The design and synthesis of novel HIV-1 protease inhibitors

This study has focused on the synthesis of truncated analogues of the hydroxyethylene dipeptide isosteres, such as Ritonavir®, currently in clinical use as HIV-1 protease inhibitors. The reactions of pyridine-2- and quinoline-2-carbaldehydes with methyl acrylate, in the presence of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) or 3- hydroxyquinuclidine (3-HQ) as nucleophilic catalysts, have afforded a series of Baylis- Hillman adducts, acetylation and cyclisation of which have provided access to a series of indolizine-2-carboxylate esters. The carboxylic acids, obtained by base-catalyzed hydrolysis of these esters, have been coupled with various protected (and unprotected) amino compounds using the peptide coupling agent, 1,1’-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), to afford a series of indolizine-2-carboxamides as indolizine-based truncated Ritonavir® analogues in quantitative yield. Aza-Michael reactions of pyridine-3-carbaldehydederived Baylis-Hillman adducts with various amino compounds have provided access to a range of pyridine-based products as mixtures of diastereomeric aza-Michael products. The assignment of the relative stereochemistry of the aza-Michael products has been established using 1-D and 2-NOESY experiments and computer modelling techniques. Computer modelling studies have also been conducted on selected aza-Michael products using ACCELRYS Cerius2 software, followed by interactive docking into the HIV-1 protease receptor site, using AUTODOCK 4.0. The docking studies have revealed hydrogen-bonding interactions between the enzyme and the synthetic ligands. Saturation Transfer Difference (STD) NMR experiments have also indicated binding of some of the aza-Michael products to the HIV-1 protease subtype C enzyme, thus indicating their binding and possible inhibitory potential

The application of the Multi-Component Reaction (MCR) strategy in the design and synthesis of new antiplasmodial and antimycobacterial agents

Includes bibliographical references.Malaria and tuberculosis are ancient diseases that continue to have a profound impact on mankind, 5 millennia after their first documentation. Malaria is endemic in more than 100 countries and about 50% of the world's population is at risk of infection. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for nearly 91% of malaria-related deaths annually. Tuberculosis on the other hand infects about one third of the word's population and is the second major cause of death in adults worldwide, with about 1.8 million deaths reported annually. The major challenge to the control of these diseases has been the rapid emergence of multi-drug resistant strains to the currently administered drugs, as such, these exert an enormous pressure on health care systems, especially in resource-limited areas. Alleviation of this pressure requires the development of highly efficacious new chemical entities (NCEs) to curb or manage these pathogens. The main aim of this study was to design NCEs based on quinoline-, PA-824-, and tetrazole-scaffolds, which exhibit in vitro antiplasmodial and antimycobacterial activity

Synthesis and In Vitro Antiprotozoan Evaluation of 4-/8-Aminoquinoline-based Lactams and Tetrazoles

A second generation of 4-aminoquinoline- and 8-aminoquinoline-based tetrazoles and lactams were synthesized via the Staudinger and Ugi multicomponent reactions. These compounds were subsequently evaluated in vitro for their potential antiplasmodium activity against a multidrug-resistant K1 strain and for their antitrypanosomal activity against a cultured T. b. rhodesiense STIB900 strain. Several of these compounds (4a–g) displayed good antiplasmodium activities (IC50 = 0.20–0.62 µM) that were comparable to the reference drugs, while their antitrypanosomal activity was moderate (200 µM) at pH 7

The development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the determination of a new anti-malarial compound (TK900D) in human whole blood and its application to pharmacokinetic studies in mice

Abstract Background Malaria is one of the most lethal and life-threatening killer infectious diseases in the world, and account for the deaths of more than half a million people annually. Despite the remarkable achievement made in preventing and eradicating malaria, it still remains a threat to the public health and a burden to the global economy due to the emergence of multiple-drug resistant malaria parasites. Therefore, the need to develop new anti-malarial drugs is crucial. The chemistry department at the University of Cape Town synthesized a number of new CQ-like derivatives (TK-series), and evaluated them for in vitro activity against both CQ-sensitive and -resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains, and for general cytotoxicity against a Chinese Hamster Ovarian (CHO) mammalian cell line. The lead compounds from the TK-series were selected for a comprehensive pharmacokinetic (PK) evaluation in a mouse model. Methods A sensitive LC-MS/MS assay was developed for the quantitative determination of TK900D. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in the positive ionization mode was used for detection. The analyte and the internal standard (TK900E) were isolated from blood samples by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was achieved with a Phenomenex® Kinetex C18 (100 × 2.0 mm id, 2.6 μm) analytical column, using a mixture of 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile (50:50; v/v) as the mobile phase. The method was fully validated over concentrations that ranged from 3.910 to 1000 ng/ml, and used to evaluate the PK properties of the lead compounds in a mouse model. Results The assay was robust, with deviation not exceeding 11% for the intra- and inter-run precision and accuracy. Extraction recovery was consistent and more than 60%. PK evaluation showed that TK900D and TK900E have moderate oral bioavailability of 30.8% and 25.9%, respectively. The apparent half-life ranged between 4 to 6 h for TK900D and 3.6 to 4 h for TK900E. Conclusion The assay was sensitive and able to measure accurately low drug levels from a small sample volume (20 μl). PK evaluation showed that the oral bioavailability was moderate. Therefore, from a PK perspective, the compounds look promising and can be taken further in the drug development process

Functionalization of PLGA nanoparticles with 1,3-β-glucan enhances the intracellular pharmacokinetics of rifampicin in macrophages

Purpose Mycobacterium tuberculosis which causes tuberculosis, is primarily resident within macrophages. 1,3-β-glucan has been proposed as a ligand to target drug loaded nanoparticles (NPs) to macrophages. In this study we characterized the intracellular pharmacokinetics of the anti-tubercular drug rifampicin delivered by 1,3-β-glucan functionalized PLGA NPs (Glu-PLGA). We hypothesized that Glu-PLGA NPs would be taken up at a faster rate than PLGA NPs, and consequently deliver higher amounts of rifampicin into the macrophages. Methods Carbodiimide chemistry was employed to conjugate 1,3-β-glucan and rhodamine to PLGA. Rifampicin loaded PLGA and Glu-PLGA NPs as well as rhodamine functionalized PLGA and Glu-PLGA NPs were synthesized using an emulsion solvent evaporation technique. Intracellular pharmacokinetics of rifampicin and NPs were evaluated in THP-1 derived macrophages. A pharmacokinetic model was developed to describe uptake, and modelling was performed using ADAPT 5 software. Results The NPs increased the rate of uptake of rifampicin by a factor of 17 and 62 in case of PLGA and Glu-PLGA, respectively. Expulsion of NPs from the macrophages was also observed, which was 3 fold greater for Glu-PLGA NPs than for PLGA NPs. However, the ratio of uptake to expulsion was similar for both NPs. After 24 h, the amount of rifampicin delivered by the PLGA and Glu-PLGA NPs was similar. The NPs resulted in at least a 10-fold increase in the uptake of rifampicin. Conclusions Functionalization of PLGA NPs with 1,3-β-glucan resulted in faster uptake of rifampicin into macrophages. These NPs may be useful to achieve rapid intracellular eradication of Mycobacterium tuberculosi

Discovery of Novel Thiazolidinedione-Derivatives with Multi-Modal Antidiabetic Activities In Vitro and In Silico

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and related complications continue to exert a significant burden on health care systems globally. Although conventional pharmacological therapies are beneficial in the management of this metabolic condition, it is still necessary to seek novel potential molecules for its management. On this basis, we have synthesised and evaluated the anti-diabetic properties of four novel thiazolidinedione (TZD)-derivatives. The TZD derivatives were synthesised through the pharmacophore hybridisation strategy based on N-arylpyrrole and TZD. The resultant derivatives at different concentrations were screened against key enzymes of glucose metabolism and glucose utilisation in the liver (HEP-G2) cell line. Additionally, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ activation was performed through docking studies. Docking of these molecules against PPAR-γ predicted strong binding, similar to that of rosiglitazone. Hence, TZDD2 was able to increase glucose uptake in the liver cells as compared to the control. The enzymatic inhibition assays showed a relative inhibition activity; with all four derivatives exhibiting ≥ 50% inhibition activity in the α-amylase inhibition assay and a concentration dependent activity in the α-glucosidase inhibition assay. All four derivatives exhibited ≥30% inhibition in the aldose reductase inhibition assay, except TZDD1 at 10 µg/mL. Interestingly, TZDD3 showed a decreasing inhibition activity. In the dipeptidyl peptidase–4 inhibition assay, TZDD2 and TZDD4 exhibited ≥20% inhibition activity

In vitro evaluation of chloroquine-loaded and heparin surface-functionalized solid lipid nanoparticles

Abstract Background Use of chloroquine, an otherwise safe and relatively affordable anti-malarial drug, was discontinued due to widespread prevalence of resistant parasites. Many entrant anti-malarial drugs for treatment of chloroquine resistant malaria raises the concerns of cost and safety among other challenges. Innovative ways of circumventing chloroquine resistance is of paramount importance. Such may include nanoparticulate delivery strategies and targeting. This study evaluated physicochemical properties and in vitro antiplasmodial activity of chloroquine encapsulated heparin functionalized solid lipid nanoparticles (CQ-Hep-SLNs) and non-heparin functionalized SLNs (CQ-SLN) against Plasmodium falciparum. Methods The modified double-emulsion solvent evaporation technique was used to prepare the nanoparticles. HPLC/UV was used to determine the in vitro drug release. The semi-automated micro-dilution technique was adapted in assessing the in vitro antiplasmodial activity to give drug concentration capable of inhibiting 50% of the P. falciparum (IC50), as a function of antiplasmodial efficacy. Results Prepared nanoparticles were below 500 nm in size with % drug loading (%DL) between 21 and 25% and encapsulation efficiency (%EE) of 78–90%. The drug-loaded SLN exhibited a biphasic drug release profile at pH 7.4, with an initial burst release during the first 24 h followed by sustained release in both formulations. Nanoformulated CQ-SLN (4.72 ± 0.14 ng/mL) and CQ-Hep-SLN (2.41 ± 0.27 ng/mL), showed enhanced in vitro antiplasmodial activities against chloroquine sensitive (D6) strain of P. falciparum, albeit with no activity against the chloroquine resistant W2 strain, compared to free CQ standard (5.81 ± 0.18 ng/mL). Conclusions These findings suggest that the nanoformulated drugs displayed enhanced anti-malarial activities against chloroquine sensitive (D6) strains of P. falciparum compared to the free CQ standard. There is some form of potential dual synergistic effect of CQ-loaded heparinized solid lipid nanoparticles (Hep-SLN), meaning that combining heparin and CQ in SLNs has beneficial effects, including potential for specific targeting of parasitized red blood cells as afforded by heparin. Thus, the study has produced SLNs nanoparticles that have superior in vitro activities than CQ on CQ-sensitive parasites

New Quinoline–Urea–Benzothiazole Hybrids as Promising Antitubercular Agents: Synthesis, In Vitro Antitubercular Activity, Cytotoxicity Studies, and In Silico ADME Profiling

A series of 25 new benzothiazole–urea–quinoline hybrid compounds were synthesized successfully via a three-step synthetic sequence involving an amidation coupling reaction as a critical step. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by routine spectroscopic tools (1H and 13C NMR and IR) and by mass spectrometry (HRMS). In vitro evaluation of these hybrid compounds for their antitubercular inhibitory activity against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv pMSp12::GPF bioreporter strain was undertaken. Of the 25 tested compounds, 17 exhibited promising anti-TB activities of less than 62.5 µM (MIC90). Specifically, 13 compounds (6b, 6g, 6i–j, 6l, 6o–p, 6r–t, and 6x–y) showed promising activity with MIC90 values in the range of 1–10 µM, while compound 6u, being the most active, exhibited sub-micromolar activity (0.968 µM) in the CAS assay. In addition, minimal cytotoxicity against the HepG2 cell line (cell viability above 75%) in 11 of the 17 compounds, at their respective MIC90 concentrations, was observed, with 6u exhibiting 100% cell viability. The hybridization of the quinoline, urea, and benzothiazole scaffolds demonstrated a synergistic relationship because the activities of resultant hybrids were vastly improved compared to the individual entities. In silico ADME predictions showed that the majority of these compounds have drug-like properties and are less likely to potentially cause cardiotoxicity (QPlogHERG > −5). The results obtained in this study indicate that the majority of the synthesized compounds could serve as valuable starting points for future optimizations as new antimycobacterial agents

Curdlan-Conjugated PLGA Nanoparticles Possess Macrophage Stimulant Activity and Drug Delivery Capabilities

Research Article published by SpringerPurpose There is significant interest in the application of nanoparticles to deliver immunostimulatory signals to cells.We hypothesized that curdlan (immune stimulating polymer) could be conjugated to PLGA and nanoparticles from this copolymer would possess immunostimulatory activity, be non-cytotoxic and function as an effective sustained drug release system. Methods Carbodiimide chemistry was employed to conjugate curdlan to PLGA. The conjugate (C-PLGA) was characterized using 1H and 13C NMR, FTIR, DSC and TGA. Nanoparticles were synthesized using an emulsion-solvent evaporation technique. Immunostimulatory activity was characterized in THP-1 derived macrophages. MTTassay and real-time impedance measurements were used to characterize polymer and nanoparticle toxicity and uptake in macrophages. Drug delivery capability was assessed across Caco-2 cells using rifampicin as a model drug. Results Spectral characterization confirmed successful synthesis of C-PLGA. C-PLGA nanoparticles enhanced phosphorylated ERK production in macrophages indicating cell stimulation. Nanoparticles provided slow release of rifampicin across Caco-2 cells. Polymers but not nanoparticles altered the adhesion profiles of the macrophages. Impedance measurements suggested Ca2+ dependent uptake of nanoparticles by the macrophages. Conclusions PLGA nanoparticles with macrophage stimulating and sustained drug delivery capabilities have been prepared. These nanoparticles can be used to stimulate macrophages and concurrently deliver drug in infectious disease therapy