Active Anti-Inflammatory and Hypolipidemic Derivatives of Lorazepam

Trolox, Ferulic, Sinapic, and Cinnamic Acid Derivatives of Proline and GABA with Antioxidant and/or Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Degenerative conditions, such as neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD)) and cardiovascular diseases, are complex, multifactorial disorders whose pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated yet. As a result, the available treatment options cannot eliminate these diseases radically, but only alleviate the symptoms. Both inflammatory processes and oxidation are key factors in the development and evolution of neurodegeneration, while acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are the most used therapeutic options against AD. In this work, following the multi-targeting compound approach, we designed and synthesized a series of proline and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) amides with various acidic moieties that possess an antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory potency. Proline is the pharmacophore of nootropic drugs (e.g., piracetam) used for memory improvement, while GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. The designed molecules were subjected to a preliminary screening of their bioactivity in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory assays, as well as against acetylcholinesterase. Most of the synthesized compounds could inhibit lipid peroxidation (IC50 as low as 8 μΜ) and oxidative protein glycation (inhibition of up to 48%) and reduce the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH). In addition, all of the compounds were moderate inhibitors of lipoxygenase (LOX) (up to 46% at 100 μΜ) and could decrease carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats by up to 55%. Finally, some of the compounds were moderate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (IC50 as low as 219 μΜ). The results confirmed the design rationale, indicating that the compounds could be further optimized as multi-targeting molecules directed against degenerative conditions.

Anti-inflammatory action of new hybrid N-acyl-[1,2]dithiolo-[3,4-c]quinoline-1-thione

Most of pharmaceutical agents display a number of biological activities. It is obvious that testing even one compound for thousands of biological activities is not practically possible. A computer-aided prediction is therefore the method of choice in this case to select the most promising bioassays for particular compounds. Using the PASS Online software, we determined the probable anti-inflammatory action of the 12 new hybrid dithioloquinolinethiones derivatives. Chemical similarity search in the World-Wide Approved Drugs (WWAD) and DrugBank databases did not reveal close structural analogues with the anti-inflammatory action. Experimental testing of anti-inflammatory activity of the synthesized compounds in the carrageenan-induced inflammation mouse model confirmed the computational predictions. The anti-inflammatory activity of the studied compounds (2a, 3a-3k except for 3j) varied between 52.97% and 68.74%, being higher than the reference drug indomethacin (47%). The most active compounds appeared to be 3h (68.74%), 3k (66.91%) and 3b (63.74%) followed by 3e (61.50%). Thus, based on the in silico predictions a novel class of anti-inflammatory agents was discovered.

Ferulic, Sinapic, 3,4-Dimethoxycinnamic Acid and Indomethacin Derivatives with Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Hypolipidemic Functionality

A series of thiomorpholine and cinnamyl alcohol derivatives, conjugated with cinnamic acid-containing moieties, such as ferulic acid, sinapic acid and 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid, were synthesized and tested for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic properties. An indomethacin ester with 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol was also prepared for reasons of comparison. The majority of the compounds demonstrated considerable antioxidant capacity and radical scavenging activity, reaching up to levels similar to the well-known antioxidant trolox. Some of them had an increased anti-inflammatory effect on the reduction of carrageenan-induced rat paw edema (range 17-72% at 150 μmol/kg), having comparable activity to the NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) used as reference. They had moderate activity in soybean lipoxygenase inhibition. All the tested compounds exhibited a significant decrease in lipidemic indices in Triton-induced hyperlipidemia in rats, whilst the most active triglycerides and total cholesterol decreased by 72.5% and 76%, respectively, at 150 μmol/kg (i.p.), slightly better than that of simvastatin, a well-known hypocholesterolemic drug, but with negligible triglyceride-lowering effect. Since our designed compounds seem to exhibit multiple pharmacological activities, they may be of use in occasions involving inflammation, oxidative stress, lipidemic deregulation and degenerative conditions.

Synthetic aspects of 1,4- and 1,5-benzodiazepines using o-phenylenediamine: a study of past quinquennial

Benzodiazepines, seven-membered heterocyclic compounds having two nitrogen atoms at different positions, are ruling scaffolds in the area of pharmaceutical industry. They act as cardinal moieties in organic synthesis as well as in medicinal chemistry. Among the different benzodiazepines, 1,4- and 1,5-benzodiazepines play a far-reaching role in the field of biological activities such as anticonvulsion, anti-anxiety, sedation, and hypnotics. In the past few decades, researchers have conducted a lot of work on these moieties and developed broad, valuable, and significant approaches for their synthesis. In this review article, we recapitulate the systematic synthetic strategies of 1,4- and 1,5-benzodiazepines using o-phenylenediamine as a precursor over the past five years (2018-2022). This article will be helpful for scientists and researchers to examine and explore novel and efficient methods for the synthesis of these biologically active moieties.

Gabapentin Antioxidant Derivatives with Anti-Inflammatory and Neuroprotective Potency

Aims:

The aim of this work is to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potency of novel gabapentin derivatives, which could be proven useful as neuroprotective agents.

Background:

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders worldwide. Due to its multi-factorial character, no effective treatment has been obtained yet. In this direction, the multi-targeting compounds approach could be useful for the development of novel, more effective drugs against AD. Oxidative stress and inflammation are highly involved in the progression of neurodegeneration, while gabapentin has been investigated for the treatment of behavioral symptoms in AD.

Objective:

In this work, derivatives of cinnamic acid, Trolox, and 3,5-di-tertbutyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid amidated with gabapentin methyl ester were designed and studied. Compounds with these structural characteristics are expected to act in various biochemical pathways, affecting neurodegenerative processes.

Methods:

The designed compounds were synthesized with classical amidation methods, purified by flash column chromatography, and identified spectrometrically (1H-NMR and 13C-NMR). Their purity was determined by CHN elemental analysis. They were tested in vitro for their antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties and for their inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase. Their in vivo antiinflammatory activity was also tested.

Results:

Molecules that incorporated antioxidant moiety possessed inhibitory activity against rat microsomal membrane lipid peroxidation and oxidative protein glycation, as well as radical scavenging activity. Moreover, most of them presented moderate inhibition towards lipoxygenase (up to 51% at 100μΜ) and acetylcholinesterase (AchE) (IC50 up to 274μΜ) activities. Finally, all synthesized compounds presented in vivo anti-inflammatory activity, decreasing carrageenan-induced rat paw edema up to 53%, and some of them could inhibit cyclooxygenase significantly.

Conclusion:

These results indicate that the designed compounds could be proven useful as multitargeting molecules against AD since they affect various biochemical pathways associated with neurodegeneration. Thus, more effective drugs can be obtained, and the possible adverse effects of drug combinations can be limited.

Discovery of benzothiazole-based thiazolidinones as potential anti-inflammatory agents: anti-inflammatory activity, soybean lipoxygenase inhibition effect and molecular docking studies

Despite the greatest achievement in the development of anti-inflammatory agents in the last two decades, the current clinical drugs suffer from a variety of complications in community settings and hospital. There is still an urgent need to design novel molecules with better safety profile and with different molecular targets from those in current clinical use. The aim of this research was to discover a series of benzothiazole-based thiazolidinones with lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitory activity as a mechanism of anti-inflammatory action. Carrageenan-induced mouse foot paw oedema assay was carried out to determine the anti-inflammatory activity, while LOX inhibition was examined through the conversion of sodium linoleate to 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid. Molecular docking studies were performed using AutoDock 4.2 software. The anti-inflammatory activity of the title compounds was determined in a range of 18.4%-69.57%, where compound #3 was found to be the most potent (69.57%) and also to be more active than the reference drug indomethacin (47%). Moreover, compound #3 showed the highest LOX inhibitory activity with IC50 of 13 μM being less potent to that of the reference NDGA (IC50 = 1.3 μM). Compound #3 has been identified as lead compound for further modification in an attempt to improve anti-inflammatory and LOX inhibitory activities.

Enhancement of the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of NSAIDs by Their Conjugation with 3,4,5-Trimethoxybenzyl Alcohol

The synthesis of derivatives of three nonspecific COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen is presented. These acids were connected via an amide bond with an amino acid (L-proline, L-tyrosine, and beta-alanine) used as a linker. The amino acid carboxylic group was esterified with 3,4,5 trimethoxybenzyl alcohol. The activity of the novel derivatives was examined in vivo on carrageenan-induced inflammation, and in vitro, as cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase inhibitors. It was found that the new compounds were more potent anti-inflammatory agents than the parent drugs. Thus, the ibuprofen (21) and ketoprofen (16) derivatives reduced rat paw edema by 67 and 91% (the reduction by the relevant NSAIDs was 36 and 47%, respectively). They inhibited COX-2 more than the starting drugs (21 by 67%, ibuprofen 46%, 19 by 94%, ketoprofen 49%). Docking of compounds on the active sites of COX-1 and COX-2 reflects their in vitro activity. Thus, 19 adopts an unfavorable orientation for COX-1 inhibition, but it binds effectively in the binding pocket of COX-2, in agreement with the absence of activity for COX-1 and the high inhibition of COX-2. In conclusion, the performed structural modifications result in the enhancement of the anti-inflammatory activity, compared with the parent NSAIDs.

Antioxidant Serine-(NSAID) Hybrids with Anti-Inflammatory and Hypolipidemic Potency

A series of L-serine amides of antioxidant acids, such as Trolox, (E)-3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)acrylic acid (phenolic derivative of cinnamic acid) and 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid (structurally similar to butylated hydroxytoluene), was synthesized. The hydroxy group of serine was esterified with two classical NSAIDs, ibuprofen and ketoprofen. The Trolox derivatives with ibuprofen (7) and ketoprofen (10) were the most potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation (IC₅₀ 3.4 μΜ and 2.8 μΜ), several times more potent than the reference Trolox (IC₅₀ 25 μΜ). Most of the compounds decreased carrageenan-induced rat paw edema (37–67% at 150 μmol/kg). They were moderate inhibitors of soybean lipoxygenase, with the exception of ibuprofen derivative 8 (IC₅₀ 13 μΜ). The most active anti-inflammatory compounds exhibited a significant decrease in lipidemic indices in the plasma of Triton-induced hyperlipidemic rats, e.g., the most active compound 9 decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 52%, 61% and 70%, respectively, at 150 μmol/kg (i.p.), similar to that of simvastatin, a well-known hypocholesterolemic drug. Since the designed compounds seem to exhibit multiple pharmacological actions, they may be of use for the development of agents against inflammatory and degenerative conditions.

A Review on Vitamin E Natural Analogues and on the Design of Synthetic Vitamin E Derivatives as Cytoprotective Agents

Vitamin E, essential for human health, is widely used worldwide for therapeutic or dietary reasons. The differences in the metabolism and excretion of the multiple vitamin E forms are presented in this review. The important steps that influence the kinetics of each form and the distribution and processing of vitamin E forms by the liver are considered. The antioxidant as well as non-antioxidant properties of vitamin E forms are discussed. Finally, synthetic tocopherol and trolox derivatives, based on the design of multitarget directed compounds, are reviewed. It is demonstrated that selected derivatization of vitamin E or trolox structures can produce improved antioxidants, agents against cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders.

Immunomodulators in anesthesia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Anesthetics are known to have immunomodulatory effects. These can be detrimental, inducing immunosuppression and facilitating the development of opportunistic infections, especially when used at high doses, for prolonged periods, or in patients with preexisting immune deficiency; or beneficial, modulating the inflammatory response, particularly in critical illness and systemic hyperinflammatory states.

RECENT FINDINGS

Anesthetics can have microbicidal properties, and both anti- and pro-inflammatory effects. They can act directly on immune cells as well as modulate immunity through indirect pathways, acting on the neuroimmune stress response, and have recently been described to interact with the gut microbiota.

SUMMARY

Anesthesiologists should take into consideration the immunomodulatory properties of anesthetic agents in addition to their hemodynamic, neuroprotective, and other impacts. In future, patient stratification according to the perioperative assessment of serum biomarkers associated with postoperative complications may be used to guide anesthetic agent selection based on their immunomodulatory properties.