPs has shown promising results against the malarial parasite, Plasmodium, which is regarded as potential anti-cancer targets. While targeting these essential enzymes represents a potentially promising approach, many challenges are often ignored by scientists when designing drugs or inhibitory scaffolds against the MetAPs. One such aspect is the metal co-factor, with inadequate attention paid to its role in catalysis, folding and remodeling of the catalytic site, and its role in inhibitor binding or potency. Knowing that a metal co-factor is essential for aminopeptidase enzyme activity and active site remodeling, it is intriguing that most computational biologists often ignore the metal ion while screening millions of potential inhibitors to find hits. Ironically, a similar trend is followed by biologists who avoid metal promiscuity of these enzymes while screening inhibitor libraries in vitro which may lead to false positives. This review highlights the importance of considering a physiologically relevant metal co-factor during the drug discovery processes targeting metal-dependent aminopeptidases. Graphical abstract
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Nasim F, Kumar MS, Alvala M, Qureshi IA. Unraveling the peculiarities and development of novel inhibitors of leishmanial arginyl-tRNA synthetase. FEBS J 2024. [PMID: 38525644 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Aminoacylation by tRNA synthetase is a crucial part of protein synthesis and is widely recognized as a therapeutic target for drug development. Unlike the arginyl-tRNA synthetases (ArgRSs) reported previously, here, we report an ArgRS of Leishmania donovani (LdArgRS) that can follow the canonical two-step aminoacylation process. Since a previously uncharacterized insertion region is present within its catalytic domain, we implemented the splicing by overlap extension PCR (SOE-PCR) method to create a deletion mutant (ΔIns-LdArgRS) devoid of this region to investigate its function. Notably, the purified LdArgRS and ΔIns-LdArgRS exhibited different oligomeric states along with variations in their enzymatic activity. The full-length protein showed better catalytic efficiency than ΔIns-LdArgRS, and the insertion region was identified as the tRNA binding domain. In addition, a benzothiazolo-coumarin derivative (Comp-7j) possessing high pharmacokinetic properties was recognized as a competitive and more specific inhibitor of LdArgRS than its human counterpart. Removal of the insertion region altered the mode of inhibition for ΔIns-LdArgRS and caused a reduction in the inhibitor's binding affinity. Both purified proteins depicted variances in the secondary structural content upon ligand binding and thus, thermostability. Apart from the trypanosomatid-specific insertion and Rossmann fold motif, LdArgRS revealed typical structural characteristics of ArgRSs, and Comp-7j was found to bind within the ATP binding pocket. Furthermore, the placement of tRNAArg near the insertion region enhanced the stability and compactness of LdArgRS compared to other ligands. This study thus reports a unique ArgRS with respect to catalytic as well as structural properties, which can be considered a plausible drug target for the derivation of novel anti-leishmanial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fouzia Nasim
- Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
| | - Muppidi Shravan Kumar
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, India
| | - Mallika Alvala
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, India
| | - Insaf Ahmed Qureshi
- Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
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de Morais MC, Medeiros GA, Almeida FS, Rocha JDC, Perez-Castillo Y, Keesen TDSL, de Sousa DP. Antileishmanial Activity of Cinnamic Acid Derivatives against Leishmania infantum. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28062844. [PMID: 36985814 PMCID: PMC10053546 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania infantum is the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in South America, the Mediterranean basin, and West and Central Asia. The most affected country, Brazil, reported 4297 VL cases in 2017. L. infantum is transmitted by female phlebotomine sand flies during successive blood meals. There are no validated vaccines to prevent the infection and the treatment relies on drugs that often present severe side effects, which justify the efforts to find new antileishmanial drugs. Cinnamic acid derivatives have shown several pharmacological activities, including antiparasitic action. Therefore, in the present study, the biological evaluation of cinnamic acid and thirty-four derivatives against L. infantum is reported. The compounds were prepared by several synthesis methods and characterized by spectroscopic techniques and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The results revealed that compound 32 (N-(4-isopropylbenzyl)cinnamamide) was the most potent antileishmanial agent (IC50 = 33.71 μM) with the highest selectivity index (SI > 42.46), followed by compound 15 (piperonyl cinnamate) with an IC50 = 42.80 μM and SI > 32.86. Compound 32 was slightly less potent and nineteen times more selective for the parasite than amphotericin B (MIC = 3.14 uM; SI = 2.24). In the molecular docking study, the most likely target for the compound in L. infantum was aspartyl aminopeptidase, followed by aldehyde dehydrogenase, mitochondrial. The data obtained show the antileishmanial potential of this class of compounds and may be used in the search for new drug candidates against Leishmania species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara Castro de Morais
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, BP, Brazil
| | - Gisele Alves Medeiros
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, BP, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Silva Almeida
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa 58051-900, BP, Brazil
| | - Juliana da Câmara Rocha
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa 58051-900, BP, Brazil
| | - Yunierkis Perez-Castillo
- Bio-Cheminformatics Research Group and Area de Ciencias Aplicadas, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito 170503, Ecuador
| | - Tatjana de Souza Lima Keesen
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa 58051-900, BP, Brazil
| | - Damião Pergentino de Sousa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, BP, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Bioactive Natural and Synthetic Products, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, BP, Brazil
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Hassan AHE, Mahmoud K, Phan TN, Shaldam MA, Lee CH, Kim YJ, Cho SB, Bayoumi WA, El-Sayed SM, Choi Y, Moon S, No JH, Lee YS. Bestatin analogs-4-quinolinone hybrids as antileishmanial hits: Design, repurposing rational, synthesis, in vitro and in silico studies. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 250:115211. [PMID: 36827952 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Amongst different forms of leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. donovani is highly mortal. Identification of new hit compounds might afford new starting points to develop novel therapeutics. In this lieu, a rationally designed small library of bestatin analogs-4-quinolone hybrids were prepared and evaluated. Analysis of SAR unveiled distinct profiles for hybrids type 1 and type 2, which might arise from their different molecular targets. Amongst type 1 bestatin analog-4-quinolone hybrids, hybrid 1e was identified as potential hit inhibiting growth of L. donovani promastigotes by 91 and 53% at 50 and 25 μM concentrations, respectively. Meanwhile, hybrid 2j was identified amongst type 2 bestatin analog-4-quinolone hybrids as potential hit compound inhibiting growth of L. donovani promastigotes by 50 and 38% at 50 and 25 μM concentrations, respectively. Preliminary safety evaluation of the promising hit compounds showed that they are 50-100 folds safer against human derived monocytic THP-1 cells relative to the drug erufosine. In silico study was conducted to predict the possible binding of hybrid 1e with methionine aminopeptidases 1 and 2 of L. donovani. Molecular dynamic simulations verified the predicted binding modes and provide more in depth understanding of the impact of hybrid 1e on LdMetAP-1 and LdMetAP-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed H E Hassan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt; Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kazem Mahmoud
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Egyptian Russian University, Badr City, Cairo, 11829, Egypt
| | - Trong-Nhat Phan
- Host-Parasite Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Moataz A Shaldam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, 33516, Egypt
| | - Chae Hyeon Lee
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon Ju Kim
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Bin Cho
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Waleed A Bayoumi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Selwan M El-Sayed
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Yeonwoo Choi
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Suyeon Moon
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Hwan No
- Host-Parasite Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Sup Lee
- Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea; Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
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Mech D, Kurowska A, Trotsko N. The Bioactivity of Thiazolidin-4-Ones: A Short Review of the Most Recent Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11533. [PMID: 34768964 PMCID: PMC8584074 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Thiazolidin-4-ones is an important heterocyclic ring system of a pharmacophore and a privileged scaffold in medicinal chemistry. This review is focused on the latest scientific reports regarding biological activities of thiazolidin-4-ones published in 2020 and 2021. The review covers recent information about antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticonvulsant, antidiabetic, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antitubercular and antiviral properties of thiazolidin-4-ones. Additionally, the influence of different substituents in molecules on their biological activity was discussed in this paper. Thus, this study may help to optimize the structure of thiazolidin-4-one derivatives as more efficient drug agents. Presented information may be used as a practical hint for rational design of new small molecules with biological activity, especially among thiazolidin-4-ones.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nazar Trotsko
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (D.M.); (A.K.)
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Bhat S, Qureshi IA. Structural and Functional Basis of Potent Inhibition of Leishmanial Leucine Aminopeptidase by Peptidomimetics. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:19076-19085. [PMID: 34337246 PMCID: PMC8320071 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c02386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A leucine aminopeptidase primarily hydrolyzes amino acid leucine from the N-terminus end of proteins and is involved in free amino acid regulation, which makes it a potential therapeutic target against neglected tropical diseases including leishmaniasis. We here report the purification and characterization of the leucine aminopeptidase from Leishmania donovani (LdLAP). Using a set of biophysical and biochemical methods, we demonstrate that this enzyme was properly folded after expression in a bacterial system and catalytically active when supplemented with divalent metal cofactors with synthetic fluorogenic peptides. Subsequently, enzymatic inhibition assay denoted that LdLAP activity was inhibited by peptidomimetics, particularly actinonin, which caused potent inhibition and exhibited stronger binding association with the LdLAP. Stronger association of actinonin with the LdLAP was due to a stable complex formation mostly mediated by hydrogen bonding with catalytic and substrate-binding residues in the C-terminal catalytic domain. With molecular dynamics simulation studies, we demonstrate that peptidomimetics retain their topological space in the LdLAP catalytic pocket and form a stable complex. These results expand the current knowledge of aminopeptidase biochemistry and highlight that specific actinonin or peptidomimetic-based inhibitors may emerge as leads to combat leishmaniasis.
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8
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Bala S, Yellamanda KV, Kadari A, Ravinuthala VSU, Kattula B, Singh OV, Gundla R, Addlagatta A. Selective inhibition of Helicobacter pylori methionine aminopeptidase by azaindole hydroxamic acid derivatives: Design, synthesis, in vitro biochemical and structural studies. Bioorg Chem 2021; 115:105185. [PMID: 34329997 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Methionine aminopeptidases (MetAPs) are an important class of enzymes that work co-translationally for the removal of initiator methionine. Chemical inhibition or gene knockdown is lethal to the microbes suggesting that they can be used as antibiotic targets. However, sequence and structural similarity between the microbial and host MetAPs has been a challenge in the identification of selective inhibitors. In this study, we have analyzed several thousands of MetAP sequences and established a pattern of variation in the S1 pocket of the enzyme. Based on this knowledge, we have designed a library of 17 azaindole based hydroxamic acid derivatives which selectively inhibited the MetAP from H. pylori compared to the human counterpart. Structural studies provided the molecular basis for the selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeepchowdary Bala
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201 002, India
| | - Kalisha Vali Yellamanda
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM Deemed to be University, Hyderabad 502 102, Telangana, India
| | - Anilkumar Kadari
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM Deemed to be University, Hyderabad 502 102, Telangana, India
| | - Venkata S U Ravinuthala
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007, Telangana, India
| | - Bhavita Kattula
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201 002, India
| | - Om V Singh
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM Deemed to be University, Hyderabad 502 102, Telangana, India
| | - Rambabu Gundla
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM Deemed to be University, Hyderabad 502 102, Telangana, India.
| | - Anthony Addlagatta
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201 002, India.
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Development and Validation of a Sensitive, Specific and Reproducible UPLC-MS/MS Method for the Quantification of OJT007, A Novel Anti-Leishmanial Agent: Application to a Pharmacokinetic Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18094624. [PMID: 33925369 PMCID: PMC8123827 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OJT007 is a methionine aminopeptidase 1 (MetAP1) inhibitor with potent anti-proliferative effects against Leishmania Major. In order to study its pharmacokinetics as a part of the drug development process, a sensitive, specific, and reproducible ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated. Voriconazole was used as the internal standard to generate standard curves ranging from 5 to 1000 ng/mL. The separation was achieved using a UPLC system equipped with an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.7 μm) with 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid in water as the mobile phase under gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. The mass analysis was performed with a 4000 QTRAP® mass spectrometer using multiple-ion reaction monitoring (MRM) in the positive mode, with the transition of m/z 325 → m/z 205 for OJT007 and m/z 350 → m/z 101 for voriconazole. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were within ±15%. The mean extraction recovery and the matrix effect were 95.1% and 7.96%, respectively, suggesting no significant matrix interfering with the quantification of the drug in rat plasma. This study was successfully used for the pharmacokinetic evaluation of OJT007 using the rat as an animal model.
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