Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Vanillin Hydroxamic Acid Derivatives as Novel Peptide Deformylase Inhibitors

Antibacterial effects of vanilla ingredients provide novel treatment options for infections with multidrug-resistant bacteria - A recent literature review

Due to the increasing application of antibiotics not only in healthcare settings but also in conventional agriculture and farming, multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens are rising worldwide. Given the increasing prevalence of infections caused by MDR bacteria such as Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter species (ESKAPE pathogen complex), it is pivotal to explore novel alternative or adjunct treatment options such as phytochemicals with antibiotic properties. Vanillin and vanillin acid represent biologically active ingredients in vanilla that has been known for long for its health-beneficial including antimicrobial effects besides its role as flavoring agent. Therefore, we performed a literature search from the past 10 years summarizing the knowledge regarding the effects of vanilla constituents against bacterial including MDR pathogens. Our survey revealed that vanillin and vanillic acid exerted potent effects directed against distinct Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by inhibiting growth, viability, biofilm formation, quorum sensing and virulence. Remarkably, when combining vanillin or vanillic acid with defined synthetic antibiotics pronounced synergistic effects directed against distinct pathogenic including ESCAPE strains could be observed. In conclusion, vanilla ingredients constitute promising alternative or adjunct options in the combat of infections caused by MDR bacterial pathogens.

Tacrine-Hydrogen Sulfide Donor Hybrid Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment in the Aluminum Chloride Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by progressive loss of memory and cognitive function, and is associated with the deficiency of synaptic acetylcholine, as well as chronic neuroinflmmation. Tacrine, a potent acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, was previously a prescribed clinical therapeutic agent for AD, but it was recently withdrawn because it caused widespread hepatotoxicity. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we synthesized a new compound, a tacrine-H₂S donor hybrid (THS) by introducing H₂S-releasing moieties (ACS81) to tacrine. Subsequently, pharmacological and biological evaluations of THS were conducted in the aluminum trichloride (AlCl₃)-induced AD mice model. We found that THS (15 mmol/kg) improved cognitive and locomotor activity in AD mice in the step-through test and open field test, respectively. THS showed strong AChE inhibitory activity in the serum and hippocampus of AD mice and induced increased hippocampal H₂S levels. Furthermore, THS reduced mRNA expression of the proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β and increased synapse-associated proteins (synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein 95) in the hippocampus of AD mice. Importantly, THS, unlike tacrine, did not increase liver transaminases (alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase) or proinflammatory cytokines, indicating THS is much safer than tacrine. Therefore, the multifunctional effects of this new hybrid compound of tacrine and H₂S indicate it is a promising compound for further research into the treatment of AD.