Modes of action of the new arylguanidine abafungin beyond interference with ergosterol biosynthesis and in vitro activity against medically important fungi

Structure-Based Optimization of Novel Sterol 24-C-Methyltransferase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Candida albicans Infections

Interfering with sterol biosynthesis is an important strategy for developing safe and effective antifungal drugs. We previously identified compound H55 as an allosteric inhibitor of the fungal-specific C-24 sterol methyltransferase Erg6 for treating Candida albicans infections. Herein, 62 derivatives of H55 were designed and synthesized based on target-ligand interactions to identify more active candidates. Among them, d28 displayed the most potent antivirulence ability (MHIC50 = 0.25 μg/mL) by targeting Erg6, exhibiting an 8-fold increase in potency compared with H55. Moreover, d28 significantly outperformed H55 in inhibiting cell adhesion and biofilm formation, and exhibited minimal cytotoxicity and negligible potential to induce drug resistance. Of note, the coadministration of d28 and other sterol biosynthesis inhibitors, such as tridemorph or terbinafine, demonstrated a strong synergistic antifungal action in vitro and in vivo in a murine skin infection model. These results support the potential application of d28 in the treatment of C. albicans infections.

Investigation of the effects of thiazole compounds on thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutathione reductase (GR) targeted human brain glioblastoma cancer (U-87 MG)

Cancer is a fatal disease that kills thousands of people worldwide. Despite the information produced by research on cancer treatment, applications in cancer treatment are limited. Therefore, scientists' efforts to develop more effective treatment approaches continue. In the study, we aimed to determine the anticancer potential of amino thiazole compounds on human glioblastoma (U-87 MG) and human dermal fibroblast (HDFa) cells and their inhibition effects on enzymes that cause multidrug resistance in cancer cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide cell viability test was performed to understand the cytotoxic properties of thiazole derivatives. The cellular death mechanisms behind thiazole application were investigated using flow cytometry analysis. According to cell viability analysis, thiazole derivatives exhibited a greater effect on U-87 MG than the HDFa cell line in terms of cytotoxicity. Flow cytometry showed higher apoptotic cell death in U-87 MG cells than in the HDFa cell line. It can be concluded that thiazole compounds exert anticancer effects on U-87 MG and HDFa as well as show apoptotic properties. Their effects on thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities, which are important in the development of chemotherapeutic methods, were also examined. From the results obtained, it was determined that the 2-amino-4-(p-tolyl)thiazole (T7) compound significantly suppressed both TrxR1 and GST activities, and the 2-amino-6-methylbenzothiazole (T8) compound significantly suppressed both TrxR1 and GST activities. Compound T7 was determined to be a selective inhibitor for TrxR1 and GST targeting, and compound T8 was determined to be a selective inhibitor for TrxR1 and GR targeting glioblastoma treatment.

Telescoping Synthesis of 4-Organyl-5-(organylselanyl)thiazol-2-amines Promoted by Ultrasound

In this work, we describe the synthesis of new 4-organyl-5-(organylselanyl)thiazol-2-amine hybrids through a one-pot two-step protocol. The transition metal-free method involves the use of ultrasound as an alternative energy source and Oxone® as oxidant. To obtain the products, a telescoping approach was used, in which 4-organylthiazol-2-amines were firstly prepared under ultrasonic irradiation, followed by the addition of diorganyl diselenides and Oxone®. Thus, 16 compounds were prepared, with yields ranging from 61 % to 98 %, using 2-bromoacetophenone derivatives and diorganyl diselenides as easily available starting materials.

Thiazolobenzamide-Naphthalene Hybrids as Potent Anticancer agents compared to Doxorubicin: Design, Synthesis, SAR, In-silico and Toxicity Analysis

In order to determine whether thiazolobenzamide molecules connected to naphthalene could inhibit the growth of three different tumor cell lines, MCF7 (breast carcinoma), A549 (pulmonary carcinoma), and DU145 (prostatic adenocarcinoma) a novel series of ten molecules, designated TA 1-10, was designed, synthesized, and tested. Among these compounds, TA7 showed promising results against cell lines, especially showing exceptional efficacy against breast cancer. Antioxidant activity tests consistently showed the best performance from the TA7 molecule. Furthermore, when a dose of 50 to 500 mg/kg of the total mass of rats is given, the most effective chemical, TA7, did not exhibit any harmful effects during acute oral toxicity tests. The biochemical indicators (SGOT and SGPT) for hepatotoxicity associated with compound TA7 were found to be fairly similar to those of the control group. The findings from molecular docking, XP visualization, and MM-GBSA dG binding investigations are in agreement with the outcomes of in-vitro tests of antioxidant and anticancer capabilities. TA7 was the most effective compound among those that were docked; it bound free energy and had adequate properties for metabolism (biochemical processes), distribution (dispersion), absorption (assimilation), and excretion (elimination). This study found that the TA7 molecule, a thiazole ring system derivative connected to naphthalene, is to be a promising and possible anticancer agent and its efficacy may be further explored in clinical studies.

An Overview of the Structure-Activity Relationship in Novel Antimicrobial Thiazoles Clubbed with Various Heterocycles (2017-2023)

Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing problem for global public health. One of the strategies to combat this issue is the synthesis of novel antimicrobials through rational drug design based on extensive structure-activity relationship studies. The thiazole nucleus is a prominent feature in the structure of many authorized antimicrobials, being clubbed with different heterocycles. The purpose of this review is to study the structure-activity relationship in antimicrobial thiazoles clubbed with various heterocycles, as reported in the literature between 2017 and 2023, in order to offer an overview of the last years in terms of antimicrobial research and provide a helpful instrument for future research in the field.

Thiadiazole and Thiazole Derivatives as Potential Antimicrobial Agents

BACKGROUND

This review summarizes data on heterocyclic systems with thiadiazole and thiazole fragments in molecules as promising antimicrobial agents.

INTRODUCTION

Thiadiazole and thiazole backbones are the most favored and well-known heterocycles, a common and essential feature of various drugs. These scaffolds occupy a central position and are the main structural components of numerous drugs with a wide spectrum of action. These include antimicrobial, antituberculous, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiepileptic, antiviral, and anticancer agents.

METHOD

The research is based on bibliosemantic and analytical methods using bibliographic and abstract databases, as well as databases of chemical compounds.

RESULT

This review reports on thiadiazole and thiazole derivatives, which have important pharmacological properties. We are reviewing the structural modifications of various thiadiazole and thiazole derivatives, more specifically, the antimicrobial activity reported over the last years, as we have taken this as our main research area. 80 compounds were illustrated, and various derivatives containing hydrazone bridged thiazole and pyrrole rings, 2-pyridine and 4-pyridine substituted thiazole derivatives, compounds containing di-, tri- and tetrathiazole moieties, spiro-substituted 4- thiazolidinone-imidazoline-pyridines were analyzed. Derivatives of 5-heteroarylidene-2,4- thiazolidinediones, fluoroquinolone-thiadiazole hybrids, and others.

CONCLUSION

1,3,4-thiadiazoles and thiazoles are valuable resource for researchers engaged in rational drug design and development in this area.

Substituted furan sulfonamides as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: Synthesis, biological and in silico studies

Carbonic Anhydrases (CAs) are a large family of zinc metalloenzymes that catalyze the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide involved in several of biological processes, such as respiration, calcification, acid-base balance, bone resorption, and the formation of aqueous humor, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, and gastric acid. They show wide diversity in tissue distribution and in their subcellular localization. Fifteen novel furyl sulfonamides were designed, synthesized and evaluated against four human isoforms: hCA I, hCA II, hCA IV and hCA IX. Compounds appeared to be very active mostly against hCAI (8) and hCA IV (11) isoforms being more potent than reference drug acetazolamide (AAZ). It should be mentioned that four compounds were more active than AAZ against hCA IX isoform, with compound 13d to be selective against hCA I (SI 70), hCA II (SI 13.5) and hCA IV (SI 20). Furthermore, docking was performed for some of these compounds on all isoforms I order to understand the possible interactions with the active site. The most active compounds showed good bioavailability and drug likeness scores.

Straightforward access to α-thiocyanoketones and thiazoles from sulfoxonium ylides

Efficient, versatile, and metal-free strategies for synthesizing α-thiocyanoketones and thiazoles from β-ketosulfoxonium ylides and ammonium thiocyanate have been described. Due to its simplicity, benign reaction conditions, excellent chemoselectivity, and high yield, this method represents a unique approach for divergent synthesis. Finally, the potential value of the developed methods is demonstrated via large-scale reactions and synthesis of Fanetizole, an anti-inflammatory drug.

Thiourea derivatives containing 4-arylthiazoles and d-glucose moiety: design, synthesis, antimicrobial activity evaluation, and molecular docking/dynamics simulations

Some substituted glucose-conjugated thioureas containing 1,3-thiazole ring, 4a-h, were synthesized by the reaction of the corresponding substituted 2-amino-4-phenyl-1,3-thiazoles 2a-h with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl isocyanate. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of these thiazole-containing thioureas were estimated using a minimum inhibitory concentration protocol. Among these compounds, 4c, 4g, and 4h were better inhibitors with MIC = 0.78-3.125 μg mL-1. These three compounds were also tested for their ability to inhibit S. aureus enzymes, including DNA gyrase, DNA topoisomerase IV (Topo IV), and dihydrofolate reductase, and compound 4h was found to be a strong inhibitor with IC50 = 1.25 ± 0.12, 67.28 ± 1.21, and 0.13 ± 0.05 μM, respectively. Induced-fit docking and MM-GBSA calculations were performed to observe the binding efficiencies and steric interactions of these compounds. The obtained results showed that compound 4h is compatible with the active site of S. aureus DNA gyrase 2XCS with four H-bond interactions with residues Ala1118, Met1121, and F:DC11 and also three interactions with F:DG10 (two interactions) and F:DC11 (one interaction). Molecular dynamics simulation in a water solvent system showed that ligand 4h had active interactions with enzyme 2XCS through residues Ala1083, Glu1088, Ala1118, Gly1117, and Met1121.

Amide- and bis-amide-linked highly potent and broadly active antifungal agents for the treatment of invasive fungal infections- towards the discovery of pre-clinical development candidate FC12406

Most fungal infections are common, localized to skin or mucosal surfaces and can be treated effectively with topical antifungal agents. However, while invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are uncommon, they are very difficult to control medically, and are associated with high mortality rates. We have previously described highly potent bis-guanidine-containing heteroaryl-linked antifungal agents, and were interested in expanding the range of agents to novel series so as to reduce the degree of aromaticity (with a view to making the compounds more drug-like), and provide broadly active high potency derivatives. We have investigated the replacement of the central aryl ring from our original series by both amide and a bis-amide moieties, and have found particular structure-activity relationships (SAR) for both series', resulting in highly active antifungal agents against both mold and yeast pathogens. In particular, we describe the in vitro antifungal activity, absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination (ADME) properties, and off-target properties of FC12406 (34), which was selected as a pre-clinical development candidate.

Convergent synthesis, kinetics insight and allosteric computational ascriptions of thiazole-(5-aryl)oxadiazole hybrids embraced with propanamides as alkaline phosphatase inhibitors

Considering the varied pharmacological prominence of thiazole and oxadiazole heterocyclic moieties, a unique series of bi-heterocyclic hybrids, 8a-h, was synthesized in a convergent manner. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were characterized by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and IR spectral studies. The structure-activity relationship of these compounds was predicted by examining their inhibitory effects against alkaline phosphatase, whereby all these molecules exhibited superb inhibitory potentials relative to the standard used. The kinetics mechanism was determined by Lineweaver-Burk plots which revealed that 8g inhibited the studied enzyme non-competitively by forming an enzyme-inhibitor complex. The inhibition constant K_i calculated from Dixon plots for this compound was 0.42 μM. The allosteric computational study was coherent with the experimental records and these ligands exhibited good binding energy values (kcal mol^-1). The hemolytic analysis revealed their mild cytotoxicity towards red blood cell membranes and hence, these molecules have potential to be nontoxic medicinal scaffolds for the treatment of alkaline phosphate-associated ailments.

Characterization of an allosteric inhibitor of fungal-specific C-24 sterol methyltransferase to treat Candida albicans infections

Filamentation is an important virulence factor of the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. The abolition of Candida albicans hyphal formation by disrupting sterol synthesis is an important concept for the development of antifungal drugs with high safety. Here, we conduct a high-throughput screen using a C. albicans strain expressing green fluorescent protein-labeled Dpp3 to identify anti-hypha agents by interfering with ergosterol synthesis. The antipyrine derivative H55 is characterized to have minimal cytotoxicity and potent inhibition of C. albicans hyphal formation in multiple cultural conditions. H55 monotherapy exhibits therapeutic efficacy in mouse models of azole-resistant candidiasis. H55 treatment increases the accumulation of zymosterol, the substrate of C-24 sterol methyltransferase (Erg6). The results of enzyme assays, photoaffinity labeling, molecular simulation, mutagenesis, and cellular thermal shift assays support H55 as an allosteric inhibitor of Erg6. Collectively, H55, an inhibitor of the fungal-specific enzyme Erg6, holds potential to treat C. albicans infections.

Catalysis-free synthesis of thiazolidine-thiourea ligands for metal coordination (Au and Ag) and preliminary cytotoxic studies

The reaction of propargylamines with isothiocyanates results in the selective formation of iminothiazolidines, aminothiazolines or mixed thiazolidine-thiourea compounds under mild conditions. It has been observed that secondary propargylamines lead to the selective formation of cyclic 2-amino-2-thiazoline derivatives, while primary propargylamines form iminothiazoline species. In addition, these cyclic thiazoline derivatives can further react with an excess of isothiocyanate to give rise to thiazolidine-thiourea compounds. These species can also be achieved by reaction of propargylamines with isothiocynates in a molar ratio of 1 : 2. Coordination studies of these heterocyclic species towards silver and gold with different stoichiometries have been carried out and complexes of the type [ML(PPh₃)]OTf, [ML₂]OTf (M = Ag, Au) or [Au(C₆F₅)L] have been synthesised. Preliminary studies of the cytotoxic activity in lung cancer cells have also been performed in both ligands and complexes, showing that although the ligands do not exhibit anticancer activity, their coordination to metals, especially silver, greatly enhances the cytotoxic activity.

Drug repurposing strategy part 1: from approved drugs to agri-bactericides leads

Phytopathogenic bacteria are a major cause of crop mortality and yield reduction, especially in field cultivation. The lack of effective chemistry agri-bactericides is responsible for challenging field prevention and treatment, prompting the development of long-lasting solutions to prevent, reduce, or manage some of the most devastating plant diseases facing modern agriculture today and in the future. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find lead drugs preventing and treating phytopathogenic bacterial infection. Drug repurposing, a strategy used to identify novel uses for existing approved drugs outside of their original indication, takes less time and investment than Traditional R&D Strategies in the process of drug development. Based on this method, we conduct a screen of 700 chemically diverse and potentially safe drugs against Xanthomonas oryzae PV. oryzae ACCC 11602 (Xoo), Xanthomonas axonopodis PV. citri (Xac), and Pectobacterium atrosepticum ACCC 19901 (Pa). Furthermore, the structure-activity relationship and structural similarity analysis of active drugs classify potent agri-bactericides into 8 lead series: salicylanilides, cationic nitrogen-containing drugs, azole antifungals, N-containing group, hydroxyquinolines, piperazine, kinase inhibitor and miscellaneous groups. MIC values were evaluated as antibacterial activities in this study. Identifying highly active lead compounds from the screening of approved drugs and comparison with the currently applied plant pathogenic bactericide to validate the bactericidal activity of the best candidates and assess if selected molecules or scaffolds lead to develop new antibacterial agents in the future. In conclusion, this study provides a possibility for the development of potent and highly selective agri-bactericides leads.

Synthesis and in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, anti-proliferative activities of novel adamantane-containing thiazole compounds

A series of (Z)-N-(adamantan-1-yl)-3,4-diarylthiazol-2(3H)-imines (5a-r) was synthesized via condensation of 1-(adamantan-1-yl)-3-arylthioureas (3a-c) with various aryl bromomethyl ketones (4a-f). The structures of the synthesized compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and by X-ray crystallography. The in vitro inhibitory activities of the synthesized compounds were assessed against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and pathogenic fungi. Compounds 5c, 5g, 5l, 5m, and 5q displayed potent broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, while compounds 5a and 5o showed activity against the tested Gram-positive bacteria. Compounds 5b, 5l and 5q displayed potent antifungal activity against Candida albicans. In addition, the synthesized compounds were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity towards five human tumor cell lines. The optimal anti-proliferative activity was attained by compounds 5e and 5k which showed potent inhibitory activity against all the tested cell lines. Molecular docking analysis reveals that compounds 5e and 5k can occupy the positions of NAD cofactor and the histone deacetylase inhibitor EX527 at the active site of SIRT1 enzyme.

Guanidine-Containing Antifungal Agents against Human-Relevant Fungal Pathogens (2004-2022)-A Review

The guanidine moiety is typically a highly basic group, and can be found in a wide variety of drugs, such as zanamivir (Relenza) and metformin (Fortamet), as well as in biologically active compounds for numerous disease areas, including central nervous system (CNS) diseases and chemotherapeutics. This review will focus on antifungal agents which contain at least one guanidine group, for the treatment of human-related fungal pathogens, described in the literature between 2004 and 2022. These compounds include small molecules, steroids, polymers, metal complexes, sesquiterpenes, natural products, and polypeptides. It shall be made clear that a diverse range of guanidine-containing derivatives have been published in the literature and have antifungal activity, including efficacy in in vivo experiments.

Management of Filamentous Fungal Keratitis: A Pragmatic Approach

Filamentous fungal infections of the cornea known as filamentous fungal keratitis (FK) are challenging to treat. Topical natamycin 5% is usually first-line treatment following the results of several landmark clinical trials. However, even when treated intensively, infections may progress to corneal perforation. Current topical antifungals are not always effective and are often unavailable. Alternatives topical therapies to natamycin include voriconazole, chlorhexidine, amphotericin B and econazole. Surgical therapy, typically in the form of therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty, may be required for severe cases or following corneal perforation. Alternative treatment strategies such as intrastromal or intracameral injections of antifungals may be used. However, there is often no clear treatment strategy and the evidence to guide therapy is often lacking. This review describes the different treatment options and their evidence and provides a pragmatic approach to the management of fungal keratitis, particularly for clinicians working in tropical, low-resource settings where fungal keratitis is most prevalent.

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of New Heteroaryl(aryl) Thiazole Derivatives Molecular Docking Studies

Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of new heteroaryl (aryl) thiazole derivatives. The design was based on a molecular hybridization approach. The in vitro evaluation revealed that these compounds demonstrated moderate antibacterial activity. The best activity was achieved for compound 3, with MIC and MBC in the range of 0.23–0.7 and 0.47–0.94 mg/mL, respectively. Three compounds (2, 3, and 4) were tested against three resistant strains, namely methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli, which showed higher potential than the reference drug ampicillin. Antifungal activity of the compounds was better with MIC and MFC in the range of 0.06–0.47 and 0.11–0.94 mg/mL, respectively. The best activity was observed for compound 9, with MIC at 0.06–0.23 mg/mL and MFC at 0.11–0.47 mg/mL. According to docking studies, the predicted inhibition of the E. coli MurB enzyme is a putative mechanism of the antibacterial activity of the compounds, while inhibition of 14a-lanosterol demethylase is probably the mechanism of their antifungal activity.

Discovery of Novel Quinazoline-2-Aminothiazole Hybrids Containing a 4-Piperidinylamide Linker as Potential Fungicides against the Phytopathogenic Fungus Rhizoctonia solani

A total of 29 novel quinazoline-2-aminothiazole hybrids containing a 4-piperidinylamide linker were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their anti-microbial properties against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria of agricultural importance. The anti-fungal assays indicated that some of the target compounds exhibited excellent inhibitory effects in vitro against Rhizoctonia solani. For example, 11 compounds within this series (including 4a, 4g, 4h, 4j, 4o, 4s, 4t, 4u, 4v, 4y, and 4b') were found to possess EC₅₀ values (effective concentration for 50% activity) ranging from 0.42 to 2.05 μg/mL against this pathogen. In particular, compound 4y with a 2-chloro-6-fluorophenyl substituent displayed a potent anti-R. solani efficacy with EC₅₀ = 0.42 μg/mL, nearly threefold more effective than the commercialized fungicide Chlorothalonil (EC₅₀ = 1.20 μg/mL) and also slightly superior to the other fungicide Carbendazim (EC₅₀ = 0.53 μg/mL). Moreover, compound 4y could efficiently inhibit the growth of R. solani in vivo on the potted rice plants, displaying an impressive protection efficacy of 82.3% at 200 μg/mL, better than those of the fungicides Carbendazim (69.8%) and Chlorothalonil (48.9%). Finally, the mechanistic studies showed that compound 4y exerted its anti-fungal effects by altering the mycelial morphology, increasing the cell membrane permeability, and destroying the cell membrane integrity. On the other hand, some compounds demonstrated good anti-bacterial effects in vitro against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Overall, the presented results implied that 4-piperidinylamide-bridged quinazoline-2-aminothiazole hybrids held the promise of acting as lead compounds for developing more efficient fungicides to control R. solani.

Thiazole: A Versatile Standalone Moiety Contributing to the Development of Various Drugs and Biologically Active Agents

For many decades, the thiazole moiety has been an important heterocycle in the world of chemistry. The thiazole ring consists of sulfur and nitrogen in such a fashion that the pi (π) electrons are free to move from one bond to other bonds rendering aromatic ring properties. On account of its aromaticity, the ring has many reactive positions where donor–acceptor, nucleophilic, oxidation reactions, etc., may take place. Molecules containing a thiazole ring, when entering physiological systems, behave unpredictably and reset the system differently. These molecules may activate/stop the biochemical pathways and enzymes or stimulate/block the receptors in the biological systems. Therefore, medicinal chemists have been focusing their efforts on thiazole-bearing compounds in order to develop novel therapeutic agents for a variety of pathological conditions. This review attempts to inform the readers on three major classes of thiazole-bearing molecules: Thiazoles as treatment drugs, thiazoles in clinical trials, and thiazoles in preclinical and developmental stages. A compilation of preclinical and developmental thiazole-bearing molecules is presented, focusing on their brief synthetic description and preclinical studies relating to structure-based activity analysis. The authors expect that the current review may succeed in drawing the attention of medicinal chemists to finding new leads, which may later be translated into new drugs.

The Antibiofilm Role of Biotics Family in Vaginal Fungal Infections

“Unity in strength” is a notion that can be exploited to characterize biofilms as they bestow microbes with protection to live freely, escalate their virulence, confer high resistance to therapeutic agents, and provide active grounds for the production of biofilms after dispersal. Naturally, fungal biofilms are inherently resistant to many conventional antifungals, possibly owing to virulence factors as their ammunitions that persistently express amid planktonic transition to matured biofilm state. These ammunitions include the ability to form polymicrobial biofilms, emergence of persister cells post-antifungal treatment and acquisition of resistance genes. One of the major disorders affecting vaginal health is vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and its reoccurrence is termed recurrent VVC (RVVC). It is caused by the Candida species which include Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. The aforementioned Candida species, notably C. albicans is a biofilm producing pathogen and habitually forms part of the vaginal microbiota of healthy women. Latest research has implicated the role of fungal biofilms in VVC, particularly in the setting of treatment failure and RVVC. Consequently, a plethora of studies have advocated the utilization of probiotics in addressing these infections. Specifically, the excreted or released compounds of probiotics which are also known as postbiotics are being actively researched with vast potential to be used as therapeutic options for the treatment and prevention of VVC and RVVC. These potential sources of postbiotics are harnessed due to their proven antifungal and antibiofilm. Hence, this review discusses the role of Candida biofilm formation in VVC and RVVC. In addition, we discuss the application of pro-, pre-, post-, and synbiotics either individually or in combined regimen to counteract the abovementioned problems. A clear understanding of the role of biofilms in VVC and RVVC will provide proper footing for further research in devising novel remedies for prevention and treatment of vaginal fungal infections.

Identifying novel drugs with new modes of action for neglected tropical fungal skin diseases (fungal skinNTDs) using an Open Source Drug discovery approach

INTRODUCTION

The three fungal skin neglected tropical diseases (NTD) mycetoma, chromoblastomycosis and sporotrichosis currently lack prioritization and support to establish drug discovery programs in search for novel treatment options. This has made the efforts to identify novel drugs for these skinNTDs fragmented.

AREAS COVERED

To help escalate the discovery of novel drugs to treat these fungal skinNTDs, the authors have prepared an overview of the compounds with activity against fungal skinNTDs by analyzing data from individual drug discovery studies including those performed on the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) open access boxes.

EXPERT OPINION

The authors were unable to identify studies in which causative agents of all three skinNTDs were included, indicating that an integrated approach is currently lacking. From the currently available data, the azoles and iodoquinol were the only compounds with activity against causative agents from the three different fungal skinNTDs. Fungal melanin inhibition enhanced the activity of antifungal agents. For mycetoma, the fenarimols, aminothiazoles and benzimidazole carbamates are currently being investigated in the MycetOS initiative. To come to a more integrated approach to identify drugs active against all three fungal skinNTDs, compounds made in the MycetOS initiative could also be explored for chromoblastomycosis and sporotrichosis.

α-Selective C(sp3)-H Thio/Selenocyanation of Ketones with Elemental Chalcogen

A facile method is disclosed for the synthesis of α-thio/selenocyanato ketones through regioselective C-H thio/selenocyanation of ketones. The advantages include the use of easily available starting materials, high efficiency, simple operation, and easy scale-up. Control experiments provide evidence that the reaction proceeded via a radical way, while kinetic isotope effect experiments reveal that the cleavage of the C-H bond serves as the rate-limiting step.

Identification of Thiazoyl Guanidine Derivatives as Novel Antifungal Agents Inhibiting Ergosterol Biosynthesis for Treatment of Invasive Fungal Infections

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are fatal infections, but treatment options are limited. The clinical efficacies of existing drugs are unsatisfactory because of side effects, drug-drug interaction, unfavorable pharmacokinetic profiles, and emerging drug-resistant fungi. Therefore, the development of antifungal drugs with a new mechanism is an urgent issue. Herein, we report novel aryl guanidine antifungal agents, which inhibit a novel target enzyme in the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. Structure-activity relationship development and property optimization by reducing lipophilicity led to the discovery of 6h, which showed potent antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus in the presence of serum, improved metabolic stability, and PK properties. In the murine systemic A. fumigatus infection model, 6h exhibited antifungal efficacy equivalent to voriconazole (1e). Furthermore, owing to the inhibition of a novel target in the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway, 6h showed antifungal activity against azole-resistant A. fumigatus.

Development and Validation of a LC-MS/MS Method for the Profiling of Impurities Formed during Stress Study of Antifungal Agent-Efinaconazole

Liquid chromatography interfaced with mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) is a sensitive and effective analytical method that combines high-resolution separation as well as specific mass detection of impurities in formulated products and as well as in active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). In this study, LC-MS/MS was used to determine impurities formed during the stability period of Efinaconazole (EFZ, a triazole antifungal agent). The method was validated for its assay parameters such as specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision and also for solution stability. The calibration curve was found to be linear for the concentration range from 0.5 μg/mL to 30 μg/mL. A thorough investigation was performed by exposing Efinaconazole (1 mg/mL) to various stress conditions such as hydrolysis (acid and alkaline), oxidation, photolysis and temperature at various time intervals to achieve 10% degradation. The impurities formed during forced degradation were separated using high-performance liquid chromatography later it was identified using LC-MS/MS technique. The obtained results showed that EFZ is prone to oxidation when exposed to a 3% aqueous medium of hydrogen peroxide solution and quite stable in all the remaining stress conditions for a longer period.

Tulbaghia violacea (Harv) Exerts its Antifungal Activity by Reducing Ergosterol Production in Aspergillus flavus

Opportunistic infections in immunosuppressed patients have led to an increase in fungal infections, with Aspergillus being one of the main causative agents. Medicinal plants exhibiting antifungal activity have the potential to be used as chemotherapeutic agents. However, often their mechanisms of action are not fully researched. Tulbaghia violacea exhibits antifungal activity towards Candida, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus but its mode of action has only recently begun to be investigated. This study aimed to ascertain the effect of T. violacea rhizome extracts on ergosterol production in A. flavus and the mechanism of inhibition. The MIC of a T. violacea rhizome extract against A. flavus was first determined, using a broth dilution assay, to be 15 mg/ml. Thereafter, the culture was subjected to sub-inhibitory concentrations of the extract before sterol intermediates of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway were isolated and analysed for dose-dependent accumulation. Analysis by reverse-phase HPLC displayed a decline in ergosterol production in a dose-dependent manner when exposed to increasing concentrations of T. violacea extract. Quantification of the sterol intermediates of the ergosterol pathway indicated a definite accumulation of 2,3-oxidosqualene. The results prove that the plant extract affected ergosterol synthesis by inhibiting oxidosqualene cyclase. This prevented the formation of downstream intermediates of the ergosterol pathway ultimately resulting in inhibition of ergosterol production.

Organic Antifungal Drugs and Targets of Their Action

In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of fungal diseases. This is due to a wide spectrum of action, immunosuppressants and other group drugs. In terms of frequency, rapid spread and globality, fungal infections are approaching acute respiratory infections. Antimycotics are medicinal substances endorsed with fungicidal or fungistatic properties. For the treatment of fungal diseases, several groups of compounds are used that differ in their origin (natural or synthetic), molecular targets and mechanism of action, antifungal effect (fungicidal or fungistatic), indications for use (local or systemic infections), and methods of administration (parenteral, oral, outdoor). Several efforts have been made by various medicinal chemists around the world for the development of antifungal drugs with high efficacy with the least toxicity and maximum selectivity in the area of antifungal chemotherapy. The pharmacokinetic properties of the new antimycotics are also important: the ability to penetrate biological barriers, be absorbed and distributed in tissues and organs, get accumulated in tissues affected by micromycetes, undergo drug metabolism in the intestinal microflora and human organs, and in the kinetics of excretion from the body. There are several ways to search for new effective antimycotics: - Obtaining new derivatives of the already used classes of antimycotics with improved activity properties. - Screening of new chemical classes of synthetic antimycotic compounds. - Screening of natural compounds. - Identification of new unique molecular targets in the fungal cell. - Development of new compositions and dosage forms with effective delivery vehicles. The methods of informatics, bioinformatics, genomics and proteomics were extensively investigated for the development of new antimycotics. These techniques were employed in finding and identification of new molecular proteins in a fungal cell; in the determination of the selectivity of drugprotein interactions, evaluation of drug-drug interactions and synergism of drugs; determination of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies; determination of the molecular design of the most active, selective and safer drugs for the humans, animals and plants. In medical applications, the methods of information analysis and pharmacogenomics allow taking into account the individual phenotype of the patient, the level of expression of the targets of antifungal drugs when choosing antifungal agents and their dosage. This review article incorporates some of the most significant studies covering the basic structures and approaches for the synthesis of antifungal drugs and the directions for their further development.

Highly potent, broadly active antifungal agents for the treatment of invasive fungal infections

Invasive fungal infections have become an important healthcare issue due in large part to high mortality rates under standard of care (SOC) therapies creating an urgent need for new and effective anti-fungal agents. We have developed a series of non-peptide, structurally-constrained analogs of host defence proteins that have distinct advantages over peptides for pharmaceutical uses. Here we report the chemical optimization of bis-guanidine analogs focused on alterations of the central aryl core and the connection of it to the terminal guanidines. This effort resulted in the production of highly potent, broadly active compounds with low mammalian cell cytotoxicity that have comparable or improved antifungal activities over SOC agents. One optimal compound was also found to possess favourable in vitro pharmaceutical and off-target properties suitable for further development.

2-Aminothiazole: A privileged scaffold for the discovery of anti-cancer agents

Cancer has been the second heath killer being next only to cardiovascular diseases in human society. Although many efforts have been taken for cancer therapy and many achievements have been yielded in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, the current first-line anti-cancer agents are insufficient owing to the emergence of multi-drug resistance and side effects. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new anti-cancer agents with high activity and low toxicity. 2-Aminothiazole is a class of important scaffold which widely distributes in many natural and synthetic compounds with many pharmacological effects including the potential anti-cancer activity. In this review, we summarized the recent progress of 2-aminothiazole as a privileged scaffold for the discovery of anti-cancer agents based on biological targets, such as tubulin protein, histone acetylase/histone deacetylase (HAT/HDAC), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks), Src/Abl kinase, BRAF kinase, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase and sphingosine kinase (SphK), and also investigated the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of most compounds. It is believed that this review could be helpful for medicinal chemists in the discovery of more anti-cancer agents bearing 2-aminothiazole scaffold with excellent activity and high therapeutic index.

2-aminothiazoles in drug discovery: Privileged structures or toxicophores?

The 2-aminothiazole functionality has long been established as a privileged structural feature and therefore frequently exploited in the process of drug discovery and development. It has been introduced into numerous compounds due to its capacity for targeting a wide range of therapeutic target proteins. On the other hand, the aminothiazole group has also been classified as a toxicophore susceptible to metabolic activation and the ensuing reactive metabolite formation, hence caution is warranted when used in drug design. This review is divided into three parts entailing: (i) the general characteristics of the aminothiazole group, (ii) the advantages of the aminothiazole group in medicinal chemistry, and (iii) the impact of the integrated aminothiazole group on compound safety profile.

Pyrazoline Hybrids as Promising Anticancer Agents: An Up-to-Date Overview

Pyrazolines are five-membered heterocycles possessing two adjacent nitrogens. They have attracted significant attention from organic and medicinal chemists due to their potent biological activities and the numerous possibilities for structural diversification. In the last decade, they have been intensively studied as targets for potential anticancer therapeutics, producing a steady yearly rise in the number of published research articles. Many pyrazoline derivatives have shown remarkable cytotoxic activities in the form of heterocyclic or non-heterocyclic based hybrids, such as with coumarins, triazoles, and steroids. The enormous amount of related literature in the last 5 years prompted us to collect all these published data from screening against cancer cell lines, or protein targets like EGFR and structure activity relationship studies. Therefore, in the present review, a comprehensive account of the compounds containing the pyrazoline nucleus will be provided. The chemical groups and the structural modifications responsible for the activity will be highlighted. Moreover, emphasis will be given on recent examples from the literature and on the work of research groups that have played a key role in the development of this field.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Some Aminothiazole Derivatives as Antileishmanial Agents

Background:

Leishmaniasis is a major health problem which is caused by the protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one type of leishmaniasis and selflimited in most of the cases. However, when the lesions come with scars, they make a deep lifelong stigma. Despite being WHO's research priority, the optimum treatment for this disease has not been found yet. The current study aimed to synthesize and assess the activity of some new aminothiazole compounds against Leishmania major-induced cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice.

Methods:

Eight new aminothiazole derivatives were synthesized and their chemical structures were characterized by spectral data 1H-NMR spectroscopy, Mass spectrophotometry and elemental analysis. L. major parasites were inoculated into the tail base of BALB/c mice and the induced lesions were treated every other day with three different doses of the synthesized compounds against meglumine antimoniate as the drug reference for two weeks. Size of the lesions was observed for three weeks and the collected data were analyzed by SPSS software. Also, these compounds are docked into the active site of 14- α-demethylase as the targets in the treatment of leishmaniasis.

Results:

Among the synthesized aminothiazole derivatives, compounds 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 had good leishmanicidal effects. Docking binding energies showed that the synthesized compounds could act as inhibitors for 14- α-demethylase.

Conclusions:

Among the synthesized compounds, compound 3, (N-((4-chlorophenyl)(phenyl) methyl)thiazol-2-amine) was the most promising one which deserves future studies for the treatment of leishmaniasis.

A one-pot synthesis of 2-aminothiazoles via the coupling of ketones and thiourea using I2/dimethyl sulfoxide as a catalytic oxidative system

A series of 2-aminothiazoles is prepared in moderate-to-good yields by the direct coupling of ketones and thiourea using I2/dimethyl sulfoxide as a catalytic oxidative system. This method avoids the preparation of lachrymatory and toxic α-haloketones and the use of an acid-binding agent, thus providing a more convenient approach to 2-aminothiazoles compared to the Hantzsch reaction.

A Brief Literature and Review of Patents on Thiazole Related Derivatives

Background:

Thiazole is widely investigated bioactive scaffold and dynamic tool in medicinal chemistry research. Significance of thiazole compounds are well documented as thiazole is an obligatory structure of number of currently available therapeutics. In spite of that, thiazole derivatives are endowed with myriad biological activities, such as antiviral, anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, antiparkinsonian, anti-inflammatory activities and many more.

Methods:

In recent past, different approaches have been introduced for synthesis of thiazole and related compounds. Intrinsic molecular interaction between newly synthesized thiazole compounds and plethora of drug targets/enzymes has rendered discovery of new drug molecules with advances in modes of action. A renewed interest in therapeutic use of thiazole derivatives has been seen among the prospective researchers as exemplified by influx of huge scientific articles and patents. Some important patents of anti-infective and anticancer interest have been addressed appropriately and are presented in tables.

Results:

This review paper is a contemporary approach on therapeutic/applications of thiazole derivatives by summarizing important patents filed from 2000-2017. The main focus of these patents is on anti-infective and anticancer potential of thiazole based compounds.

Conclusion:

These approaches may provide valuable information for the further design of more active biological agents through various modifications and derivatizations.

Acetic acid mediated regioselective synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted thiazoles by a domino multicomponent reaction

Acetic acid mediated regioselective synthesis of novel 2,4,5-trisubstituted thiazole derivatives has been reported by a domino reaction of thiosemicarbazide and aldehydes/ketones/isatin, to generate thiosemicarbazones (in situ) followed by addition of arylglyoxal and active methylene/activated C–H acids/pyrazole/indole in ethanol at 80 °C.

Challenges in the Polyene- and Azole-Based Pharmacotherapy of Ocular Fungal Infections

Polyenes and azoles constitute 2 major drug classes in the antifungal armamentarium used to treat fungal infections of the eye such as fungal keratitis, endophthalmitis, conjunctivitis, and blepharitis. These classes of drugs have come to occupy an important niche in ophthalmic antifungal therapy due to their broad spectrum of activity against a variety of filamentous and yeast-like fungi. Natamycin suspension (Natacyn^®), a polyene antifungal drug, is currently the only US FDA-approved formulation for treating ophthalmic fungal infections, whereas the other polyene and azole antifungals such as amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole are routinely used off-label in the clinical setting. Despite potent antifungal activity, the clinical utility of these agents in ophthalmic infections has been challenged by their physicochemical properties, the unique ocular anatomy and physiology, selective antifungal activity, ocular and systemic toxicity, emergence of resistance and cross-resistance, and absence of reliable techniques for developing a robust in vitro-in vivo correlation. This review discusses the aforementioned challenges and the common approaches undertaken to circumnavigate the difficulties associated with the polyene- and azole-based pharmacotherapy of ophthalmic fungal infections.

Synthesis, Modeling Study and Antioxidants Activity of New Heterocycles Derived from 4-Antipyrinyl-2-Chloroacetamidothiazoles

The present work reports the preparation of twelve new heterocyclic scaffolds containing an antipyrinyl-thiazole hybrid through the reaction of 4-antipyrinyl-2-chloroacetamido-thiazoles 1 and 6 with various types of nucleophiles, namely; ethyl thioglycolate, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2-mercaptobenzoxazole, ammonium thiocyanate, malononitrile, and salicylaldehyde. The constructed compounds were characterized by conventional spectroscopic techniques (IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass analysis). A DFT method (material studio package) was used to predict the geometry, bond lengths, bond angles, and dipole moments as well as other global chemical reactivities of the constructed antipyrinyl-thiazole compounds. Also, their semi-core pseudopods calculations (dspp) were carried out with DNP (double numerical basis sets plus polarization functional) to predict the properties of materials. In addition, the antioxidant activity of these antipyrinyl-thiazole scaffolds has been screened by the ABTS method. The results indicated that 2-(4-antipyrinylthiazolylamino)-5-substituitedbenzylidene-thiazol-4(5H)-ones 10b and 10c exhibited the best antioxidant activity with a percentage inhibition of 85.74% and 83.51%, respectively.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of aminothiazoles against Histoplasma capsulatum and Cryptococcus neoformans

The design and synthesis of a library of forty novel 2-aminoazole analogues as well as their evaluation as antifungal compounds against Histoplasma capsulatum and Cryptococcus neoformans is described. These structures were derived from N-[5-(1-naphthalenylmethyl)-2-thiazolyl]cyclohexanecarboxamide (41F5), a fungistatic agent previously identified through phenotypic screening (Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013;57:4349). Modifications to improve potency and water-solubility of 41F5 focused primarily on the 5-naphthalenyl group, the thiazole core, and the methylene linker between these two structural elements. In general, compounds with lipophilic [5+6] bicyclic ring systems, such as the 7-benzothiophenyl- and 4-indanyl groups, at the 5-position were 2-3 times more active against both fungal species as compared to 41F5. Also, introduction of a carbonyl group at the methylene linker of 41F5 resulted in a 2-3-fold increase in potency. These highly active compounds also showed generally low toxicities against murine P388D1 macrophages resulting in selectivity indices ranging from 63 to >200. Compounds that were highly active against fluconazole-sensitive C. neoformans strains had almost identical activity against fluconazole-resistant variants of this fungus indicating that 14α-demethylase is not their molecular target. Highly active compounds also retained activity against H. capsulatum phagocytosed into P388D1 macrophages.

A novel derivatives of thiazol-4(5H)-one and their activity in the inhibition of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of inactive cortisone into physiologically active cortisol. Inhibiting the activity of this enzyme plays a key role in the treatment of Cushing's syndrome, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, new compounds that are selective inhibitors of this enzyme are constantly being looked for. In this work we present the synthesis of 2-(allylamino)thiazol-4(5H)-one derivatives by the reaction of N-allylthiourea with appropriate α-bromoesters. In the case of using of aliphatic α-bromoesters and α-bromo-β-phenylesters, the reactions were carried out in a basic medium (sodium ethoxide) and the products were isolated with a yield of up to 68%. Derivatives containing spiro systems in which carbon C-5 of the thiazole ring is the linker atom were obtained in the presence of N,N-diisopropylethylamine. Some of the obtained compounds, at a concentration of 10 μM have activity in the inhibition of 11β-HSD1 up to 71%. IC₅₀ value for the most active compound: 2-(allylamino)-1-thia-3-azaspiro[4.5]dec-2-en-4-one is 2.5 µM. With a high degree of 11β-HSD1 inhibition and a relatively large difference in the inhibition of 11β-HSD1 and 11β-HSD2 activity, this compound appears to be promising and should be subjected to further testing.

Two inhibitors of yeast plasma membrane ATPase 1 (ScPma1p): toward the development of novel antifungal therapies

Given that many antifungal medications are susceptible to evolved resistance, there is a need for novel drugs with unique mechanisms of action. Inhibiting the essential proton pump Pma1p, a P-type ATPase, is a potentially effective therapeutic approach that is orthogonal to existing treatments. We identify NSC11668 and hitachimycin as structurally distinct antifungals that inhibit yeast ScPma1p. These compounds provide new opportunities for drug discovery aimed at this important target.