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Simoben CV, Babiaka SB, Moumbock AFA, Namba-Nzanguim CT, Eni DB, Medina-Franco JL, Günther S, Ntie-Kang F, Sippl W. Challenges in natural product-based drug discovery assisted with in silico-based methods. RSC Adv 2023; 13:31578-31594. [PMID: 37908659 PMCID: PMC10613855 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra06831e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The application of traditional medicine by humans for the treatment of ailments as well as improving the quality of life far outdates recorded history. To date, a significant percentage of humans, especially those living in developing/underprivileged communities still rely on traditional medicine for primary healthcare needs. In silico-based methods have been shown to play a pivotal role in modern pharmaceutical drug discovery processes. The application of these methods in identifying natural product (NP)-based hits has been successful. This is very much observed in many research set-ups that use rationally in silico-based methods in combination with experimental validation techniques. The combination has rendered the use of in silico-based approaches even more popular and successful in the investigation of NPs. However, identifying and proposing novel NP-based hits for experimental validation comes with several challenges such as the availability of compounds by suppliers, the huge task of separating pure compounds from complex mixtures, the quantity of samples available from the natural source to be tested, not to mention the potential ecological impact if the natural source is exhausted. Because most peer-reviewed publications are biased towards "positive results", these challenges are generally not discussed in publications. In this review, we highlight and discuss these challenges. The idea is to give interested scientists in this field of research an idea of what they can come across or should be expecting as well as prompting them on how to avoid or fix these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrad V Simoben
- Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, University of Buea P.O. Box 63 Buea CM-00237 Cameroon
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5G 1L7 Canada
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5S 1A8 Canada
| | - Smith B Babiaka
- Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, University of Buea P.O. Box 63 Buea CM-00237 Cameroon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Buea Buea Cameroon
- Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Interfaculty Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen 72076 Tübingen Germany
| | - Aurélien F A Moumbock
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| | - Cyril T Namba-Nzanguim
- Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, University of Buea P.O. Box 63 Buea CM-00237 Cameroon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Buea Buea Cameroon
| | - Donatus Bekindaka Eni
- Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, University of Buea P.O. Box 63 Buea CM-00237 Cameroon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Buea Buea Cameroon
| | - José L Medina-Franco
- DIFACQUIM Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 3000 Mexico City 04510 Mexico
| | - Stefan Günther
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| | - Fidele Ntie-Kang
- Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, University of Buea P.O. Box 63 Buea CM-00237 Cameroon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Buea Buea Cameroon
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg Halle (Saale) Germany
| | - Wolfgang Sippl
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg Halle (Saale) Germany
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Wollnitzke P, Wagner R, Afsar SY, Werner M, Geschold R, Müller CE, Werz O, van Echten-Deckert G, Menche D. Synthesis and biological evaluation of simplified ajudazol derivatives reveal potent 5-lipoxygenase inhibition and considerable apoptotic activity in neuroblastoma cells. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2023; 94:129464. [PMID: 37634760 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2023.129464] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Simplified analogues of the myxobacterial polyketide ajudazol were obtained by synthesis and evaluated for their biological activities. Potent simplified 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors were identified. Moreover, strong antiproliferative and apoptotic activities were observed in brain cancer cell lines at low nano- to micromolar concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Wollnitzke
- Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Universität Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Raphael Wagner
- Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Universität Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Sumaiya Yasmeen Afsar
- Life & Medical Science (LIMES) Institute for Membrane Biology and Lipid, Biochemistry at the Kekulé-Institute, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Markus Werner
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 14, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Robin Geschold
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, Universität Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Christa E Müller
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, Universität Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Oliver Werz
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 14, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Gerhild van Echten-Deckert
- Life & Medical Science (LIMES) Institute for Membrane Biology and Lipid, Biochemistry at the Kekulé-Institute, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Dirk Menche
- Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Universität Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany.
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Sayed AI, Mansour YE, Ali MA, Aly O, Khoder ZM, Said AM, Fatahala SS, Abd El-Hameed RH. Novel pyrrolopyrimidine derivatives: design, synthesis, molecular docking, molecular simulations and biological evaluations as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2022; 37:1821-1837. [PMID: 35762086 PMCID: PMC9246196 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2022.2090546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Current medical approaches to control the Covid-19 pandemic are either to directly target the SARS-CoV-2 via innovate a defined drug and a safe vaccine or indirectly target the medical complications of the virus. One of the indirect strategies for fighting this virus has been mainly dependent on using anti-inflammatory drugs to control cytokines storm responsible for severe health complications. We revealed the discovery of novel fused pyrrolopyrimidine derivatives as promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. The newly synthesised compounds were evaluated for their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity using RAW264.7 cells after stimulation with lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The results revealed that 3a, 4b, and 8e were the most potent analogues. Molecular docking and simulations of these compounds against COX-2, TLR-2 and TLR-4 respectively was performed. The former results were in line with the biological data and proved that 3a, 4b and 8e have potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira I. Sayed
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Yara E. Mansour
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A. Ali
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Omnia Aly
- Medical Biochemistry Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Egypt
| | - Zainab M. Khoder
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Ahmed M. Said
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Athenex Inc., Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Samar S. Fatahala
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rania H. Abd El-Hameed
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
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Janin YL. On drug discovery against infectious diseases and academic medicinal chemistry contributions. Beilstein J Org Chem 2022; 18:1355-1378. [PMID: 36247982 PMCID: PMC9531561 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.18.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This perspective is an attempt to document the problems that medicinal chemists are facing in drug discovery. It is also trying to identify relevant/possible, research areas in which academics can have an impact and should thus be the subject of grant calls. Accordingly, it describes how hit discovery happens, how compounds to be screened are selected from available chemicals and the possible reasons for the recurrent paucity of useful/exploitable results reported. This is followed by the successful hit to lead stories leading to recent and original antibacterials which are, or about to be, used in human medicine. Then, illustrated considerations and suggestions are made on the possible inputs of academic medicinal chemists. This starts with the observation that discovering a “good” hit in the course of a screening campaign still rely on a lot of luck – which is within the reach of academics –, that the hit to lead process requires a lot of chemistry and that if public–private partnerships can be important throughout these stages, they are absolute requirements for clinical trials. Concerning suggestions to improve the current hit success rate, one academic input in organic chemistry would be to identify new and pertinent chemical space, design synthetic accesses to reach these and prepare the corresponding chemical libraries. Concerning hit to lead programs on a given target, if no new hits are available, previously reported leads along with new structural data can be pertinent starting points to design, prepare and assay original analogues. In conclusion, this text is an actual plea illustrating that, in many countries, academic research in medicinal chemistry should be more funded, especially in the therapeutic area neglected by the industry. At the least, such funds would provide the intensive to secure series of hopefully relevant chemical entities which appears to often lack when considering the results of academic as well as industrial screening campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves L Janin
- Structure et Instabilité des Génomes (StrInG), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, INSERM, CNRS, Alliance Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
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