Design, synthesis, biological activity, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics of novel benzimidazole derivatives as potential AChE/MAO-B dual inhibitors

Multifunctional Heterogeneous Cobalt Catalyst for the One-Pot Synthesis of Benzimidazoles by Reductive Coupling of Dinitroarenes with Aldehydes in Water

The endeavor of sustainable chemistry has led to significant advancements in green methodologies aimed at minimizing environmental impact while maximizing efficiency. Herein, a straightforward synthesis of benzimidazoles by reductive coupling of o-dinitroarenes with aldehydes is reported for the first time in aqueous media while using a non-noble metal catalyst. This work demonstrates that the combination of nitrogen and phosphorous ligands in the synthesis of supported heteroatom-incorporated Co nanoparticles is crucial for obtaining the desired benzimidazoles. The process achieves >99 % conversion, >99 % chemoselectivity and stability for the reduction of dinitroarenes using water as the solvent and hydrogen as the reductant under mild reaction conditions. The robustness of the catalyst has been investigated using several advanced techniques such as HRTEM, HAADF-STEM, XEDS, EELS, and NAP-XPS. In fact, we have shown that the introduction of N and P dopants prevents metal leaching and the sintering of the cobalt nanoparticles. Finally, to explore the general catalytic performance, a wide range of substituted dinitroarenes and benzaldehydes were evaluated, yielding benzimidazoles with competitive and scalable results, including MBIB (94 % yield), which is a compound of pharmaceutical interest.

Proteins and DNA Sequences Interacting with Tanshinones and Tanshinone Derivatives

Tanshinones, biologically active diterpene compounds derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza, interact with specific proteins and DNA sequences, influencing signaling pathways in animals and humans. This study highlights tanshinone-protein interactions observed at concentrations achievable in vivo, ensuring greater physiological relevance compared to in vitro studies that often employ supraphysiological ligand levels. Experimental data suggest that while tanshinones interact with multiple proteomic targets, only a few enzymes are significantly affected at biologically relevant concentrations. This apparent paradox may be resolved by tanshinones' ability to bind DNA and influence enzymes involved in gene expression or mRNA stability, such as RNA polymerase II and human antigen R protein. These interactions trigger secondary, widespread changes in gene expression, leading to complex proteomic alterations. Although the current understanding of tanshinone-protein interactions remains incomplete, this study provides a foundation for deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of S. miltiorrhiza diterpenes. Additionally, numerous tanshinone derivatives have been developed to enhance pharmacokinetic properties and biological activity. However, their safety profiles remain poorly characterized, limiting comprehensive insights into their medicinal potential. Further investigation is essential to fully elucidate the therapeutic and toxicological properties of both native and modified tanshinones.

Investigating the potential of novel thiazole derivatives in treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases

The study aimed to investigate 12 novel thiazole compounds in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. The compounds produced were evaluated for their inhibitory efficacy against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and monoamine oxidases (MAOs). Among the compounds, 5d, 5e, and 5j showed the highest AChE inhibitory activity. The IC50 values for compounds are 0.223 ± 0.010 µM, 0.092 ± 0.003 µM, and 0.054 ± 0.002 µM, respectively. In addition, molecular docking analyses and molecular dynamic simulation were used to examine the interactions of these compounds with protein sites. The results suggest that thiazole-ring compounds could serve as a promising basis for the development of drugs aimed at treating neurodegenerative diseases (NDD), caused by Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

Phage Display Against 2D Metal-Organic Nanosheets as a New Route to Highly Selective Biomolecular Recognition Surfaces

Peptides are important biomarkers for various diseases, however distinguishing specific amino-acid sequences using artificial receptors remains a major challenge in biomedical sensing. This study introduces a new approach for creating highly selective recognition surfaces using phage display biopanning against metal-organic nanosheets (MONs). Three MONs (ZIF-7, ZIF-7-NH2, and Hf-BTB-NH2) are added to a solution containing every possible combination of seven-residue peptides attached to bacteriophage hosts. The highest affinity peptides for each MON are isolated through successive bio-panning rounds. Comparison of the surface properties of the MONs and high-affinity peptides provide useful insights into the relative importance of electrostatic, hydrophobic, and co-ordination bonding interactions in each system, aiding the design of future MONs. Coating of the Hf-BTB-NH2 MONs onto a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) produced a five-fold higher signal for phage with the on-target peptide sequence compared to those with generic sequences. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) studies produce a 4600-fold higher equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) for on-target sequences and are comparable to those of antibodies (KD = 4 x 10-10 m). It is anticipated that insights from the biopanning approach, combined with the highly tunable nature of MONs, will lead to a new generation of highly selective recognition surfaces for use in biomedical sensors.

Design, synthesis, biological evaluation, and molecular modeling simulations of new phthalazine-1,4-dione derivatives as anti-Alzheimer's agents

The development of targeted phthalazine-1,4-dione acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors for treating Alzheimer's disease involved the synthesis of 32 compounds via a multistage process. Various analytical techniques confirmed the compounds' identities. Thirteen compounds were found to inhibit AChE by more than 50% without affecting butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Among these, three compounds, 8m, 8n, and 8p, exhibited extraordinary activity similar to donepezil, a reference AChE inhibitor. During enzyme kinetic studies, compound 8n, displaying the highest AChE inhibitory activity, underwent evaluation at three concentrations (2 × IC50, IC50, and IC50/2). Lineweaver-Burk plots indicated mixed inhibition activity for compound 8n against AChE, suggesting a combination of competitive and noncompetitive characteristics. Additionally, effective derivatives 8m, 8n, and 8p exhibited high blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in in vitro parallel artificial membrane permeability assay tests. Molecular docking studies revealed that these compounds bind to the enzyme's active site residues in a position similar to donepezil. Molecular dynamic simulations confirmed the stability of the protein-ligand system, and the chemical reactivity characteristics of the compounds were investigated using density functional theory. The compounds' wide energy gaps suggest stability and therapeutic potential. This research represents a significant step toward finding a potential cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, further research and testing are required to determine the compounds' safety and efficacy. The unique structure of phthalazine derivatives makes them suitable for various biological activities, and these compounds show promise for developing effective drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease. Overall, the development of these targeted compounds is a crucial advancement in the search for an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

Development and assessment of novel pyrazole-thiadiazol hybrid derivatives as VEGFR-2 inhibitors: design, synthesis, anticancer activity evaluation, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation

Cancer remains a significant health challenge globally, requiring the development of targeted chemotherapeutics capable of specifically inhibiting cancer cell growth. Angiogenesis is one of the key features of tumor growth and metastasis and is, therefore, an important target for the treatment of many tumors. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway has proven to be a promising lead in anticancer therapy due to the central role it plays in tumor angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) is a key mediator in the signaling pathway regulating angiogenesis. Targeting VEGFR-2 may disrupt angiogenesis, leading to a reduction in tumor blood supply and tumor progression. The design, synthesis, and assessment of novel VEGFR-2 inhibitor derivatives are the focus of this study, with particular emphasis on incorporating the pyrazole-thiadiazol pharmacophore into the molecular structure. Taking advantage of the pharmacophoric properties of pyrazole and 1,3,4-thiadiazol, compounds with different substituents in the main structure were designed and synthesized. The compounds were also evaluated for antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines. Compound 4e demonstrated the highest activity among all compounds, with an IC50 of 9.673 ± 0.399 μM against HT-29 cells and 23.081 ± 0.400 μM against NIH3T3 cells. To further support the inhibitory activity of compound 4e, an in silico study was performed. Compound 4e demonstrated strong binding to the active site of VEGFR-2 in molecular docking studies, forming hydrogen bonds with key amino acid residues. The stability of the compound in the enzyme's active site was demonstrated through molecular dynamics simulations.

Design and synthesis of phenoxy methyl-oxadiazole compounds against Alzheimer's disease

This study examines the synthesis and evaluation of 11 newly developed compounds as potential anti-Alzheimer's agents that occur via cholinesterase and β-secretase inhibition. The compounds were tested for their inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) using the modified Ellman method. The results showed that several compounds exhibited significant inhibition of AChE, particularly compounds 6d, 7a, and 7e, which demonstrated high inhibitory activity at lower concentrations, with IC50 values of 0.120, 0.039, and 0.063 µM, respectively. However, the compounds showed limited effectiveness against BChE, with only a few compounds exhibiting moderate inhibition. Compound 7e showed an inhibitory effect against BACE-1 close to that of the standard drug. Structural analysis revealed that the compounds with substituted benzothiazole and thiazole moieties exhibited the most promising inhibitory activity. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of these synthesized derivatives as a treatment against Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, the structure, stability, and properties of the active compounds were further investigated using density functional theory calculations. As a final note, the utilization of molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies allowed us to elucidate the action mechanism of the active compounds and gain insights into the structure-activity relationship against AChE and β-secretase proteins. These computational techniques provide valuable information on the binding modes, interactions with target enzymes, dynamic behavior, and conformational changes of the compounds, enabling a comprehensive understanding of their biological activity.

Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of New Pyrazolines As Small Molecule Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase

In pursuit of identifying small molecule inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the synthesis of new 2-pyrazolines was performed efficiently. A modified spectrophotometric method was used to examine their inhibitory effects on AChE as well as butyrylcholinesterase. Four compounds (2a, 2g, 2j, and 2l) were identified as selective AChE inhibitors. Molecular docking studies were conducted to explore their potential interactions with the active site of AChE (PDB code: 4EY7). 1-(3-Nitrophenyl)-3-(thiophen-3-yl)-5-[4-(4-morpholinyl)phenyl]-2-pyrazoline (2l) exerted significant AChE inhibitory action with an IC50 value of 0.040 μM close to donepezil (IC50 = 0.021 μM). In addition to π-π interactions with Tyr341, Tyr124, and Trp86 residues, compound 2l was also capable of forming two hydrogen bonds and a salt bridge at the active site of AChE thanks to its nitro group at the meta position of the phenyl moiety linked to the N 1 position of the pyrazoline scaffold. The higher inhibitory effect of compound 2l on AChE when compared to other compounds in this series might be explained by these additional interactions. Based on the in vitro parallel artificial membrane permeability assay, compound 2l was found to have high blood-brain barrier permeability. In vitro and in silico studies suggest that compound 2l is a potent inhibitor of AChE, which is an important target for neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease.

Benzimidazole and Benzoxazole Derivatives Against Alzheimer's Disease

Benzimidazole and benzoxazole derivatives are included in the category of medical drugs in a wide range of areas such as anticancer, anticoagulant, antihypertensive, anti- inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antiviral, antioxidant, immunomodulators, proton pump inhibitors, hormone modulators, etc. Many researchers have focused on synthesizing more effective benzimidazole and benzoxazole derivatives for screening various biological activities. In addition, there are benzimidazole and benzoxazole rings as bioisosteres of aromatic rings found in drugs used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Because of the diverse activity of the benzimidazole and benzoxazole rings and bioisosteres marketed as drugs for Alzheimer Diseases, designed compounds containing these rings are likely to be effective against Alzheimer's disease. In this study, the effectiveness of compounds containing benzimidazole and benzoxazole rings against Alzheimer's disease will be examined.

New N-(1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl)acetamide derivatives as human carbonic anhydrase I and II and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

Various carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme isoforms are known today. In addition to the use of CA inhibitors as diuretics, antiepileptics and antiglaucoma agents, the inhibition of other specific isoforms of CA was reported to have clinical benefits in cancers. In this study, two groups of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives were designed and synthesized to act as human CA I and II (hCA I and hCA II) inhibitors. The activities of these compounds were tested in vitro and evaluated in silico studies. The activity of the synthesized compounds was also tested against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to evaluate the relation of the newly designed structures to the activity against AChE. The synthesized compounds were analyzed by 1H NMR,13C NMR and high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HRMS). The results displayed a better activity of all the synthesized compounds against hCA I than that of the commonly used standard drug, Acetazolamide (AAZ). The compounds also showed better activity against hCA II, except for compounds 5b and 6b. Only compounds 6a and 6c showed superior activity against AChE compared to the standard agent, tacrine (THA). In silico studies, including absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) and drug-likeness evaluation, molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulations (MDSs) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, were compatible with the in vitro results and presented details regarding the structure-activity relationship.

Latest advances in dual inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase B against Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive brain disease characterised by progressive memory loss and cognition impairment, ultimately leading to death. There are three FDA-approved acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine, AChEIs) for the symptomatic treatment of AD. Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) has been considered to contribute to pathologies of AD. Therefore, we reviewed the dual inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and MAO-B developed in the last five years. In this review, these dual-target inhibitors were classified into six groups according to the basic parent structure, including chalcone, coumarin, chromone, benzo-fused five-membered ring, imine and hydrazine, and other scaffolds. Their design strategies, structure-activity relationships (SARs), and molecular docking studies with AChE and MAO-B were analysed and discussed, giving valuable insights for the subsequent development of AChE and MAO-B dual inhibitors. Challenges in the development of balanced and potent AChE and MAO-B dual inhibitors were noted, and corresponding solutions were provided.

Influence of the pKa value on the antioxidant activity of licorice flavonoids under solvent-mediated effects

Licorice flavonoids (LCFs) have been widely used in food care and medical treatment due to their significant antioxidant activities. However, the molecular mechanism of their antioxidant activity remains unclear. Therefore, network pharmacology, ADMET, density functional theory (DFT), molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were employed to explore the molecular mechanism of the antioxidant effects of LCF. The network pharmacology and ADMET studies showed that the active molecules of kumatakenin (pK_a  = 6.18), licoflavonol (pK_a  = 6.86), and topazolin (pK_a  = 6.21) in LCF are key antioxidant components and have good biosafety. Molecular docking and MD simulation studies demonstrated that active molecules interacted with amino acid residues in target proteins to form stable protein-ligand complexes and exert their antioxidant effects. DFT studies showed that the antioxidant activity of LCF could be significantly modulated under the solvent-mediated effect. In addition, based on the derivation of the Henderson-Hasselbalch and van't Hoff formulas, the functional relationships between the reaction-free energy (ΔG) of LCF and the pH and pK_a values were established. The results showed that active molecules with larger pK_a values will be more conducive to the improvement of their antioxidant activity under solvent-mediated effects. In conclusion, this study found that increasing the pK_a value of LCF would be an effective strategy to improve their antioxidant activity under the effect of solvent mediation. The pK_a value of an LCF will be a direct standard to evaluate its solvent-mediated antioxidant activity. This study will provide theoretical guidance for the development of natural antioxidants.

Investigation of Novel Quinoline-Thiazole Derivatives as Antimicrobial Agents: In Vitro and In Silico Approaches

Infectious diseases are a major concern around the world. Today, it is an urgent need for new chemotherapeutics for infectious diseases. Because of that, our group designed, synthesized, and analyzed 14 new quinoline derivatives endowed with the pharmacophore moiety of fluoroquinolones primarily for their antimicrobial effects. Their cytotoxicity effects were tested against six bacterial and four fungal strains and NIH/3T3 cell line. Additionally, their action mechanisms were evaluated against DNA gyrase and lanosterol 14α-demethylase (LMD). Furthermore, to eliminate the potential side effects, the active compounds were evaluated against the aromatase enzyme. The experimental enzymatic results were evaluated for active compounds' binding modes using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies. The results were utilized to clarify the structure-activity relationship (SAR). Finally, compound 4m was the most potent compound for its antifungal activity with low cytotoxicity against healthy cells and fewer possible side effects, while compounds 4j and 4l can be used alone for special patients who are suffering from fungal infections in addition to the primer disease.

Design, Synthesis, and In Vitro and In Silico Approaches of Novel Indanone Derivatives as Multifunctional Anti-Alzheimer Agents

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological, progressive illness that typically affects the elderly and is clinically distinguished by memory and cognitive decline. Due to a number of factors, including the absence of a radical treatment, an increase in the patient population over time, the high cost of care and treatment, and a significant decline in patients' quality of life, the importance of this disease has increased. These factors have all prompted increased interest among researchers in this field. The chemical structure of the donepezil molecule, the most popular and effective treatment response for AD, served as the basis for the design and synthesis of 42 novel indan-1-one derivatives in this study. Using IR, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR as well as mass spectroscopic techniques, the compounds' structures were identified. Research on the compounds' antioxidant activities, cholinesterase (ChE) enzyme inhibition, monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B inhibitory activities, β-amyloid plaque inhibition, and cytotoxicity impact was carried out. Inhibition of β-amyloid plaque aggregation; effective inhibition of AChE, BChE, and MAO-B enzymes; and significant antioxidant activity were all demonstrated by compounds D28-D30 and D37-D39. Because of their various actions, it was hypothesized that the related compounds may be useful in treating AD symptoms as well as providing palliative care.

Biological activity evaluation of novel monoamine oxidase inhibitory compounds targeting Parkinson disease

Aim: Design of 5-methoxy benzofuran hybrids with 2-carbohydrazide and 2-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl) as potential inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B targeting Parkinson disease. Materials and methods: 12 compounds were synthesized and analyzed via high-resolution mass spectrometry, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. In vitro fluorometric assay was used to investigate the activity of the synthesized compounds on both MAO-A and MAO-B isozymes. Results: Three compounds - 3a, 3c and 3e - displayed half maximal inhibitory concentration values of 0.051 ± 0.002, 0.038 ± 0.001 and 0.077 ± 0.003 μM in the inhibition of MAO-A and 0.048 ± 0.002, 0.040 ± 0.001 and 0.072 ± 0.002 μM for MAO-B, respectively. A molecular dynamics simulation study showed that compound 3c has poor stability as a complex with MAO-A. Conclusion: Compound 3c may be a potential candidate for the treatment of Parkinson disease.