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.

Determination of the inhibition profiles of pyrazolyl-thiazole derivatives against aldose reductase and α-glycosidase and molecular docking studies

Aldose reductase (AR) is the first and rate-limiting enzyme of the polyol pathway, which converts glucose to sorbitol in an NADPH-dependent reaction. α-Glycosidase breaks down starch and disaccharides to glucose. Hence, inhibition of these enzymes can be regarded a considerable approach in the treatment of diabetic complications. AR was purified from sheep liver using simple chromatographic methods. The inhibitory effects of pyrazolyl-thiazoles ((3aR,4S,7R,7aS)-2-(4-{1-[4-(4-bromophenyl)thiazol-2-yl]-5-(aryl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-3-yl}phenyl)-3a,4,7,7a-tetrahydro-1H-4,7-methanoisoindole-1,3(2H)-dione derivatives; 3a-i) on AR and α-glycosidase enzymes were investigated. All compounds showed a good inhibitory action against AR and α-glycosidase. Among these compounds, compound 3d exhibited the best inhibition profiles against AR, with a K_i value of 7.09 ± 0.19 µM, whereas compound 3e showed the lowest inhibition effects, with a K_i value of 21.89 ± 1.87 µM. Also, all compounds showed efficient inhibition profiles against α-glycosidase, with K_i values in the range of 0.43 ± 0.06 to 2.30 ± 0.48 µM, whereas the K_i value of acarbose was 12.60 ± 0.78 µM. Lastly, molecular modeling approaches were implemented to predict the binding affinities of compounds against AR and α-glycosidase. In addition, the ADME analysis of the molecules was performed.