Design and synthesis of new benzylidene-quinazolinone hybrids as potential anti-diabetic agents: In vitro α-glucosidase inhibition, and docking studies

Computational design and structural insights into quinazoline-based lead molecules for targeting PARP10 in cancer therapy

Quinazoline scaffolds, a class of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds, are considered a "privileged structure" in drug development due to their broad physiological activities and significant therapeutic potential. Many anti-breast cancer therapies are designed using this pharmacophore. Structural modifications such as halogen substitution and aromatic amino group insertion have been explored to improve the anticancer efficacy of quinazoline derivatives. Breast cancer continues to be the primary cause of cancer-related mortality among women, approximately 670,000 deaths globally in 2022, emphasizing the need for novel therapies. To combat multidrug resistance in breast cancer, new drug candidates targeting the Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzyme are being developed to improve chemotherapeutic efficacy and reduce toxicity. In this study, computational screening of 365 quinazoline derivatives was conducted to identify potential PARP inhibitors. Docking based screening identified three quinazoline scaffolds (RFAP77, RISA30, and RISAC) as top hits, demonstrating docking scores ranging from -8.41 to -9.31 kcal/mol and MM-GBSA binding free energy scores between -52.08 and -55.99 kcal/mol, compared to the reference approved inhibitor. ADMET analysis revealed favorable predicted drug-likeness profiles for the identified scaffolds. The structural stability of the docked PARP-ligand complexes was further investigated using molecular dynamics simulations (MDS). The computational simulations revealed significant conformational changes upon ligand binding, as evidenced by RMSD, RMSF, and hydrogen bond analyses. Essential dynamics analysis, including PCA-based FEL mapping, demonstrated energy minima profiles for all top docked PARP complexes. These computational findings highlight the potential of these scaffolds as promising candidates for further development as PARP inhibitors.

Quinoline-thiosemicarbazone-1,2,3-triazole-acetamide derivatives as new potent α-glucosidase inhibitors

In this work, a novel series of quinoline-thiosemicarbazone-1,2,3-triazole-aceamide derivatives 10a-n as new potent α-glucosidase inhibitors was designed, synthesized, and evaluated. All the synthesized derivatives 10a-n were more potent than acarbose (positive control). Representatively, (E)-2-(4-(((3-((2-Carbamothioylhydrazineylidene)methyl)quinolin-2-yl)thio)methyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-N-phenethylacetamide (10n), as the most potent entry, with IC50 = 48.4 µM was 15.5-times more potent than acarbose. According to kinetic study, compound 10n was a competitive inhibitor against α-glucosidase. This compound formed the desired interactions with important residues of the binding pocket of α-glucosidase with favorable binding energy in the molecular docking and molecular dynamics. Compounds 10n, 10e, and 10 g as the most potent compounds among the synthesized compounds were evaluated in term of pharmacokinetics and toxicity via online servers. These evaluations predicted that compounds 10n, 10e, and 10 g had good pharmacokinetic properties and toxicity profile.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of novel substituted imidazo[1,2-c]quinazoline derivatives as potential α-glucosidase inhibitors with bioactivity and molecular docking insights

α-Glucosidase inhibitors are important in the treatment of type 2 diabetes by regulating blood glucose levels and reducing carbohydrate absorption. The present study focuses on identifying new inhibitors bearing imidazo[1,2-c]quinazoline backbone through multi-step synthesis. The inhibitory potencies of the novel derivatives were tested against Saccharomyces cerevisiae α-glucosidase, revealing IC50 values ranging from 50.0 ± 0.12 µM to 268.25 ± 0.09 µM. Among them, 2-(4-(((2,3-diphenylimidazo[1,2-c]quinazolin-5-yl)thio)methyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-N-(2-methoxyphenyl)acetamide (19e) and 2-(4-((benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-c]quinazolin-6-ylthio)methyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-N-(2-methoxyphenyl)acetamide (27e) emerged as the most potent inhibitors and were further investigated in various assessments. Finally, molecular docking studies were performed to reveal the crucial binding interactions and to confirm the results obtained from structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis.

Design, synthesis, in-silico studies and apoptotic activity of novel amide enriched 2-(1H)- quinazolinone derivatives

Cancer is a broad classification of diseases that can affect any organ or body tissue due to aberrant cellular proliferation for unknown reasons. Many present chemotherapeutic drugs are highly toxic and have little selectivity. Additionally, they lead to the development of medication resistance. Therefore, developing tailored chemotherapeutic drugs with minimal side effects and good selectivity is crucial for cancer treatment. 2-(1H)-Quinazolinone is one of the vital scaffold and anticancer activity is one of the prominent biological activities of this class. Here we report the novel set of amide-enriched 2-(1H)-quinazolinone derivatives (7a-j) and their apoptotic activity with the help of MTT assay method against four human cancer cell lines: PC3 (prostate cancer), DU-145 (prostate cancer), A549 (lung cancer), and MCF7 (breast cancer). When compared to etoposide, every synthetic test compound (7a-j) exhibited moderate to excellent activity. The IC50 values of the new amide derivatives (7a-j) varied from 0.07 ± 0.0061 μM to 10.8 ± 0.69 μM. While the positive control, etoposide, exhibited 1.97 ± 0.45 μM to 3.08 ± 0.135 μM range. Among the novel amide derivatives (7a-j), in particular, 7i and 7j showed strong apoptotic activity against MCF7; 7h showed against PC3, and 7g showed against DU-145. Molecular docking studies of test compounds (7a-j) with the EGFR tyrosine kinase domain (PDB ID: 1M17) protein provided the significant docking scores for each test compound (7a-j) (-9.00 to -9.67 kcal/mol). Additionally, DFT investigations and MD simulations validated the predictions of molecular docking. According to the findings of the ADME analysis, oral absorption by humans is anticipated to be higher than 85 % for all test compounds.

Preparation, Agricultural Bioactivity Evaluation, Structure-Activity Relationships Estimation, and Molecular Docking of Some Quinazoline Compounds

Quinazoline compounds have gained significant attention in the fields of agriculture and chemistry due to their diverse activities. In this study, we focused on a series of quinazoline derivatives (4a-l). The objectives involved multiple aspects, including preparation, evaluation of their agricultural bioactivity against the maize aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis), estimation of the structure-activity relationships (SAR), and conducting molecular docking analysis. The results of the agricultural bioactivities revealed that compound (4b) possesses the highest insecticidal activity, and the other compounds have good potential as insecticidal agents. We conducted the SARs and also molecular docking investigation to elucidate the binding modes and interactions of these compounds with target proteins relevant to the agricultural bioactivity. The docking results provided valuable information on the binding affinities and molecular interactions, aiding in the rationalization of the observed bioactivity trends. The enzyme, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), was docked with the 12 synthetic compounds (4a-l). Among these compounds, (4b), (4i), and (4e)exhibited the highest binding affinity, with docking scores (S) of -7.96, -7.83, and -7.73 kcal/mol, respectively. They were followed by compounds (4d) (S = -7.57 kcal/mol), (4c) (S = -7.53 kcal/mol), (4g) (S = -7.34 kcal/mol), (4f) (S = -7.23 kcal/mol), (4h) (S = -7.14 kcal/mol), (4k) (S = -6.61 kcal/mol), (4j) (S = -6.57 kcal/mol), (4a) (S = -6.28 kcal/mol), and finally (4l) (S = -6.01 kcal/mol). These compounds were shown to have a variety of binding interactions within the 2ACE active site, as evidenced by protein-ligand docking configurations. This study gives evidence that those compounds have AChE-inhibitory capabilities and, hence, may be used for AChE-targeting development. Also, the findings in this study highlight the potential of these compounds as agricultural agents and provide valuable insights for the design and development of some quinazoline derivatives with enhanced bioactivity for crop protection.

Identification of isobenzofuranone derivatives as promising antidiabetic agents: Synthesis, in vitro and in vivo inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, computational docking analysis and molecular dynamics simulations

Diabetes mellitus, one of the major health challenges of the 21st century, is associated with numerous biomedical complications including retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, cardiovascular diseases and liver disorders. To control the chronic hyperglycemic condition, the development of potential inhibitors of drug targets such as α-glucosidase and α-amylase remains a promising strategy and focus of continuous efforts. Therefore, in the present work, a concise library of isobenzofuranone derivatives (3a-q) was designed and synthesized using Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling approach. The biological potential of these heterocyclic compounds against carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes; α-glucosidase and α-amylase, was examined. In vitro inhibitory results demonstrated that the tested isobenzofuranones were considerably more effective and potent inhibitors than the standard drug, acarbose. Compound 3d having an IC50 value of 6.82 ± 0.02 μM was emerged as the lead candidate against α-glucosidase with ⁓127-folds strong inhibition than acarbose. Similarly, compound 3g demonstrated ⁓11-folds higher inhibition strength against α-amylase when compared with acarbose. Both compounds were tested in vivo and results demonstrate that the treatment of diabetic rats with α-amylase inhibitor show more pronounced histopathological normalization in kidney and liver than with α-glucosidase inhibitor. The Lineweaver-Burk plot revealed an uncompetitive mode of inhibition for 3d against α-glucosidase whereas compound 3g exhibited mixed inhibition against α-amylase. Furthermore, in silico molecular docking and dynamics simulations validated the in vitro data for these compounds whereas pharmacokinetics profile revealed the druglike properties of potent inhibitors.

Synthesis, biological evaluation and action mechanism of 7H-[1,2,4] triazolo [3,4-b] [1,3,4] thiadiazine-phenylhydrazone derivatives as α-glucosidase inhibitors

In our work, several 7H-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]thiadiazine-phenylhydrazone derivatives as α-glucosidase inhibitors (α-GIs) were synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS spectrum. Then, their bio-activity against the α-glucosidase (α-Glu) was further evaluated. Among them, almost all compounds displayed better bio-activity with IC50 from 31.23 ± 0.89 to 213.50 ± 4.19 μM than acarbose (IC50 = 700.20 ± 10.55 μM). In particular, compound 5o showed the best potency to inhibit α-Glu in a mixed manner. Moreover, the action mechanisms of 5o were further clarified including fluorescence quenching, circular dichroism spectra, three-dimensional fluorescence spectra, molecular docking, etc. All mechanism studies revealed that 5o could arouse the changed secondary structure of α-Glu to hinder enzyme catalytic activity. It was observed from an in vivo study that 5o of 20 mg/kg could significantly decrease by 24.45 % postprandial blood glucose in mice vs. the control. Meanwhile, 5o had low drug-drug interaction potential and was likely to be an orally active compound. Moreover, 5o was observed to be no obvious cytotoxicity to HEK-293 cells. In summary, compound 5o exhibited one potential to be further applied as an antidiabetic drug.

Imidazo[1,2-c]quinazolines as a novel and potent scaffold of α-glucosidase inhibitors: design, synthesis, biological evaluations, and in silico studies

α-Glucosidase inhibition is an approved treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In an attempt to develop novel anti-α-glucosidase agents, two series of substituted imidazo[1,2-c]quinazolines, namely 6a-c and 11a-o, were synthesized using a simple, straightforward synthetic routes. These compounds were thoroughly characterized by IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, as well as mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. Subsequently, the inhibitory activities of these compounds were evaluated against Saccharomyces cerevisiae α-glucosidase. In present study, acarbose was utilized as a positive control. These imidazoquinazolines exhibited excellent to great inhibitory potencies with IC50 values ranging from 12.44 ± 0.38 μM to 308.33 ± 0.06 μM, which were several times more potent than standard drug with IC50 value of 750.0 ± 1.5 μM. Representatively, compound 11j showed remarkable anti-α-glucosidase potency with IC50 = 12.44 ± 0.38 μM, which was 60.3 times more potent than positive control acarbose. To explore the potential inhibition mechanism, further evaluations including kinetic analysis, circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and thermodynamic profile were carried out for the most potent compound 11j. Moreover, molecular docking studies and in silico ADME prediction for all imidazoquinazolines 6a-c and 11a-o were performed to reveal their important binding interactions, as well as their physicochemical and drug-likeness properties, respectively.

Environmentally Friendly Approach to the Synthesis of 3-[Benzylideneamino]-2-methylquinazolin-4(3H)-one Derivatives and Calculation of Their Toxicity

Application of deep eutectic solvents in synthesis of different heterocyclic compounds was proven very efficient. These solvents are a new generation of green solvents showing excellent potential for different purposes, where they are used as environmentally acceptable substitute for toxic and volatile organic solvents. This research describes their application in the synthesis of series of quinazolinone Schiff bases in combination with microwave, ultrasound-assisted and mechanochemical methods. First, a model reaction was performed in 20 different deep eutectic solvents to find the best solvent and then reaction conditions (solvent, temperature and reaction time) were optimized for each method. Afterwards, 40 different quinazolinone derivatives were synthesized in choline chloride/malonic acid (1 : 1) DES by each method and compared by their yields. Here we show that deep eutectic solvents can be very efficient in the synthesis of quinazolinone derivatives as an excellent substitution for volatile organic solvents. With green chemistry approach in mind, we have also performed a calculation on compounds' toxicity and solubility, showing that most of them possess toxic and mutagenic properties with low water solubility.

Synthesis, ADMT prediction, and in vitro and in silico α-glucosidase inhibition evaluations of new quinoline-quinazolinone-thioacetamides

In this work, a new series of quinoline-quinazolinone-thioacetamide derivatives 9a-p were designed using a combination of effective pharmacophores of the potent α-glucosidase inhibitors. These compounds were synthesized by simple chemical reactions and evaluated for their anti-α-glucosidase activity. Among the tested compounds, compounds 9a, 9f, 9g, 9j, 9k, and 9m demonstrated significant inhibition effects in comparison to the positive control acarbose. Particularly, compound 9g with inhibitory activity around 83-fold more than acarbose exhibited the best anti-α-glucosidase activity. Compound 9g showed a competitive type of inhibition in the kinetic study, and the molecular simulation studies demonstrated that this compound with a favorable binding energy occupied the active site of α-glucosidase. Furthermore, in silico ADMET studies of the most potent compounds 9g, 9a, and 9f were performed to predict their drug-likeness, pharmacokinetic, and toxicity properties.

Synthetic α-glucosidase inhibitors as promising anti-diabetic agents: Recent developments and future challenges

Diabetes mellitus is one of the biggest challenges for the scientific community in the 21st century. It is a well-recognized multifactorial health problem contributes significantly to high mortality rates by causing serious health complications mainly related to cardiovascular diseases, kidney damage and neuropathy. The inhibition of α-glucosidase (enzyme that catalyses starch hydrolysis in the intestine) is an effective therapeutic approach for controlling hyperglycemia associated with type-2 diabetes. However, the presently approved drugs/inhibitors such as acarbose, miglitol and voglibose have several undesirable gastrointestinal side effects impeding their applications. Therefore, search for novel and more effective inhibitors with reduced side effects and less cost remains a fascinating area of research. In this context, a large variety of α-glucosidase inhibitors have been identified in recent years that demands attention from drug development community. This review is therefore an effort to summarize and highlight the promising α-glucosidase inhibitors especially those which are primarily based on aromatic heterocyclic scaffolds such as coumarin, imidazole, isatin, pyrimidine, quinazoline, triazine, thiazole etc, having improved safety and pharmacological profiles.

N2,N6-Bis(6-iodo-2-methyl-4-oxoquinazolin-3(4H)-yl)pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide

A green chemistry method was applied in the synthesis of N2,N6-bis(6-iodo-2-methyl-4-oxoquinazolin-3(4H)-yl)pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide. The desired compound was synthesized mechanochemically, using a choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvent as a catalyst. The synthesis took 20 min and the new compound was characterized using different spectral methods.

Synthesis and bioactivities evaluation of quinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives as α-glucosidase inhibitors

The development of new antidiabetes agents is necessary to obtain optimal glycemic control and overcome its complications. Different quinazolin-4(3H)-one bearing phenoxy-acetamide derivatives (7a–r) were designed and synthesized to develop α-glucosidase inhibitors. All the synthesized derivatives were evaluated against α-glucosidase in vitro and among them, compound 7b showed the highest α-glucosidase inhibition with an IC50 of 14.4 µM, which was ∼53 times stronger than that of acarbose. The inhibition kinetic studies showed that the inhibitory mechanism of compound 7b was a competitive type towards α-glucosidase. Also, molecular docking studies analyzed the interaction between the most potent derivative and α-glucosidase. Current findings indicate the new potential of quinazolin-4(3H)-ones that could be used for the development of novel agents against diabetes mellitus.

Synthesis, molecular docking, and cytotoxicity of quinazolinone and dihydroquinazolinone derivatives as cytotoxic agents

Background

Cancer is the most cause of morbidity and mortality, and a major public health problem worldwide. In this context, two series of quinazolinone 5a–e and dihydroquinazolinone 10a–f compounds were designed, synthesized as cytotoxic agents.

Methodology

All derivatives (5a–e and 10a–f) were synthesized via straightforward pathways and elucidated by FTIR, ¹H-NMR, CHNS elemental analysis, as well as the melting point. All the compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity effects using the MTT assay against two human cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and HCT-116) using doxorubicin as the standard drug. The test derivatives were additionally docked into the PARP10 active site using Gold software.

Results and discussion

Most of the synthesized compounds, especially 5a and 10f were found to be highly potent against both cell lines. Synthesized compounds demonstrated IC₅₀ in the range of 4.87–205.9 μM against HCT-116 cell line and 14.70–98.45 μM against MCF-7 cell line compared with doxorubicin with IC₅₀ values of 1.20 and 1.08 μM after 72 h, respectively, indicated the plausible activities of the synthesized compounds.

Conclusion

The compounds quinazolinone 5a–e and dihydroquinazolinone 10a–f showed potential activity against cancer cell lines which can lead to rational drug designing of the cytotoxic agents.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13065-022-00825-x.