Benzophenones as xanthone-open model CYP11B1 inhibitors potentially useful for promoting wound healing

Xanthone: A Promising Antimycobacterial Scaffold

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the infectious diseases associated with high rate of morbidity and mortality and still remains one of the top-ten leading causes of human death in the world. The development of new anti-TB drugs is mandatory due to the existence of latent infection as well as the expansion of the resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) strains. Xanthones encompass a wide range of structurally diverse bioactive compounds, obtained either naturally or through chemical synthesis. There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the antitubercular activity of xanthone derivatives.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to highlight the main natural sources along with the critical design elements, structure-activity relationships (SARs), modes of action and pharmacokinetic profiles of xanthone-based anti-TB compounds.

METHODS

In the present review, the anti-TB activity of xanthones reported in the literature from 1972 to date is presented and discussed.

RESULTS

Exploration of xanthone scaffold led to the identification of several members of this class having superior activity against both sensitive and resistant MBT strains with distinctive mycobacterial membrane disrupting properties. However, studies regarding their modes of action, pharmacokinetic properties and safety are limited.

CONCLUSION

Comprehendible data and information are afforded by this review and it would certainly provide scientists with new thoughts and means which will be conducive to design and develop new drugs with excellent anti-TB activity through exploration of xanthone scaffold.

Evaluation of Cyclic Amides as Activating Groups in N-C Bond Cross-Coupling: Discovery of N-Acyl-δ-valerolactams as Effective Twisted Amide Precursors for Cross-Coupling Reactions

The development of efficient methods for facilitating N-C(O) bond activation in amides is an important objective in organic synthesis that permits the manipulation of the traditionally unreactive amide bonds. Herein, we report a comparative evaluation of a series of cyclic amides as activating groups in amide N-C(O) bond cross-coupling. Evaluation of N-acyl-imides, N-acyl-lactams, and N-acyl-oxazolidinones bearing five- and six-membered rings using Pd(II)-NHC and Pd-phosphine systems reveals the relative reactivity order of N-activating groups in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling. The reactivity of activated phenolic esters and thioesters is evaluated for comparison in O-C(O) and S-C(O) cross-coupling under the same reaction conditions. Most notably, the study reveals N-acyl-δ-valerolactams as a highly effective class of mono-N-acyl-activated amide precursors in cross-coupling. The X-ray structure of the model N-acyl-δ-valerolactam is characterized by an additive Winkler-Dunitz distortion parameter Σ(τ+χ_N) of 54.0°, placing this amide in a medium distortion range of twisted amides. Computational studies provide insight into the structural and energetic parameters of the amide bond, including amidic resonance, N/O-protonation aptitude, and the rotational barrier around the N-C(O) axis. This class of N-acyl-lactams will be a valuable addition to the growing portfolio of amide electrophiles for cross-coupling reactions by acyl-metal intermediates.

A review on diverse heterocyclic compounds as the privileged scaffolds in non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors

Breast cancer, emerging malignancy is common among women due to overexpression of estrogen. Estrogens are biosynthesized from androgens by aromatase, a cytochrome P450 enzyme complex, and play a pivotal role in stimulating cell proliferation. Therefore, deprivation of estrogen by blocking aromatase is considered as the effective way for the inhibition and treatment of breast cancer. In recent years, various non-steroidal heterocyclic functionalities have been extensively developed and studied for their aromatase inhibition activity. This review provides information about the structural-activity relationship of heterocycles (Type II) towards aromatase. This aids the medicinal chemist around the significance of different heterocyclic moieties and helps to design potent aromatase inhibitors.

Myostatin Promotes Osteoclastogenesis by Regulating Ccdc50 Gene Expression and RANKL-Induced NF-κB and MAPK Pathways

Myostatin is a crucial cytokine that is widely present in skeletal muscle and that negatively regulates the growth and development of muscle cells. Recent research has shown that myostatin might play an essential role in bone metabolism. In RAW264.7 cells and bone marrow monocytes (BMMCs), myostatin activates the expression of the II type receptor ActR II B. Here, we report that myostatin significantly promoted RANKL/M-CSF-induced osteoclastogenesis and activated NF-κB and MAPK pathways in vitro via the Ccdc50 gene. Overexpression of myostatin promoted osteoclastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis-related markers including c-Src, MMP9, CTR, CK, and NFATc1. Specifically, myostatin increased the phosphorylation of Smad2, which led to the activation of NF-κB and MAPK pathways to activate osteoclastogenesis. Ccdc50 was identified as a gene whose expression was highly decreased in osteoclastogenesis upon myostatin treatment, and it could inhibit the function of myostatin in osteoclastogenesis by blocking NF-κB and MAPKs pathways. Our study indicates that myostatin is a promising candidate target for inhibiting RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis and might participate in therapy for osteoporosis, and that the Ccdc50 gene plays a significant role in the regulatory process.