Synthesis, characterization, molecular docking, and biological activities of coumarin–1,2,3‐triazole‐acetamide hybrid derivatives

Spectroscopic investigation and structural simulation in human serum albumin with hydroxychloroquine/Silybum marianum and a possible potential COVID-19 drug candidate

In this study, the interaction between human serum albumin (HSA) and the hydroxychloroquine/Silybum marianum (HCQ/SM) mixture was investigated using various techniques. The observed high binding constant (Kb) and Stern-Volmer quenching constant (KSV) indicate a strong binding affinity between the HCQ/SM mixture and HSA. The circular dichroism (CD) analysis revealed that HCQ/SM induced conformational changes in the secondary structure of HSA, leading to a decrease in the α-helical content. UV-Vis analysis exhibited a slight redshift, indicating that the HCQ/SM mixture could adapt to the flexible structure of HSA. The experimental results demonstrated the significant conformational changes in HSA upon binding with HCQ/SM. Theoretical studies were carried out using molecular dynamics simulation via the Gromacs simulation package to explore insights into the drug interaction with HSA-binding sites. Furthermore, molecular docking studies demonstrated that HCQ/SM-HSA exhibited favorable docking scores with the receptor (5FUZ), suggesting a potential therapeutic relevance in combating COVID-19 with a value of -6.24 kcal mol-1. HCQ/SM exhibited stronger interaction with both SARS-CoV-2 virus main proteases compared to favipiravir. Ultimately, the experimental data and molecular docking analysis presented in this research offer valuable insights into the pharmaceutical and biological properties of HCQ/SM mixtures when interacting with serum albumin.

Pharmacological and phytochemical insights on the pancreatic β-cell modulation by Angelica L. roots

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Angelica roots are a significant source of traditional medicines for various cultures around the northern hemisphere, from indigenous communities in North America to Japan. Among its many applications, the roots are used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus; however, this application is not mentioned often. Ethnopharmacological studies have reported the use of A. japonica var. hirsutiflora, A. furcijuga, A. shikokiana, and A. keiskei to treat diabetes symptoms, and further reports have demonstrated the three angelica roots, i.e., A. japonica var. hirsutiflora, A. reflexa, and A. dahurica, exhibit insulin secretagogue activity.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to phytochemically characterize and compare angelica roots monographed in the European Pharmacopeia 11th, isolate major plant metabolites, and assess extracts and isolates' capability to modulate pancreatic β-cell function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Root extracts of Angelica archangelica, Angelica dahurica, Angelica biserrata, and Angelica sinensis were phytochemically profiled using liquid chromatography method coupled with mass spectrometry. Based on this analysis, simple and furanocoumarins were isolated using chromatography techniques. Extracts (1.6-50 μg/mL) and isolated compounds (5-40 μmol/L) were studied for their ability to modulate insulin secretion in the rat insulinoma INS-1 pancreatic β-cell model. Insulin was quantified by the homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence method.

RESULTS

Forty-one secondary metabolites, mostly coumarins, were identified in angelica root extracts. A. archangelica, A. dahurica, and A. biserrata root extracts at concentration of 12.5-50 μg/mL potentiated glucose-induced insulin secretion, which correlated with their high coumarin content. Subsequently, 23 coumarins were isolated from these roots and screened using the same protocol. Coumarins substituted with the isoprenyl group were found to be responsible for the extracts' insulinotropic effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Insulinotropic effects of three pharmacopeial angelica roots were found, the metabolite profiles and pharmacological activities of the roots were correlated, and key structures responsible for the modulation of pancreatic β-cell function were identified. These findings may have implications for the traditional use of angelica roots in treating diabetes. Active plant metabolites may also become lead structures in the search for new antidiabetic treatments.

Design, Synthesis and In vitro Antitubercular Effect of New Chalcone Derivatives Coupled with 1,2,3-Triazoles: A Computational Docking Techniques

A very interesting foundation for this study is the creation of new methods for modifying compounds with a 1,2,3-triazole and chalcone scaffolds, as these compounds are significant in organic synthesis, particularly in the synthesis of bioactive organic compounds. To contribute to the development of an efficient method for the conversion of antimicrobial and antituberculosis heterocyclics, a novel series of cyclohepta pyridinone fused 1,2,3-triazolyl chalcones were designed and synthesized. All the newly prepared scaffolds were characterized by FT-IR, NMR (1H & 13C) and mass spectrometry. Among the tested compounds, hybrids 8b, 8d, and 8f exhibited exceptional antibacterial susceptibilities with zone of inhibition 27.84±0.04, 32.27±0.02, and 38.26±0.01 mm against the tested E. faecalis bacteria, whereas 8d had better antitubercular potency against M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain with MIC value 5.25 μg/mL, compared to Streptomycin [MIC=5.01 μg/mL]. All the synthesized compounds were initially assessed in silico against the targeted protein i. e., DprE1 that indicated compound 8d, 8f and 8h along with several other 1,2,3-triazole compounds as possible inhibitors. Based on docking results, 8d showed that the amino acids His74(A), Lys76(A), Cys332(A), Asp331(A), Val307(A), Tyr357(A), Met226(A), Gln276(A), Gly75(A), Peo58(A), Leu259(A), and Lys309(A) exhibited highly stable binding to DprE1 receptor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (PDB: 4G3 U). Moreover, these scaffolds physicochemical characteristics, filtration molecular properties, assessment of toxicity, and bioactivity scores were assessed in relation to ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion).

Discovery of triazole tethered thymol/carvacrol-coumarin hybrids as new class of α-glucosidase inhibitors with potent in vivo antihyperglycemic activities

Keeping in view the inhibitory potential of monoterpenes thymol and carvacrol as well as coumarin nucleus against α-glucosidase, novel series of thymol/carvacrol-coumarin hybrids was designed, synthesized and evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibitory potential. Among the series of hybrid molecules, AS14 with IC50 value of 4.32 ± 0.11 μM was selective α-glucosidase inhibitor over α-amylase (IC50 = 37.36 ± 0.84 μM). AS14 was non-toxic toward mouse normal fibroblast cells (L929: IC50 > 100 μM). Molecular docking and dynamic simulation studies confirmed desired interactions of AS14 with α-glucosidase responsible for the inhibition of its catalysis capabilities. Acute oral toxicity study confirmed AS14 as safer molecule for in vivo pharmacological investigations with LD50 value of 300 mg/kg. AS14 also showed acute hypoglycaemic effects [reduction in blood glucose levels at 1 h of administration in maltose loading test (at 10 and 20 mg/kg by 62.65 % and 70.12 %) and sucrose loading test (at 10 and 20 mg/kg by 59.65 % and 60.23 %), respectively] as well as long term (28 days) fasting blood glucose reduction (At day 28: 10 mg/kg = 54.69 % and 20 mg/kg = 62.23 % reduction in fasting blood glucose levels) capabilities in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Overall study represents, AS14 as potential α-glucosidase inhibitor with adequate efficacy and safety profile and act as an effective hit lead for the further development of potent and safer α-glucosidase inhibitors for the management of postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic patients.

Synthesis and in Silico Studies of Some New 1,2,3-Triazolyltetrazole Bearing Indazole Derivatives as Potent Antimicrobial Agents

1,2,3-Triazole and tetrazole derivatives bearing pyrrolidines are found to exhibit notable biological activity and have become useful scaffolds in medicinal chemistry for application in lead discovery and optimization. Novel indazole bearing 1,2,3-triazolyltetrazoles were designed as potential antimicrobial candidates. The structure of duel heterocyclics was validated by a spectroscopic technique of infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H and 13 C NMR), and mass spectral data. Compounds 4b, 4c, 4d, and 4h were found to have a stronger antibacterial effect against Gram-positive (S. aureus, B. subtilis, M. Luteus) and Gram-negative (E. coli, P. aeruginosa) microorganisms with MICs ranging from 5±0.03-18±0.02 μM, respectively. Moreover, scaffolds 4a, 4h showed potent antifungal activity against A. flavus, M. gypsuem strains with MIC values of 10±0.02, 11±0.01 μM, which are similar activity that of the standard Itraconazole (MIC=8±0.02, 10±0.01 μM). The binding mode for compound 4 inside the catalytic pocket of S. aureus complexed with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and trimethoprim and produced a network of hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions (3FRE). From in silico results, 4b demonstrated highly stable hydrogen binding amino acids Leu62(X) [N18…O, 2.47 Å], Arg44(X) [N17…N, 3.11 Å], Thr96(X) [N10…OG1, 3.05 Å], Gly94(X) [F7…N, 2.82 Å], and Gly43(X) [F7…N, 2.90 Å], which are plays a crucial role in ensuring efficient binding of the ligand in a crystal structure of antibacterial receptor. Furthermore, the physicochemical and ADME filtration molecular properties, estimation of toxicity, and bioactivity scores of these novel scaffolds were evaluated by using SwissADME and ADMETlab2.0 online protocols. Thus, the significant antimicrobial activity of indazole linked to duel heterocyclic compounds can be used for development of new antimicrobial agents with further modifications.

Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease and Diversity of 1,2,3-Triazole Scaffold in Drug Development: Design Strategies, Structural Insights, and Therapeutic Potential

Alzheimer's disease is a most prevalent form of dementia all around the globe and currently poses a significant challenge to the healthcare system. Currently available drugs only slow the progression of this disease rather than provide proper containment. Identification of multiple targets responsible for this disease in the last three decades established it as a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder that needs novel multifunctional agents for its management and the possible reason for the failure of currently available single target clinical drugs. 1,2,3-Triazole is a miraculous nucleus in medicinal chemistry and the first choice for development of multifunctional hybrid molecules. Apart from that, it is an integral component of various drugs in clinical trials as well as in clinical practice. This review is focused on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and 1,2,3-triazole containing derivatives developed in recent decades as potential anti-Alzheimer's agents. The review will provide (A) precise insight of various established targets of Alzheimer's disease including cholinergic, amyloid, tau, monoamine oxidases, glutamate, calcium, and reactive oxygen species hypothesis and (B) design hypothesis, structure-activity relationships, and pharmacological outcomes of 1,2,3-triazole containing multifunctional anti-Alzheimer's agents. This review will provide a baseline for various research groups working on Alzheimer's drug development in designing potent, safer, and effective multifunctional anti-Alzheimer's candidates of the future.

Synthesis, anticancer activity and molecular modeling study of novel substituted triazole linked tetrafluoronaphthalene hybrid derivatives

To create some novel anticancer molecules, a library of novel series of various triazoles linked to the hydroxyl group of 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoronaphthalen-1-ol (3) was designed and synthesized via CuAAC reaction 'Click Chemistry' of tetrafluoronaphthalene based terminal alkyne with substituted organic azides. The structural characterizations of the targeted Click products 9-18 were confirmed by FTIR, 1H NMR, 19F NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS spectroscopy. Synthesized compounds were tested in two triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines to understand their anticancer potentials. According to our findings, compounds 14 and 13 showed high cytotoxicity in BT549 cells at 20 μM and 30 μM, respectively. Moreover, these compounds blocked the migration of BT549 cells. In the MDA-MB-231 cell line, compound 18 exhibited high cytotoxicity and can block cell migration for 24 h. Molecular docking study with synthesized novel compounds was performed by Glide/SP method against SphK1 drug target. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was carried out for the compounds 12-14 and 18. The compounds 13 and 14 may be potential inhibitor candidates in place of a reference inhibitor. A pharmacophore model was generated with the most potent compound 14, and the approved drugs were screened using the modules of Discovery Studio to find similar drugs. Consequently, this comprehensive study encompassing design, synthesis, in vitro and in silico analyses were correlated with the structure-activity relationship between compounds. The findings have the potential to unveil promising drug candidates for future studies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Review of triazole scaffolds for treatment and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

Triazole scaffolds, a series of 5-membered heterocycles, are well known for their high efficacy, low toxicity, and superior pharmacokinetics. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the first neurodegenerative disorder with complex pathological mechanisms. Triazole, as an aromatic group with three nitrogen atoms, forms polar and non-polar interactions with diverse key residues in the receptor-ligand binding procedure, and has been widely used in the molecular design in the development of anti-AD agents. Moreover, considering the simple synthesis approaches, triazole scaffolds are commonly used to link two pharmacodynamic groups in one chemical molecule, forming multi-target directed ligands (MTDLs). Furthermore, the click reaction between azide- and cyano-modified enzyme and ligand provides feasibility for the new modulator discovery, compound tissue distribution evaluation, enzyme localization, and pharmacological mechanism study, promoting the diagnosis of AD course.

Design, synthesis, in vitro, and in silico evaluations of benzo[d]imidazole-amide-1,2,3-triazole-N-arylacetamide hybrids as new antidiabetic agents targeting α-glucosidase

α-Glucosidase as a carbohydrate-hydrolase enzyme is a crucial therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes. In this work, benzo[d]imidazole-amide containing 1,2,3-triazole-N-arylacetamide derivatives 8a-n were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase. In vitro α-glucosidase inhibition assay demonstrated that more than half of the title compounds with IC₅₀ values in the range of 49.0-668.5 μM were more potent than standard inhibitor acarbose (IC₅₀ = 750.0 µM). The most promising inhibitor was N-2-methylphenylacetamid derivative 8c. Kinetic study revealed that compound 8c (K_i = 40.0 µM) is a competitive inhibitor against α-glucosidase. Significantly, molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies on the most potent compound showed that this compound with a proper binding energy interacted with important amino acids of the α-glucosidase active site. Study on cytotoxicity of the most potent compounds 8c, 8e, and 8g demonstrated that these compounds did not show cytotoxic activity against the cancer and normal cell lines MCF-7 and HDF, respectively. Furthermore, the ADMET study predicted that compound 8c is likely to be orally active and non-cytotoxic.

An Overview of 1,2,3-triazole-Containing Hybrids and Their Potential Anticholinesterase Activities

Acetylcholine (ACh) neurotransmitter of the cholinergic system in the brain is involved in learning, memory, stress responses, and cognitive functioning. It is hydrolyzed into choline and acetic acid by two key cholinesterase enzymes, viz., acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). A loss or degeneration of cholinergic neurons that leads to a reduction in ACh levels is considered a significant contributing factor in the development of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Numerous studies have shown that cholinesterase inhibitors can raise the level of ACh and, therefore, enhance people's quality of life, and, at the very least, it can temporarily lessen the symptoms of NDs. 1,2,3-triazole, a five-membered heterocyclic ring, is a privileged moiety, that is, a central scaffold, and is capable of interacting with a variety of receptors and enzymes to exhibit a broad range of important biological activities. Recently, it has been clubbed with other pharmacophoric fragments/molecules in hope of obtaining potent and selective AChE and/or BuChE inhibitors. The present updated review succinctly summarizes the different synthetic strategies used to synthesize the 1,2,3-triazole moiety. It also highlights the anticholinesterase potential of various 1,2,3-triazole di/trihybrids reported in the past seven years (2015-2022), including a rationale for hybridization and with an emphasis on their structural features for the development and optimization of cholinesterase inhibitors to treat NDs.

Design, synthesis, and molecular docking studies of diphenylquinoxaline-6-carbohydrazide hybrids as potent α-glucosidase inhibitors

A novel series of diphenylquinoxaline-6-carbohydrazide hybrids 7a–o were rationally designed and synthesized as anti-diabetic agents. All synthesized compounds 7a–o were screened as possible α-glucosidase inhibitors and exhibited good inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values in the range of 110.6 ± 6.0 to 453.0 ± 4.7 µM in comparison with acarbose as the positive control (750.0 ± 10.5 µM). An exception in this trend came back to a compound 7k with IC₅₀ value > 750 µM. Furthermore, the most potent derivative 7e bearing 3-fluorophenyl moiety was further explored by kinetic studies and showed the competitive type of inhibition. Additionally, the molecular docking of all derivatives was performed to get an insight into the binding mode of these derivatives within the active site of the enzyme. In silico assessments exhibited that 7e was well occupied in the binding pocket of the enzyme through favorable interactions with residues, correlating to the experimental results.

A minireview of 1,2,3-triazole hybrids with O-heterocycles as leads in medicinal chemistry

Over the past few decades, the dynamic progress in the synthesis and screening of heterocyclic compounds against various targets has made a significant contribution in the field of medicinal chemistry. Among the wide array of heterocyclic compounds, triazole moiety has attracted the attention of researchers owing to its vast therapeutic potential and easy preparation via copper and ruthenium-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions. Triazole skeletons are found as major structural components in a different class of drugs possessing diverse pharmacological profiles including anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-tubercular, and anti-depressant among various others. Furthermore, in the past few years, a significantly large number of triazole hybrids were synthesized with various heterocyclic moieties in order to gain the added advantage of the improved pharmacological profile, overcoming the multiple drug resistance and reduced toxicity from molecular hybridization. Among these synthesized triazole hybrids, many compounds are available commercially and used for treating different infections/disorders like tazobactam and cefatrizine as potent anti-bacterial agents while isavuconazole and ravuconazole as anti-fungal activities to name a few. In this review, we will summarize the biological activities of various 1,2,3-triazole hybrids with copious oxygen-containing heterocycles as lead compounds in medicinal chemistry. This review will be very helpful for researchers working in the field of molecular modeling, drug design and development, and medicinal chemistry.

Hydrogen-bond-driven supramolecular helical assembly of a coumarin-substituted phthalonitrile derivative: synthesis and in vitro anticancer activity against colorectal adenocarcinoma

Phthalonitrile derivatives are generally reported to crystallize in space groups P21/c and P 1 in the literature. In this study, 7-hydroxy-4,8-dimethyl-3-pentylcoumarin (2) and its phthalonitrile derivative (2d) were crystallized; 2d crystallized in the rare trigonal space group R 3. In the phthalonitrile derivative (2d), weak C—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions promoted the formation of supramolecular double helices, and these supramolecular P and M double helices came together to form a honeycomb-like architectural motif involving one-dimensional tubular channels. In silico molecular-docking studies were performed to support the experimental processes and the results agree with each other. In vitro studies of compounds 2 and 2d were performed in LoVo colorectal adenocarcinoma and CCD18Co healthy human cell lines using flow cytometry. For compounds 2 and 2d, there was a statistically significant increase (p < 0.001) in both early and late apoptosis with respect to the control in a dose-dependent manner.

Synthesis of 4-substituted benzyl-2-triazole-linked-tryptamine-paeonol derivatives and evaluation of their selective inhibitions against butyrylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase-B

Cholinesterase (ChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors are being used and developed to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD), a major type of dementia patients. Fifteen 4-substituted benzyl-2-triazole-linked-tryptamine-paeonol derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), and B (MAO-B). Compound 896 was the most potent BChE inhibitor (IC₅₀ = 0.13 μM) with the selectivity index (SI) value of >769.23 for BChE over AChE. Compound 897 was the most potent selective MAO-B inhibitor (IC₅₀ = 0.73 μM; SI = 20.45 for MAO-B over MAO-A). The meta-CF₃ substituent of 896 increased BChE inhibitory activity and the para-CF₃ substituent of 897 increased MAO-B inhibitory activity. Compound 896 was a reversible noncompetitive BChE inhibitor (K_i = 0.171 μM) and 897 was a reversible competitive MAO-B inhibitor (K_i = 0.237 μM). Compound 896 had a lower binding energy (-13.75 kcal/mol) to BChE than 897 (-11.29 kcal/mol), and 897 had a lower binding energy to MAO-B (-11.31 kcal/mol) than that to MAO-A (-6.72 kcal/mol). Little cytotoxicity was observed for 896 and 897 to normal cells (MDCK) and human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y). This study suggested that 896 and 897 are therapeutic candidates for various neurodegenerative disorders such as AD.

New Acetamidine Cu(II) Schiff base complex supported on magnetic nanoparticles pectin for the synthesis of triazoles using click chemistry

In this project, the new catalyst copper defines as Fe₃O₄@Pectin@(CH₂)₃-Acetamide-Cu(II) was successfully manufactured and fully characterized by different techniques, including FT-IR, XRD, TEM, FESEM, EDX, VSM, TGA, and ICP analysis. All results showed that copper was successfully supported on the polymer‐coated magnetic nanoparticles. One of the most important properties of a catalyst is the ability to be prepared from simple materials such as pectin that’s a biopolymer that is widely found in nature. The catalytic activity of Fe₃O₄@Pectin@(CH₂)₃-Acetamide-Cu(II) was examined in a classical, one pot, and the three-component reaction of terminal alkynes, alkyl halides, and sodium azide in water and observed, proceeding smoothly and completed in good yields and high regioselectivity. The critical potential interests of the present method include high yields, recyclability of catalyst, easy workup, using an eco-friendly solvent, and the ability to sustain a variety of functional groups, which give economical as well as ecological rewards. The capability of the nanocomposite was compared with previous works, and the nanocomposite was found more efficient, economical, and reproducible. Also, the catalyst can be easily removed from the reaction solution using an external magnet and reused for five runs without reduction in catalyst activity.

Research progress of coumarins and their derivatives in the treatment of diabetes

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia caused by multiple causes, which is caused by insulin secretion and/or utilisation defects. It is characterised by increased fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels due to insulin deficiency or insulin resistance. It is reported that the harm of diabetes mainly comes from its complications, and the cardiovascular disease caused by diabetes is the primary cause of its harm. China has the largest number of diabetic patients in the world, and the prevention and control of diabetes are facing great challenges. In recent years, many kinds of literature have been published abroad, which have proved that coumarin and its derivatives are effective in the treatment of diabetic complications such as nephropathy and cardiovascular disease. In this paper, the types of antidiabetic drugs and the anti-diabetic mechanism of coumarins were reviewed.

Novel amino acid Schiff base Zn(II) complexes as new therapeutic approaches in diabetes and Alzheimer's disease: Synthesis, characterization, biological evaluation, and molecular docking studies

Schiff bases are compounds that have gained importance in the paint industry due to their colorful nature and in the field of chemistry and biochemistry due to their biological activities. Various biological applications of Schiff bases, such as antitumor, antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, antituberculosis, and anthelmintic, have been widely studied. Within the scope of the study, 5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and amino acid methyl esters (isoleucine, phenylalanine, and methionine) and amino acid Schiff bases were synthesized first. The synthesis of the new Zn(II) complexes of these Schiff bases was carried out by the reaction of synthesized Schiff bases and Zn(OAc)₂ ·2H₂ O. The structures of the synthesized complexes were elucidated using elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, UV-visible, and thermal analysis spectroscopy techniques. These synthesized salts were found to be effective inhibitor compounds for the α-glycosidase, and acetylcholinesterase enzyme with Ki values in the range of 30.50 ± 3.82-38.17 ± 6.26 µM for α-glycosidase, 3.68 ± 0.54-10.27 ± 1.68 µM for butyrylcholinesterase, and 6.26 ± 0.83-15.73 ± 4.73 µM for acetylcholinesterase, respectively.

1,2,3-Triazole hybrids as anticancer agents: A review

Despite the advancements in the development of anticancer agents, more effective and safer anticancer drugs still need to be developed as the current agents cause unwanted side effects and many patients have become drug resistant. 1,2,3-Triazoles, due to their remarkable biological potential, have received considerable attention in drug discovery for the development of anticancer agents. The present review article presents an overview of the recent advances in 1,2,3-triazole hybrids with anticancer potential over the last 2 years, their chemical structures, structure-activity relationships, and mechanisms of action, as well as insights into the docking studies.

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, Inhibitory Activity and Molecular Docking of Coumarins/Sulfonamides Containing Triazolyl Pyridine Moiety as Potent Selective Carbonic Anhydrase IX and XII Inhibitors

In this work, two classes of Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) inhibitors, sulfonamide and coumarin derivatives linked to pyta moiety (2a-b) and their corresponding rhenium complexes (3a-b), were designed. These compounds were synthesized and fully characterized by classical analytical methods and X-ray diffraction. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against the hCA isoforms I, II, IX and XII. They exhibited high inhibitory activities in the range of nanomolar for both hCA IX and hCA XII isoforms. The sulfonamide compound 2a showed the strongest inhibition against the tumour-associated hCA IX isoform with a Ki of 11.7 nM. The tumour-associated isoforms hCA IX and hCA XII were selectively inhibited by all the coumarin derivatives, with inhibition constants ranging from 12.7 nM (2b) to 44.5 nM (3b), while the hCA I and II isoforms were slightly inhibited (in the micromolar range), as expected. In terms of selectivity, compared to previously published rhenium complex-based CA inhibitors, complex 3b showed one of the highest selectivities against hCA IX and hCA XII compared to the off-target isoforms hCA I and hCA II, making it a potential anti-cancer drug candidate. Molecular docking calculations were performed to investigate the inhibition profiles of the investigated compounds at the tumour-associated hCA IX active site and to rationalize our results.

Recent studies of nitrogen containing heterocyclic compounds as novel antiviral agents: A review

N-heterocycles are important, not only because of their abundance, but above all because of their chemical, biological and technical significance. They play an important role in biological investigation such as anticancer, antiinflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-tumor, antidiabetic, etc. In this study, we focused on examining synthesized some 5- or 6-ring N-heterocyclic compounds that showed the antiviral activity in last 5 years, and investigation of these compounds structure-activity relationship studies. This review will be useful to scientists in research fields of organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology.

New quinoxalin-1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives: Synthesis, characterization, in vitro biological evaluations, and molecular modeling studies

A new series of quinoxalin-1,3,4-oxadiazole (10a-l) derivatives was synthesized and evaluated against some metabolic enzymes including human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) isoenzymes I and II (carbonic anhydrases I and II), cholinesterase (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase), and α-glucosidase. Obtained data revealed that all the synthesized compounds were more potent as compared with the used standard inhibitors against studied target enzymes. Among the synthesized compounds, 4-fluoro derivative (10f) against hCA I, 4-chloro derivative (10i) against hCA II, 3-fluoro derivative (10e) against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, and 3-bromo derivative (10k) against α-glucosidase were the most potent compounds with inhibitory activity around 1.8- to 7.37-fold better than standard inhibitors. Furthermore, docking studies of these compounds were performed at the active site of their target enzymes.

New Chalcone Derivatives with Pyrazole and Sulfonamide Pharmacophores as Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors

Background:

Compound containing sulfonamide, pyrazole and chalcone groups are important in medicinal chemistry. They have a wide range of biological activities, including carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitory activities.

Introduction:

Carbonic anhydrase I and II inhibitors are used for the treatment of diseases, such as retinal and cerebral edema (CA I), epilepsy, and glaucoma (CA II). However, the currently available drugs have some limitations or side effects. Thus, there is a need for new drug candidates to overcome these issues. In this study, a series of compounds, (E)-4-(4-(3-aryl)-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl)- 3-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl) benzenesulfonamides MS4-MS10, were designed to discover new CA inhibitors using a hybrid approach.

Methods:

Compounds MS4-MS10 were synthesized as shown in Scheme 1, and their chemical structures were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS spectra. The CAs (E.C.4.2.1.1) inhibitory effects of MS4-MS10 were tested on the hCA I and II isoenzymes using previously reported procedures.

Results:

The CA inhibitors MS4–MS10 gave IC50 values (nM) of 27.8–87.3 towards hCA I and 24.4–54.8 towards hCA II while the IC50 values for reference drug acetazolamide were 384.2 (hCA I) and 36.9 (hCA II). MS7 and MS9 exhibited 13.8 (hCA I) and 1.5 (hCA II) times more potent CA inhibition than the reference compound acetazolamide, respectively.

Conclusion:

MS7 (Ar: 2,4,5-trimethoxy phenyl) and MS9 (Ar: 3,4-dimethoxy phenyl) were the most promising compounds of our series with the lowest IC50 values towards hCA I and hCA II, respectively, and can be considered for further studies.

Bioactivity-guided separation of potential α-glycosidase inhibitor from clerodendranthus spicatus based on HSCCC coupled with molecular docking

Clerodendranthus Spicatus is a traditional Dais medi-edible plant and it has been proven to have good blood glucose-lowering efficacy. However, the material basis of Clerodendranthus Spicatus has not been clarified yet and therefore needs to be determined. In this paper, the effective ingredients of this medicine were purified by high-speed counter-current chromatography. Alongside, their potential hypoglycemic activity was determined by α-glucosidase inhibitory activities in vitro and molecular docking. Finally, five compounds were purified and identified as 2-caffeoyl-L-tartaric acid (1), N-(E)-caffeoyldopamine (2), rosmarinc acid (3), methyl rosmarinate (4), 6,7,8,3',4'-Pentamethoxyflavone (5). Examination of α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in vitro showed that 2-caffeoyl-L-tartaric acid and rosmarinic acid had a higher inhibitory activity than acarbose. Molecular docking indicated that the affinity energy of the identified compounds ranged from - 7.6 to - 8.6 kcal/mol, a more desirable result than acarbose (- 6.6 kcal/mol). Particularly, rosmarinc acid with the lowest affinity energy of - 8.6 kcal/mol was wrapped with 6 hydrogen bonds. Overall, α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and molecular docking suggested that rosmarinc acid was likely to be a promising hypoglycemic drug.

Synthesis, molecular docking, and biological activities of new cyanopyridine derivatives containing phenylurea

A new class of cyanopyridine derivatives (10a-e and 11a-e) containing the phenylurea unit was synthesized and tested against some metabolic enzymes including acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and α-glycosidase (α-Gly). The new cyanopyridine derivatives showed K_i values in the range of 40.73 ± 6.54 to 87.05 ± 16.98 µM against AChE, 29.17 ± 4.88 to 124.03 ± 22.43 µM against BChE, and 3.66 ± 0.93 to 26.33 ± 5.05 µM against α-Gly. These inhibition effects were compared with standard enzyme inhibitors like tacrine (for AChE and BChE) and acarbose (for α-Gly). Also, these cyanopyridine derivatives with the best inhibition score were docked into the active site of the indicated metabolic enzymes. Finally, molecular docking calculations were made to compare the biological activities of the compounds against AChE (-8.81 kcal/mol for molecule 11d), BChE (-3.52 kcal/mol for molecule 11d), and α-Gly (-2.98 kcal/mol for molecule 11a). After molecular docking calculations, the ADME/T analysis was performed to examine the future drug use properties of the new cyanopyridine derivatives containing phenylurea.