Synthesis, Molecular Docking, and Bioactivity Study of Novel Hybrid Benzimidazole Urea Derivatives: A Promising α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase Inhibitor Candidate with Antioxidant Activity

Biological Activities and Phytochemical Screening of Thuja occidentalis Extracts with In Silico Approaches

The evergreen coniferous tree Thuja occidentalis is a member of the Cupressaceae family. This study included biological, cytotoxic, and in silico docking analyses in addition to a phytochemical composition analysis of the plant leaves and stem ethanolic extracts. The extracts' in vitro cytotoxicity efficacy against various cancer cell lines was examined. Additionally, certain phytochemical compounds were identified by gas chromatographic analysis and subsequently assessed in silico against anticancer molecular targets. Also, their antiviral effect was assessed. Good cytotoxic activity was demonstrated by plant extracts against the lung and colorectal cancer cell lines. With half-maximal inhibitory concentration values of 18.45 μg/mL for the leaf extract and 33.61 μg/mL for the stem extract, apoptosis and S-phase arrest was observed in the lung cancer cell line. In addition, the leaf extract demonstrated effective antiviral activity, with suppression rates of 17.7 and 16.2% for the herpes simplex and influenza viruses, respectively. Gas chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of relevant bioactive components such as Podocarp-7-en-3β-ol, 13β-methyl-13-vinyl, Megastigmatrienone, and Cedrol, which were tested in silico against anticancer molecular targets. Our findings suggest that plant ethanolic extracts may have potential therapeutic uses as anticancer drugs against lung cancer in addition to their antiviral properties, which opens up further avenues for more investigation and applications.

Phytochemical composition, in vitro cytotoxicity, and in silico docking properties of Tamarix tetragyna L

Tamarix tetragyna is a plant grows in Mediterranean area and some Arab countries. It possesses numerous medicinal values. Purpose of our study is to explore biological activity of tamarix tetragyna extracts of both leaves and stem with investigating their phytochemical composition. The investigated extracts' phyto-constituent composition was determined using gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method. In addition, in vitro cytoxicity activity versus cancer cell lines such MCF-7, HepG-2, HCT-116, and A-549 was examined by MTT assay method, together with exploring its apoptosis effect by flow cytometry and western blot analysis techniques. Moreover, some phytochemical compounds were identified, and in-silico evaluated against anticancer molecular targets. Plant extracts showed good cytotoxic activity against both A-549 and HCT-116 cancer cell lines. With an IC50 value of 23.90 µg/ml that led to apoptosis and G2/M-phase arrest in A-549 cells, cytotoxicity data demonstrate leaves' extract effectiveness against these cells. Upon GC-MS analysis, it revealed presence of some bioactive components such as Stigmast-5-en-3-ol and 2-methoxy-4-vinyl phenol, which are known for their cytotoxic activity. Our findings suggest that methanolic extracts of Tamarix tetragyna parts may have potential therapeutic uses as anticancer against A-549 cells, which opens up further avenues for investigation into its industrial applications.

Potent α-glucosidase inhibitors with benzimidazole-propionitrile hybridization; synthesis, bioassay and docking study

Background: Diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin and insensitivity to insulin. In 2013, the global diabetes population was 382 million, with 90% of them having type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent). It is predicted that this number will increase to 592 million by 2035.Aim: Here, we aimed to synthesize a series of benzimidazole-based derivatives B1-B32 with α-glucosidase inhibition potential as antidiabetic agents.Methods: Compounds B1-B32 were prepared in three three-step reactions, and the structures were elucidated using spectroscopic methods, namely 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS and IR. Enzyme inhibition and kinetic study were done using commercial assay kits, and molecular docking study using autodock4.Results: Bioassay data showed that twenty-four out of the thirty-two tested compounds exhibited IC50 values ranging from 44 to 745 μM, surpassing the standard molecule, acarbose (IC50: 750 μM). it was determined that the best compound, B10, functions as a competitive inhibitor. Additionally, a molecular docking study provided insights into the interactions between the four most promising compounds (B5, B6, B10 and B28) and the active site residues within the enzyme.Conclusion: The tested compounds are interesting α-glucosidase inhibitors, which indicates the benefit of more bioassay studies, especially in vivo studies.

Synthesis, in vitro and in silico study of novel 1,3-diphenylurea derived Schiff bases as competitive α-glucosidase inhibitors

Diabetes mellitus has become a major global health burden because of several related consequences, including heart disease, retinopathy, cataracts, metabolic syndrome, collapsed renal function, and blindness. In the recent study, thirty Schiff base derivatives of 1,3-diphenylurea were synthesized and their anti-diabetic activity was evaluated by targeting α-glucosidase. The compounds exhibited an overwhelming inhibitory potential for α-glucosidase with higher potency ranging from 2.49-37.16 μM. The most effective compound, 5h, showed competitive inhibition of α-glucosidase (K i = 3.96 ± 0.0048 μM) in the kinetic analysis and strong binding interactions with key residues α-glucosidase in docking analysis, indicating its potential for better glycemic control in diabetes patients.

Elucidation of the Microwave-Assisted Synthesis and Characterization of Heteronuclear Complexes of Bisbenzimidazole Derivatives and Their Biological Activities by In Vitro and In Silico Assays

A novel and efficient protocol for the microwave-assisted synthesis of diversely substituted 2,2'-bisbenzimidazol-5,6'-dicarboxylic acid (BIMCA) from the reaction of 3,4-diaminobenzoic acid with oxalic acid has been developed, which proceeds through sequential nucleophilic addition and electrophilic substitution in accordance with the Philips method. The synthetic utility of this strategy was demonstrated by the concise, one-pot synthesis of (BIMCA) and metal complexes. (BIMCA) with a [{Fe(salen)}2O] Schiff base ligand complex and new benzimidazole coordination compounds with double oxygen [(BIMCA){Fe(salen)}2] ligand complexes were obtained. The resulting [(BIMCA){Fe(salen)}2] ligand complex was then synthesized from Co(CH3COO)2.4H2O, Ni(CH3COO)2.4H2O and Cu(CH3COO)2.H2O heteronuclear complexes. The condensations proceed with good yield to give products that, in certain instances, are not readily attainable by conventional condensation techniques. The structures of the compounds were identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), elemental analysis and magnetic susceptibility. The mutagenic potential of the synthesized chemicals was evaluated by the Ames test towards mutant Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100. It was recorded that these chemicals had no mutagenic action. Also, antimicrobial activities were screened by broth microdilution test. It was seen that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis was 0.195 mg/mL, followed by a MIC value of 0.390 mg/mL against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. [(BIMCA){Fe(salen)}2Co(II)] demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus, with an MIC of 0.195 mg/mL, followed by an MIC of 0.390 mg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, K. pneumonia and Salmonella typhimurium. The antioxidant properties were examined using various chemical assays, and [(BIMCA){Fe(salen)}2O] and (BIMCA) exhibited greater 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ability, when compared with other compounds. Enzyme inhibitory effects were tested against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), amylase, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and tyrosinase. [(BIMCA){Fe(salen)}2Cu(II)] displayed the best AChE (IC50 0.51 mg/mL), BChE (IC50 0.51 mg/mL) and tyrosinase (IC50 1.52 mg/mL) inhibitory effects. Furthermore, molecular docking calculations were performed to gain insights into the interaction between [(BIMCA){Fe(salen)}2] and AChE, and between [(BIMCA){Fe(salen)}2Cu(II)] and amylase. Both compounds showed the potential inhibition of the protein targets.

Carbonylbis(hydrazine-1-carbothioamide) derivatives as a new class of α-glucosidase inhibitors and their mechanistic insights via molecular docking and dynamic simulations

In the past, efforts have been made to find a cure for diabetes, mainly evaluating new classes of compounds to explore their potency. In this study, we present the synthesis and evaluation of carbonylbis(hydrazine-1-carbothioamide) derivatives as potential α-glucosidase inhibitors, employing both in vivo and in silico investigations. The in vitro experiments revealed that all tested compounds were significantly potent for α-glucosidase inhibition, with the lead compound 3a displaying approximately 80 times higher activity than acarbose. To delve deeper, in silico induced fit docking, pharmacokinetics, and molecular dynamics studies were conducted. Significantly, compound 3a exhibited a docking score of -7.87 kcal/mol, surpassing acarbose, which had a docking score of -6.59 kcal/mol. The in silico ADMET indicated that most of the synthesized compounds have properties conducive to drug development. Molecular dynamics analysis demonstrated that, when the ligand 3a was coupled with the target 3TOP, Cα-RMSD backbone RMSD values below 2.4 Å and "Lig_fit_Prot" values below 2.7 Å were observed. QSAR analysis demonstrates that the "fOC8A" descriptor positively correlates with α-glucosidase inhibition activity, while "lipoplus_AbSA" positively contributes and "notringC_notringO_8B" negatively contributes to this activity.

Novel terpyridines as Staphylococcus aureus gyrase inhibitors: efficient synthesis and antibacterial assessment via solvent-drop grinding

Aim: This study was designed to synthesize a novel series of terpyridines with potential antibacterial properties, targeting multidrug resistance. Materials & methods: Terpyridines (4a-h and 6a-c) were synthesized via a one-pot multicomponent reaction using 2,6-diacetylpyridines, benzaldehyde derivatives and malononitrile or ethyl 2-cyanoacetate. The reactions, conducted under grinding conditions with glacial acetic acid, produced high-yield compounds, confirmed by spectroscopic data. Results: The synthesized terpyridines exhibited potent antibacterial activity. Notably, compounds 4d and 4h demonstrated significant inhibition zones against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, outperforming ciprofloxacin. Conclusion: Molecular docking studies highlighted compounds 4d, 4h and 6c as having strong binding affinity to DNA gyrase B, correlating with their robust antibacterial activity, suggesting their potential as effective agents against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains.

α-Amylase and mycobacterium-TB H37Rv antagonistic efficacy of novel pyrazole-coumarin hybrids: an in vitro and in silico investigation

The present investigation of minutiae to acquire structural information of the novel pyrazole-coumarin hybrids (PC1-PC10) synthesized using ultrasound methods and characterized using different spectroscopic techniques: mass, 1H-NMR, 13 C-NMR and IR spectroscopy, and theoretically explored using the DFT approach with a B3LYP/6-311G (d, p) basis set, and there in vitro, antagonistic efficacy against α-amylase and mycobacterium-TB H37Rv are described in this article. Pyrazole-coumarin hybrids (PC1-PC10) showed α-amylase inhibition ranging from IC50 (0.32-0.58 mM) when compared with acarbose (IC50 = 0.34 mM). Similarly, Mycobacterium-TB H37Rv strain inhibition screening showed MIC values ranging from 62.5 to 1000 µg/mL when compared with rifampicin and isoniazid MIC = 0.25 and 0.20 µg/mL, respectively. Molecular docking and MD simulation studies were performed to determine the active sites and rationalize the activities of the active compounds. To investigate the binding conformation and dynamics responsible for their activity, the three most active compounds (PC1, PC3 and PC6) were docked into the porcine pancreatic α-amylase active site (PDB ID:1OSE), and mycobacterium-TB H37Rv active site (PDB ID: 4TZK). The binding interactions between PC1, PC3, and PC6 with α-amylase were like those responsible for inhibiting α-amylase by acarbose. Also, the mycobacterium-TB H37Rv inhibiting responsible residues were compared with standard isoniazid and rifampicin.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Molecular Docking of Novel Azolylhydrazonothiazoles as Potential Anticancer Agents

A novel set of thiazolylhydrazonothiazoles bearing an indole moiety were synthesized by subjection reactions of carbothioamide derivative and hydrazonoyl chlorides (or α-haloketones). The cytotoxicity of the synthesized compounds was evaluated against the colon carcinoma cell line (HCT-116), liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2), and breast carcinoma cell line (MDA-MB-231), and demonstrated encouraging activity. Furthermore, when representative products were assessed for toxicity against normal cells, minimal toxic effects were observed, indicating their potential safety for use in pharmacological studies. The mechanism of action of the tested products, as inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase domain (EGFR TK) protein, was suggested through docking studies that assessed their binding scores and modes, in comparison to a reference standard (W19), thus endorsing their anticancer activity.