1
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Ribaudo G, Yun X, Ongaro A, Oselladore E, Ng JPL, Haynes RK, Law BYK, Memo M, Wong VKW, Coghi P, Gianoncelli A. Combining computational and experimental evidence on the activity of antimalarial drugs on papain-like protease of SARS-CoV-2: A repurposing study. Chem Biol Drug Des 2023; 101:809-818. [PMID: 36453012 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14187] [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: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The development of inhibitors that target the papain-like protease (PLpro) has the potential to counteract the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Based on a consideration of its several downstream effects, interfering with PLpro would both revert immune suppression exerted by the virus and inhibit viral replication. By following a repurposing strategy, the current study evaluates the potential of antimalarial drugs as PLpro inhibitors, and thereby the possibility of their use for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Computational tools were employed for structural analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations to screen antimalarial drugs against PLpro, and in silico data were validated by in vitro experiments. Virtual screening highlighted amodiaquine and methylene blue as the best candidates, and these findings were complemented by the in vitro results that indicated amodiaquine as a μM PLpro deubiquitinase inhibitor. The results of this study demonstrate that the computational workflow adopted here can correctly identify active compounds. Thus, the highlighted antimalarial drugs represent a starting point for the development of new PLpro inhibitors through structural optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Ribaudo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Xiaoyun Yun
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Alberto Ongaro
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Erika Oselladore
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Jerome P L Ng
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Richard K Haynes
- Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Betty Yuen Kwan Law
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Maurizio Memo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Vincent Kam Wai Wong
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Paolo Coghi
- School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Alessandra Gianoncelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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2
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The Artemiside-Artemisox-Artemisone-M1 Tetrad: Efficacies against Blood Stage P. falciparum Parasites, DMPK Properties, and the Case for Artemiside. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13122066. [PMID: 34959347 PMCID: PMC8704606 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13122066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Because of the need to replace the current clinical artemisinins in artemisinin combination therapies, we are evaluating fitness of amino-artemisinins for this purpose. These include the thiomorpholine derivative artemiside obtained in one scalable synthetic step from dihydroartemisinin (DHA) and the derived sulfone artemisone. We have recently shown that artemiside undergoes facile metabolism via the sulfoxide artemisox into artemisone and thence into the unsaturated metabolite M1; DHA is not a metabolite. Artemisox and M1 are now found to be approximately equipotent with artemiside and artemisone in vitro against asexual P. falciparum (Pf) blood stage parasites (IC50 1.5–2.6 nM). Against Pf NF54 blood stage gametocytes, artemisox is potently active (IC50 18.9 nM early-stage, 2.7 nM late-stage), although against the late-stage gametocytes, activity is expressed, like other amino-artemisinins, at a prolonged incubation time of 72 h. Comparative drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK) properties were assessed via po and iv administration of artemiside, artemisox, and artemisone in a murine model. Following oral administration, the composite Cmax value of artemiside plus its metabolites artemisox and artemisone formed in vivo is some 2.6-fold higher than that attained following administration of artemisone alone. Given that efficacy of short half-life rapidly-acting antimalarial drugs such as the artemisinins is associated with Cmax, it is apparent that artemiside will be more active than artemisone in vivo, due to additive effects of the metabolites. As is evident from earlier data, artemiside indeed possesses appreciably greater efficacy in vivo against murine malaria. Overall, the higher exposure levels of active drug following administration of artemiside coupled with its synthetic accessibility indicate it is much the preferred drug for incorporation into rational new artemisinin combination therapies.
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Çapcı A, Herrmann L, Sampath Kumar HM, Fröhlich T, Tsogoeva SB. Artemisinin-derived dimers from a chemical perspective. Med Res Rev 2021; 41:2927-2970. [PMID: 34114227 DOI: 10.1002/med.21814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Considerable progress has been made with the rather recently developed dimer approach, which has already found applications in the development of new effective artemisinin-derived antimalarial, anticancer, and antiviral agents. One observation common to these potential applications is the significant (i.e., much more than double) improvement in activity of artemisinin based dimers, which are not toxic to normal cells and have fewer or less harmful side effects, with respect to monomers against parasites, cancer cells and viruses. Due to the high potential of the dimerization concept, many new artemisinin-derived dimer compounds and their biological activities have been recently reported. In this review an overview of the synthesis of dimer drug candidates based on the clinically used drug artemisinin and its semisynthetic derivatives is given. Besides the highlighting of biological activities of the selected dimers, the main focus is set on different synthetic approaches toward the dimers containing a broad variety of symmetric and nonsymmetric linking moieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysun Çapcı
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lars Herrmann
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Halmuthur M Sampath Kumar
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Tony Fröhlich
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Svetlana B Tsogoeva
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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4
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Patel OPS, Beteck RM, Legoabe LJ. Exploration of artemisinin derivatives and synthetic peroxides in antimalarial drug discovery research. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 213:113193. [PMID: 33508479 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by protozoal parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium. It caused an estimated 405,000 deaths and 228 million malaria cases globally in 2018 as per the World Malaria Report released by World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019. Artemisinin (ART), a "Nobel medicine" and its derivatives have proven potential application in antimalarial drug discovery programs. In this review, antimalarial activity of the most active artemisinin derivatives modified at C-10/C-11/C-16/C-6 positions and synthetic peroxides (endoperoxides, 1,2,4-trioxolanes, 1,2,4-trioxanes, and 1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes) are systematically summarized. The developmental trend of ART derivatives, and cyclic peroxides along with their antimalarial activity and how the activity is affected by structural variations on different sites of the compounds are discussed. This compilation would be very useful towards scaffold hopping aimed at avoiding the unnecessary complexity in cyclic peroxides, and ultimately act as a handy resource for the development of potential chemotherapeutics against Plasmodium species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Om P S Patel
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa.
| | - Richard M Beteck
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
| | - Lesetja J Legoabe
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa.
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5
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Tiwari MK, Chaudhary S. Artemisinin-derived antimalarial endoperoxides from bench-side to bed-side: Chronological advancements and future challenges. Med Res Rev 2020; 40:1220-1275. [PMID: 31930540 DOI: 10.1002/med.21657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
According to WHO World Malaria Report (2018), nearly 219 million new cases of malaria occurred and a total no. of 435 000 people died in 2017 due to this infectious disease. This is due to the rapid spread of parasite-resistant strains. Artemisinin (ART), a sesquiterpene lactone endoperoxide isolated from traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua, has been recognized as a novel class of antimalarial drugs. The 2015 "Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine" was given to Prof Dr Tu Youyou for the discovery of ART. Hence, ART is termed as "Nobel medicine." The present review article accommodates insights from the chronological advancements and direct statistics witnessed during the past 48 years (1971-2019) in the medicinal chemistry of ART-derived antimalarial endoperoxides, and their clinical utility in malaria chemotherapy and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohit K Tiwari
- Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, Jaipur, India
| | - Sandeep Chaudhary
- Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, Jaipur, India
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6
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Çapcı A, Lorion MM, Wang H, Simon N, Leidenberger M, Borges Silva MC, Moreira DRM, Zhu Y, Meng Y, Chen JY, Lee YM, Friedrich O, Kappes B, Wang J, Ackermann L, Tsogoeva SB. Artemisinin–(Iso)quinoline Hybrids by C−H Activation and Click Chemistry: Combating Multidrug‐Resistant Malaria. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201907224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aysun Çapcı
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM) Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10 91054 Erlangen Germany
| | - Mélanie M. Lorion
- Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Tammannstraße 2 37077 Göttingen Germany
| | - Hui Wang
- Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Tammannstraße 2 37077 Göttingen Germany
| | - Nina Simon
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Paul-Gordon-Straße 3 91052 Erlangen Germany
| | - Maria Leidenberger
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Paul-Gordon-Straße 3 91052 Erlangen Germany
| | | | | | - Yongping Zhu
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing 100700 China
| | - Yuqing Meng
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing 100700 China
| | - Jia Yun Chen
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing 100700 China
| | - Yew Mun Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore 117600 Singapore Singapore
| | - Oliver Friedrich
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Paul-Gordon-Straße 3 91052 Erlangen Germany
| | - Barbara Kappes
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Paul-Gordon-Straße 3 91052 Erlangen Germany
| | - Jigang Wang
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing 100700 China
- Shenzhen People's Hospital Shenzhen 518020 China
| | - Lutz Ackermann
- Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Tammannstraße 2 37077 Göttingen Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Germany
| | - Svetlana B. Tsogoeva
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM) Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10 91054 Erlangen Germany
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7
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Çapcı A, Lorion MM, Wang H, Simon N, Leidenberger M, Borges Silva MC, Moreira DRM, Zhu Y, Meng Y, Chen JY, Lee YM, Friedrich O, Kappes B, Wang J, Ackermann L, Tsogoeva SB. Artemisinin-(Iso)quinoline Hybrids by C-H Activation and Click Chemistry: Combating Multidrug-Resistant Malaria. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:13066-13079. [PMID: 31290221 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201907224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A substantial challenge worldwide is emergent drug resistance in malaria parasites against approved drugs, such as chloroquine (CQ). To address these unsolved CQ resistance issues, only rare examples of artemisinin (ART)-based hybrids have been reported. Moreover, protein targets of such hybrids have not been identified yet, and the reason for the superior efficacy of these hybrids is still not known. Herein, we report the synthesis of novel ART-isoquinoline and ART-quinoline hybrids showing highly improved potencies against CQ-resistant and multidrug-resistant P. falciparum strains (EC50 (Dd2) down to 1.0 nm; EC50 (K1) down to 0.78 nm) compared to CQ (EC50 (Dd2)=165.3 nm; EC50 (K1)=302.8 nm) and strongly suppressing parasitemia in experimental malaria. These new compounds are easily accessible by step-economic C-H activation and copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reactions. Through chemical proteomics, putatively hybrid-binding protein targets of the ART-quinolines were successfully identified in addition to known targets of quinoline and artemisinin alone, suggesting that the hybrids act through multiple modes of action to overcome resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysun Çapcı
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mélanie M Lorion
- Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Tammannstraße 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hui Wang
- Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Tammannstraße 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nina Simon
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Paul-Gordon-Straße 3, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maria Leidenberger
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Paul-Gordon-Straße 3, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | | | - Yongping Zhu
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yuqing Meng
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Jia Yun Chen
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yew Mun Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117600, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Oliver Friedrich
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Paul-Gordon-Straße 3, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Barbara Kappes
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Paul-Gordon-Straße 3, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jigang Wang
- Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.,Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, China
| | - Lutz Ackermann
- Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Tammannstraße 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.,German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Germany
| | - Svetlana B Tsogoeva
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials (ICMM), Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
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8
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Stoye A, Juillard A, Tang AH, Legac J, Gut J, White KL, Charman SA, Rosenthal PJ, Grau GER, Hunt NH, Payne RJ. Falcipain Inhibitors Based on the Natural Product Gallinamide A Are Potent in Vitro and in Vivo Antimalarials. J Med Chem 2019; 62:5562-5578. [PMID: 31062592 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A library of analogues of the cyanobacterium-derived depsipeptide natural product gallinamide A were designed and prepared using a highly efficient and convergent synthetic route. Analogues were shown to exhibit potent inhibitory activity against the Plasmodium falciparum cysteine proteases falcipain 2 and falcipain 3 and against cultured chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) and chloroquine-resistant (W2) strains of P. falciparum. Three lead compounds were selected for evaluation of in vivo efficacy against Plasmodium berghei infection in mice on the basis of their improved blood, plasma, and microsomal stability profiles compared with the parent natural product. One of the lead analogues cured P. berghei-infected mice in the Peters 4 day-suppressive test when administered 25 mg kg-1 intraperitoneally daily for 4 days. The compound was also capable of clearing parasites in established infections at 50 mg kg-1 intraperitoneally daily for 4 days and exhibited moderate activity when administered as four oral doses of 100 mg kg-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Stoye
- School of Chemistry , Building F11, The University of Sydney , Sydney , New South Wales 2006 , Australia
| | - Annette Juillard
- School of Medical Sciences, Sydney Medical School , Building K25, The University of Sydney , Medical Foundation, Sydney , New South Wales 2006 , Australia
| | - Arthur H Tang
- School of Chemistry , Building F11, The University of Sydney , Sydney , New South Wales 2006 , Australia
| | - Jennifer Legac
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital , University of California , San Francisco , California 94143 , United States
| | - Jiri Gut
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital , University of California , San Francisco , California 94143 , United States
| | - Karen L White
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation , Monash University , Victoria 3052 , Australia
| | - Susan A Charman
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation , Monash University , Victoria 3052 , Australia
| | - Philip J Rosenthal
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital , University of California , San Francisco , California 94143 , United States
| | - Georges E R Grau
- School of Medical Sciences, Sydney Medical School , Building K25, The University of Sydney , Medical Foundation, Sydney , New South Wales 2006 , Australia
| | - Nicholas H Hunt
- School of Medical Sciences, Sydney Medical School , Building K25, The University of Sydney , Medical Foundation, Sydney , New South Wales 2006 , Australia
| | - Richard J Payne
- School of Chemistry , Building F11, The University of Sydney , Sydney , New South Wales 2006 , Australia
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Artemisone and Artemiside Are Potent Panreactive Antimalarial Agents That Also Synergize Redox Imbalance in Plasmodium falciparum Transmissible Gametocyte Stages. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.02214-17. [PMID: 29866868 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02214-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of resistance toward artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has the potential to severely compromise malaria control. Therefore, the development of new artemisinins in combination with new drugs that impart activities toward both intraerythrocytic proliferative asexual and transmissible gametocyte stages, in particular, those of resistant parasites, is urgently required. We define artemisinins as oxidant drugs through their ability to oxidize reduced flavin cofactors of flavin disulfide reductases critical for maintaining redox homeostasis in the malaria parasite. Here we compare the activities of 10-amino artemisinin derivatives toward the asexual and gametocyte stages of P. falciparum parasites. Of these, artemisone and artemiside inhibited asexual and gametocyte stages, particularly stage V gametocytes, in the low-nanomolar range. Further, treatment of both early and late gametocyte stages with artemisone or artemiside combined with the pro-oxidant redox partner methylene blue displayed notable synergism. These data suggest that modulation of redox homeostasis is likely an important druggable process, particularly in gametocytes, and this finding thereby enhances the prospect of using combinations of oxidant and redox drugs for malaria control.
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10
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Konstat-Korzenny E, Ascencio-Aragón JA, Niezen-Lugo S, Vázquez-López R. Artemisinin and Its Synthetic Derivatives as a Possible Therapy for Cancer. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 6:medsci6010019. [PMID: 29495461 PMCID: PMC5872176 DOI: 10.3390/medsci6010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
To assess the possibility of using the antimalarial drug artemisinin and its synthetic derivatives as antineoplastic drugs. A Pubmed and Google Scholar (1983–2018) search was performed using the terms artemisinin, cancer, artesunate and Artemisia annua. Case reports and original research articles, review articles, and clinical trials in both humans and animals were evaluated. Both in vitro and in vivo clinical trials and case reports have shown promising activity of the artemisinin drug derivatives in treating certain types of cancer. However, the reported articles are few, and therefore not statistically significant. The minimal toxicity shown in clinical trials and case reports, along with the selective cytotoxic activity of the compounds, make them possible cancer therapies due to the emerging evidence of the drug’s effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Konstat-Korzenny
- Departamento de Microbiología del Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (CICSA) Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac México Campus Norte. Av. Universidad Anáhuac 46 Col. Lomas Anáhuac Huixquilucan, Estado de México 52786, México.
| | - Jorge Alberto Ascencio-Aragón
- Departamento de Microbiología del Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (CICSA) Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac México Campus Norte. Av. Universidad Anáhuac 46 Col. Lomas Anáhuac Huixquilucan, Estado de México 52786, México.
| | - Sebastian Niezen-Lugo
- Departamento de Microbiología del Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (CICSA) Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac México Campus Norte. Av. Universidad Anáhuac 46 Col. Lomas Anáhuac Huixquilucan, Estado de México 52786, México.
| | - Rosalino Vázquez-López
- Departamento de Microbiología del Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud (CICSA) Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac México Campus Norte. Av. Universidad Anáhuac 46 Col. Lomas Anáhuac Huixquilucan, Estado de México 52786, México.
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11
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Synthesis of novel C-9 carbon substituted derivatives of artemisinin. Bioorg Med Chem 2017; 25:6098-6101. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 03/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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12
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Gold D, Alian M, Domb A, Karawani Y, Jbarien M, Chollet J, Haynes RK, Wong HN, Buchholz V, Greiner A, Golenser J. Elimination of Schistosoma mansoni in infected mice by slow release of artemisone. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2017; 7:241-247. [PMID: 28511056 PMCID: PMC5430492 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The current treatment of schistosomiasis is based on the anti-helminthic drug praziquantel (PZQ). PZQ affects only the adult stages of schistosomes. In addition, resistance to PZQ is emerging. We suggest a drug, which could serve as a potential alternative or complement to PZQ, and as a means of treating infections at earlier, pre-granuloma stage. Derivatives of the peroxidic antimalarial drug artemisinin have been indicated as alternatives, because both plasmodia and schistosomes are blood-feeding parasites. The mechanism of action of artemisinins is related to oxidative effects of the artemisinins on intracellular reductants leading to formation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species. We used artemisone, which has improved pharmacokinetics and anti-plasmodial activity, and reduced toxicity compared to other artemisinins in clinical use against malaria. We infected adult mice by subcutaneous injection of S. mansoni cercariae (about 200) and treated them at various times post infection by the following methods: i. artemisone suspension administered by gavage (400-450 mg/kg); ii. subcutaneous injection of a gel containing a known concentration of artemisone (115-120 mg/kg); iii. subcutaneous insertion of the drug incorporated in a solid polymer (56-60 mg/kg); iv. intraperitoneal injection of the drug solubilized in DMSO (115-120 mg/kg). Drug administration in polymers was performed to enable slow release of the artemisone that was verified in vivo and in vitro bioassays using drug-sensitive malaria parasites. We found superior strong anti-schistosome effects up to a total reduction of worm number, mainly following repetitive treatments with the drug absorbed in the polymers (73.1% and 95.9% reduction in mice treated with artemisone in gel 7 and 14, and 21, 28 and 35 days post infection, respectively). The results indicate that artemisone has a potent anti-schistosome activity. Its main importance in this context is its effectiveness in treating hosts harboring juvenile schistosomes, before egg-deposition and induction of deleterious immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gold
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Mohammed Alian
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Avraham Domb
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yara Karawani
- The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem-Hadassah Medical School, Israel
| | - Maysa Jbarien
- The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem-Hadassah Medical School, Israel
| | - Jacques Chollet
- Swiss Tropical Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Richard K Haynes
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Ho Ning Wong
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Viola Buchholz
- Macromolecular Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Andreas Greiner
- Macromolecular Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Jacob Golenser
- The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem-Hadassah Medical School, Israel.
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13
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Design of Drug Delivery Systems Containing Artemisinin and Its Derivatives. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22020323. [PMID: 28230749 PMCID: PMC6155641 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22020323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin and its derivatives have been reported to be experimentally effective for the treatment of highly aggressive cancers without developing drug resistance, they are useful for the treatment of malaria, other protozoal infections and they exhibit antiviral activity. However, they are limited pharmacologically by their poor bioavailability, short half-life in vivo, poor water solubility and long term usage results in toxicity. They are also expensive for the treatment of malaria when compared to other antimalarials. In order to enhance their therapeutic efficacy, they are incorporated onto different drug delivery systems, thus yielding improved biological outcomes. This review article is focused on the currently synthesized derivatives of artemisinin and different delivery systems used for the incorporation of artemisinin and its derivatives.
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14
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Müller J, Aguado-Martínez A, Manser V, Wong HN, Haynes RK, Hemphill A. Repurposing of antiparasitic drugs: the hydroxy-naphthoquinone buparvaquone inhibits vertical transmission in the pregnant neosporosis mouse model. Vet Res 2016; 47:32. [PMID: 26883424 PMCID: PMC4756515 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-016-0317-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The three anti-malarial drugs artemiside, artemisone, and mefloquine, and the naphthoquinone buparvaquone known to be active against theileriosis in cattle and Leishmania infections in rodents, were assessed for activity against Neospora caninum infection. All four compounds inhibited the proliferation of N. caninum tachyzoites in vitro with IC50 in the sub-micromolar range, but artemisone and buparvaquone were most effective (IC50 = 3 and 4.9 nM, respectively). However, in a neosporosis mouse model for cerebral infection comprising Balb/c mice experimentally infected with the virulent isolate Nc-Spain7, the three anti-malarial compounds failed to exhibit any activity, since treatment did not reduce the parasite burden in brains and lungs compared to untreated controls. Thus, these compounds were not further evaluated in pregnant mice. On the other hand, buparvaquone, shown earlier to be effective in reducing the parasite load in the lungs in an acute neosporosis disease model, was further assessed in the pregnant mouse model. Buparvaquone efficiently inhibited vertical transmission in Balb/c mice experimentally infected at day 7 of pregnancy, reduced clinical signs in the pups, but had no effect on cerebral infection in the dams. This demonstrates proof-of-concept that drug repurposing may lead to the discovery of an effective compound against neosporosis that can protect offspring from vertical transmission and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Müller
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Adriana Aguado-Martínez
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Vera Manser
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Ho Ning Wong
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences G2, North-West University Potchefstroom Campus, 11 Hoffman Street, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa.
| | - Richard K Haynes
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences G2, North-West University Potchefstroom Campus, 11 Hoffman Street, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa.
| | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
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15
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Fernández-Álvaro E, Hong WD, Nixon GL, O’Neill PM, Calderón F. Antimalarial Chemotherapy: Natural Product Inspired Development of Preclinical and Clinical Candidates with Diverse Mechanisms of Action. J Med Chem 2016; 59:5587-603. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Fernández-Álvaro
- Diseases of the Developing World, Tres
Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, c/Severo Ochoa, 2, 28760, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - W. David Hong
- Robert Robinson
Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Gemma L. Nixon
- Robert Robinson
Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Paul M. O’Neill
- Robert Robinson
Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Félix Calderón
- Diseases of the Developing World, Tres
Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, c/Severo Ochoa, 2, 28760, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
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16
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Carrillo AK, Guiguemde WA, Guy RK. Evaluation of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) as therapeutic leads for human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). Bioorg Med Chem 2015; 23:5151-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2014.12.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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17
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Bhaumik A, Pal TK, Pathak T. 1,1-Dioxothiomorpholines with asymmetric environments: protecting group directed diastereoselectivity of glyco divinyl sulfone cyclization. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra03276h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Formation of 1,1-dioxothiomorpholines from divinyl sulfone-modified pyranosides dramatically varied when benzylidene protection is replaced by benzyl protecting groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atanu Bhaumik
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
- Kharagpur 721302
- India
| | - Tarun Kumar Pal
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
- Kharagpur 721302
- India
| | - Tanmaya Pathak
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
- Kharagpur 721302
- India
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18
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Guiguemde WA, Hunt NH, Guo J, Marciano A, Haynes RK, Clark J, Guy RK, Golenser J. Treatment of murine cerebral malaria by artemisone in combination with conventional antimalarial drugs: antiplasmodial effects and immune responses. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 58:4745-54. [PMID: 24913162 PMCID: PMC4135990 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01553-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The decreasing effectiveness of antimalarial therapy due to drug resistance necessitates constant efforts to develop new drugs. Artemisinin derivatives are the most recent drugs that have been introduced and are considered the first line of treatment, but there are already indications of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinins. Consequently, drug combinations are recommended for prevention of the induction of resistance. The research here demonstrates the effects of novel combinations of the new artemisinin derivative, artemisone, a recently described 10-alkylamino artemisinin derivative with improved antimalarial activity and reduced neurotoxicity. We here investigate its ability to kill P. falciparum in a high-throughput in vitro assay and to protect mice against lethal cerebral malaria caused by Plasmodium berghei ANKA when used alone or in combination with established antimalarial drugs. Artemisone effects against P. falciparum in vitro were synergistic with halofantrine and mefloquine, and additive with 25 other drugs, including chloroquine and doxycycline. The concentrations of artemisone combinations that were toxic against THP-1 cells in vitro were much higher than their effective antimalarial concentration. Artemisone, mefloquine, chloroquine, or piperaquine given individually mostly protected mice against cerebral malaria caused by P. berghei ANKA but did not prevent parasite recrudescence. Combinations of artemisone with any of the other three drugs did completely cure most mice of malaria. The combination of artemisone and chloroquine decreased the ratio of proinflammatory (gamma interferon, tumor necrosis factor) to anti-inflammatory (interleukin 10 [IL-10], IL-4) cytokines in the plasma of P. berghei-infected mice. Thus, artemisone in combinations with other antimalarial drugs might have a dual action, both killing parasites and limiting the potentially deleterious host inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Armand Guiguemde
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Nicholas H Hunt
- Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jintao Guo
- Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Annael Marciano
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Richard K Haynes
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Julie Clark
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - R Kiplin Guy
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jacob Golenser
- Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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19
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Artemisinins: Pharmacological actions beyond anti-malarial. Pharmacol Ther 2014; 142:126-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2013.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 309] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Accepted: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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20
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Conyers RC, Mazzone JR, Siegler MA, Tripathi AK, Sullivan DJ, Mott BT, Posner GH. The survival times of malaria-infected mice are prolonged more by several new two-carbon-linked artemisinin-derived dimer carbamates than by the trioxane antimalarial drug artemether. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2014; 24:1285-9. [PMID: 24508128 PMCID: PMC3943161 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2014.01.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Sixteen new artemisinin-derived 2-carbon-linked trioxane dimers were prepared to study chemical structure/antimalarial activity relationships (SAR). Administering a very low single oral dose of only 5mg/kg of dimer secondary alcohol 6a or 6b plus 15 mg/kg of mefloquine hydrochloride prolonged the lives of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice to an average of 25 days after infection. This ACT chemotherapy result is of high medicinal significance because the antimalarial efficacy of the popular trioxane drug artemether (2) plus mefloquine under the same conditions was significantly lower (only 20 day average survival). NH-aryl carbamate derivatives 7e, 7i, and 7j of 2-carbon-linked dimer alcohol 6b also significantly outperformed artemether (2) in prolonging the survival times (25-27 days) of malaria-infected mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Conyers
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Jennifer R Mazzone
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Maxime A Siegler
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Abhai K Tripathi
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States; The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - David J Sullivan
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States; The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Bryan T Mott
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Gary H Posner
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States; The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.
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21
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Abstract
The emergence of resistance to artemisinins and the renewed efforts to eradicate malaria demand the urgent development of new drugs. In this endeavour, the evaluation of efficacy in animal models is often a go/no go decision assay in drug discovery. This important role relies on the capability of animal models to assess the disposition, toxicology and efficacy of drugs in a single test. Although the relative merits of each efficacy model of malaria as human surrogate have been extensively discussed, there are no critical analyses on the use of such models in current drug discovery. In this article, we intend to analyse how efficacy models are used to discover new antimalarial drugs. Our analysis indicates that testing drug efficacy is often the last assay in each discovery stage and the experimental designs utilized are not optimized to expedite decision-making and inform clinical development. In light of this analysis, we propose new ways to accelerate drug discovery using efficacy models.
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22
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Dose responses of proveblue methylene blue in an experimental murine cerebral malaria model. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:4080-1. [PMID: 23669389 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00634-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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23
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Efficacy of proveblue (methylene blue) in an experimental cerebral malaria murine model. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:3412-4. [PMID: 23612202 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02381-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although 100% of untreated mice infected with Plasmodium berghei died with specific signs of cerebral malaria and 100% of mice treated with 3 mg/kg dihydroartemisinin, the active metabolite of artesunate, which is used as the first-line treatment for severe malaria, also died but showed no specific signs of cerebral malaria, 78% of mice treated with 10 mg/kg Proveblue (methylene blue) and 78% of mice treated with a combination of 3 mg dihydroartemisinin and 10 mg/kg Proveblue survived and showed no specific signs of cerebral malaria or detectable parasites.
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