Sesquiterpene Lactones with Anti-Hepatitis C Virus Activity Using Molecular Descriptors

Hepatitis C is a worldwide public health problem. The available therapies are limited by their partial effectiveness and with meaningful side-effects. Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are a group of natural products with a wide variety of chemical structures and biological activities associated. There are few studies about the influence of the molecular structure of SLs for the anti-hepatitis C virus activity. In the present work, SLs are investigated in a subgenomic RNA replicon assay system and were analyzed using multiple linear regression along with self-organizing maps with DRAGON descriptors in order to identify the structural requirements for their biological activity and to predict the inhibitory potency of SLs. Characteristics such as stereochemistry and electronic effects demonstrated to be important for their anti-HCV activity, and the SOM produced a clear separation betwenn active and inactive compounds. Therefore, it is possible to use this map as a filter for virtual screening to predict the anti-HCV activity of SLs.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq

5CN05 partitioning in an aqueous two-phase system: A new approach to the solubilization of hydrophobic drugs

Liquid-liquid extraction for the purification of molecules has been central to many advances in the pharmaceutical industry. These processes were developed based on the property that some polymer and/or micellar solutions present to separate into a concentrated phase and a diluted phase. Based on the differences in the physical and chemical environments of the two coexisting phases, and since both phases contain approximately 60-90% of water, liquid-liquid extraction provides a powerful alternative to both extract and solubilize a molecule. This paper examines the partition behavior of the synthetic drug, 2-[(3,4-dichlorine-benzylidene)-amino]-5,6-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[b]thiophene-3-carbonitrile (5CN05), in an aqueous two-phase polymer system (ATPPS) and also in an aqueous two-phase micellar system (ATPMS). The results showed that both systems are favorable for extraction the 5CN05 drug high partition coefficient values (K-5CN05 > 200) and yield (Y-5CN05 > 99.48%) in the concentrated phase were achieved with the systems. However, the ATPPS generated a partition coefficient (K-5CN05) higher than the one obtained with ATPMS. The results suggest that both processes may be used for the extraction and concentration of molecules with hydrophobic characteristics, such as 5CN05. They also provide an optimal environment for the solubilization of such molecules, allowing for greater efficiency when purifying many classes of drugs. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

ACW-02 an Acridine Triazolidine Derivative Presents Antileishmanial Activity Mediated by DNA Interaction and Immunomodulation

The present study proposed the synthesis of a novel acridine derivative not yet described in the literature, chemical characterization by NMR, MS, and IR, followed by investigations of its antileishmanial potential. In vitro assays were performed to assess its antileishmanial activity against L. amazonensis strains and cytotoxicity against macrophages through MTT assay and annexin V-FITC/PI, and the ability to perform an immunomodulatory action using CBA. To investigate possible molecular targets, its interaction with DNA in vitro and in silico targets were evaluated. As results, the compound showed good antileishmanial activity, with IC50 of 6.57 (amastigotes) and 94.97 (promastigotes) µg mL−1, associated with non-cytotoxicity to macrophages (CC50 > 256.00 µg mL−1). When assessed by flow cytometry, 99.8% of macrophages remained viable. The compound induced an antileishmanial effect in infected macrophages and altered TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-6 expression, suggesting a slight immunomodulatory activity. DNA assay showed an interaction with the minor grooves due to the hyperchromic effect of 47.53% and Kb 1.17 × 106 M−1, and was sustained by docking studies. Molecular dynamics simulations and MM-PBSA calculations propose cysteine protease B as a possible target. Therefore, this study demonstrates that the new compound is a promising molecule and contributes as a model for future works