Development, Characterization and Cell Viability Inhibition of PVA Spheres Loaded with Doxorubicin and 4'-Amino-1-Naphthyl-Chalcone (D14) for Osteosarcoma

Chalcones (1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones) are naturally occurring polyphenols with known anticancer activity against a variety of tumor cell lines, including osteosarcoma (OS). In this paper, we present the preparation and characterization of spheres (~2 mm) from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) containing a combination of 4′-Amino-1-Naphthyl-Chalcone (D14) and doxorubicin, to act as a new polymeric dual-drug anticancer delivery. D14 is a potent inhibitor of osteosarcoma progression and, when combined with doxorubicin, presents a synergetic effect; hence, physically crosslinked PVA spheres loaded with D14 and doxorubicin were prepared using liquid nitrogen and six freeze–thawing cycles. Physical-chemical characterization using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) presented that the drugs were incorporated into the spheres via weak interactions between the drugs and the polymeric chains, resulting in overall good drug stability. The cytotoxicity activity of the PVA spheres co-encapsulating both drugs was tested against the U2OS human osteosarcoma cell line by 3- (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and compared to the spheres carrying either D14 or doxorubicin alone. The co-delivery showed a cytotoxic effect 2.6-fold greater than doxorubicin alone, revealing a significant synergistic effect with a coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) of 0.49. The obtained results suggest this developed PVA sphere as a potential dual-drug delivery system that could be used for the prominent synergistic anticancer activity of co-delivering D14 and doxorubicin, providing a new potential strategy for improved osteosarcoma treatment.

Molecular targets and anticancer activity of quinoline-chalcone hybrids: literature review

α,β-Unsaturated chalcone moieties and quinoline scaffolds play an important role in medicinal chemistry, especially in the identification and development of potential anticancer agents. The multi-target approach or hybridization is considered as a promising strategy in drug design and discovery. Hybridization may improve the affinity and potency while simultaneously decreasing the resistance and/or side effects. The conjugation of quinolines with chalcones has been a promising approach to the identification of potential anticancer agents. Most of these hybrids showed anticancer activities through the inhibition of tubulin polymerization, different kinases, topoisomerases, or by affecting DNA cleavage activity. Accordingly, this class of compounds can be classified based on their molecular modes of action. In this article, the quinolone-chalcone hybrids with potential anticancer activity have been reviewed. This class of compounds might be helpful for the design, discovery and development of new and potential multi-target anticancer agents or drugs.

Synthesis, antimicrobial and cytotoxicity evaluation of new cholesterol congeners

3β-Azidocholest-5-ene (3) and (3β)-3-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy)cholest-5-ene (10) were prepared as substrates to synthesize a variety of three-motif pharmacophoric conjugates through CuAAC. Basically, these conjugates included cholesterol and 1,2,3-triazole moieties, while the third, the pharmacophore, was either a chalcone, a lipophilic residue or a carbohydrate tag. These compounds were successfully prepared in good yields and characterized by NMR, MS and IR spectroscopic techniques. Chalcone conjugate 6c showed the best antimicrobial activity, while the lactoside conjugate 27 showed the best cytotoxic effect in vitro.