Hierarchical Virtual Screening of Potential Insectides Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase and Juvenile Hormone from Temephos

Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762; Diptera: Culicidae) is the main vector transmitting viral diseases such as dengue fever, dengue haemorrhagic fever, urban yellow fever, zika and chikungunya. Worldwide, especially in the Americas and Brazil, many cases of dengue have been reported in recent years, which have shown significant growth. The main control strategy is the elimination of the vector, carried out through various education programs, to change human habits, but the most usual is biological control, together with environmental management and chemical control. The most commonly insecticide used is temephos (an organophosphorus compound), but Aedes aegypti populations have shown resistance and the product is highly toxic, so we chose it as a template molecule to perform a ligand-based virtual screening in the ChemBrigde (DIVERSet-CL subcollection) database, searching for derivatives with similarity in shape (ROCS) and electrostatic potential (EON). Thus, fourty-five molecules were filtered based on their pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties and 11 molecules were selected by a molecular docking study, including binding affinity and mode of interaction. The L46, L66 and L68 molecules show potential inhibitory activity for both the insect (-9.28, -10.08 and -6.78 kcal/mol, respectively) and human (-6.05, 6.25 and 7.2 kcal/mol respectively) enzymes, as well as the juvenile hormone protein (-9.2; -10.96 and -8.16 kcal/mol, respectively), showing a significant difference in comparison to the template molecule temephos. Molecules L46, L66 and L68 interacted with important amino acids at each catalytic site of the enzyme reported in the literature. Thus, the molecules here investigated are potential inhibitors for both the acetylcholinesterase enzymes and juvenile hormone protein–from insect and humans, characterizing them as a potential insecticide against the Aedes aegypti mosquito

Identification of Potential Inhibitors from Pyriproxyfen with Insecticidal Activity by Virtual Screening

Aedes aegypti is the main vector of dengue fever transmission, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya in tropical and subtropical regions and it is considered to cause health risks to millions of people in the world. In this study, we search to obtain new molecules with insecticidal potential against Ae. aegypti via virtual screening. Pyriproxyfen was chosen as a template compound to search molecules in the database Zinc_Natural_Stock (ZNSt) with structural similarity using ROCS (rapid overlay of chemical structures) and EON (electrostatic similarity) software, and in the final search, the top 100 were selected. Subsequently, in silico pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties were determined resulting in a total of 14 molecules, and these were submitted to the PASS online server for the prediction of biological insecticide and acetylcholinesterase activities, and only two selected molecules followed for the molecular docking study to evaluate the binding free energy and interaction mode. After these procedures were performed, toxicity risk assessment such as LD50 values in mg/kg and toxicity class using the PROTOX online server, were undertaken. Molecule ZINC00001624 presented potential for inhibition for the acetylcholinesterase enzyme (insect and human) with a binding affinity value of -10.5 and -10.3 kcal/mol, respectively. The interaction with the juvenile hormone was -11.4 kcal/mol for the molecule ZINC00001021. Molecules ZINC00001021 and ZINC00001624 had excellent predictions in all the steps of the study and may be indicated as the most promising molecules resulting from the virtual screening of new insecticidal agents.Federal University of Amapá, Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity-Network BIONORTE, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for funding in the publication of this article

Atividade antibacteriana, antioxidante e citotóxica in vitro do extrato etanólico da entrecasca da planta Ouratea hexasperma (EEEOH) (A. St-Hil.) Baill var. Planchonii Engl

Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnacea), popularly known as "cerrado barbatimão" is a very common plant in the brazilian cerrado region and has been used for the treatment of microbial infections and inflammation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activities, quantifying total flavonoid content (TFT), antibacterial and cytotoxicity of ethanol extract of the bark of Ouratea hexasperma (EEBOH) as well as perform their phytochemical characterization. The plant was collected in the state of Amapá, and then was held extraction of dry bark through the cold maceration with 96% ethanol solution in a 2: 8 (w/v) for 1 day, forming the EEBOH. The phytochemical characterization was performed by testing chromatic/precipitation tube and flavonoid content was measured by assay complexation with aluminum using quercetin as standard (40-0,62μg/mL), and the total antioxidant capacity by the spectrophotometric method discoloration radical ABTS•+ (2,2'azino-bis-3-etilbenzotiazolin 6-sulfonic acid) - TEAC. The antimicrobial activity of EEBOH was tested against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, using the microdilution techniques broth with staining by resazurin, to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), and grown in petri dish with subsequent count of colony forming units (CFU) for obtaining the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). The evaluation of the cytotoxicity of EEEOH human peripheral blood leukocytes. Mononuclear peripheral blood cells incubated with different concentrations of the extract and without stimulation (negative control). The cytotoxicity of EEEOH were tested using human peripheral blood leukocyte, mononuclear cells, with different extract concentrations and without stimulation (negative control), and incubated and maintained at 37 ° C, 98% humidity and 5% CO2 for 24 hours, NO and MDA were read in an ELISA spectrophotometer and different optical readings. The primary EEBOH phytochemical analysis showed the presence of tannins, saponins and flavonoids. The TFT in the extract was 1467 ± 264μg equivalents quercetin/g EEBOH. The antioxidant capacity by TEAC method showed high antioxidant activity, with no difference in antioxidant capacity (TEAC) between those concentrations of the extract. The EEBOH showed good antibacterial activity, mainly against gram-positive bacteria. The cytotoxicity was obtained by linear regression concentration able to kill 50% of cells (CC 50%) whose amount was 2231,5mg/mL, confirming that the crude extract has low cytotoxicity against human leukocytes, under the conditions tested. In the production of NO and MDA it found that the EEOC was not able to induce NO production of the concentrations tested. As well, no increase MDA of concentration induces changes when compared to the negative control (RPMI), confirming the low in vitro cytotoxicity of the extract. Statistical analyzes were performed by ANOVA one way and Turkey. In concluded that the EEBOH have antibacterial, antioxidant and low cytotoxicity.Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnacea), popularmente conhecida como “barbatimão do cerrado”, é uma planta muito comum na região do cerrado brasileiro e, vem sendo utilizada para o tratamento de infecções microbianas e inflamações. Por isso, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar as atividades antioxidante, quantificar teores flavonoides totais (TFT), antibacteriana e citotoxicidade do extrato etanólico da entrecasca da Ouratea hexasperma (EEEOH), bem como realizar sua caracterização fitoquímica. A planta foi coletada no estado do Amapá e em seguida foi realizada extração da entrecasca seca através de maceração à frio com solução etanólica 96% na proporção 2:8 (p/v) durante 1 dia, formando o EEEOH. A caracterização fitoquímica foi realizada através de ensaios cromáticos/precipitação em tubo e o teor de flavonoides foi mensurado através do ensaio com complexação com alumínio utilizando como padrão uma curva de quercetina (40–0,62μg/mL), e a capacidade antioxidante total através do método espectrofotométrico de descoloração do radical ABTS•+ (2,2´azino-bis-3-etilbenzotiazolin 6-ácido sulfônico) - TEAC. A atividade antimicrobiana do EEEOH foi testada frente às bactérias gram-positivas e gram-negativas, através das técnicas de microdiluição em caldo com coloração por resazurina, para a determinação da Concentração Inibitória Mínima (CIM), e de cultivo em placa de petri com posterior contagem das unidades formadoras de colônias (UFC) para a obtenção da Concentração Bactericida Mínima (CBM). A citotoxicidade do EEEOH, foram testadas utilizando leucócitos humanos do sangue periférico, células mononucleares, com diferentes concentrações do extrato e sem nenhum estímulo (controle negativo), e incubação e mantidos a 37ºC, 98% de umidade e 5% de CO2, durante 24h, NO e MDA foram lidas de ELISA e espectrofotômetro em diferentes leituras óticas. A análise fitoquímica preliminar do EEEOH mostrou a presença de taninos, saponinas e flavonóides. O TFT no extrato foi de 1467 ± 264μg equivalentes em quercetina/g de EEEOH. A capacidade antioxidante pelo método de TEAC apresentaram elevada atividade antioxidante, não havendo diferença na capacidade antioxidante (TEAC) entre as concentrações do extrato testadas. O EEEOH apresentou boa ação antibacteriana, principalmente contra as bactérias gram-positivas. Na citotoxicidade por regressão linear se obteve a concentração capaz de matar 50% das células (CC50%), cujo valor foi de 2231,5mg/mL, confirmando que o extrato bruto tem baixa citotoxicidade frente a leucócitos humanos, nas condições testadas. Na produção de NO e MDA verificou-se que o EEEOH não foi capaz de induzir a produção de NO das concentrações testadas. Como também, nenhuma concentração induziu aumento de MDA quando comparado ao controle negativo (RPMI), confirmando a baixa citotoxicidade do extrato in vitro. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas pelo teste Anova uma via e Turkey. Conclui-se que EEEOH possui atividade antibacteriana, antioxidante e baixa citotoxicidade

Action mechanism and cardiovascular effect of anthocyanins: a systematic review of animal and human studies

Abstract Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are an important cause of death worldwide. Anthocyanins are a subgroup of flavonoids found in berries, flowers, fruits and leaves. In epidemiological and clinical studies, these polyphenols have been associated with improved cardiovascular risk profiles as well as decreased comorbidities. Human intervention studies using berries, vegetables, parts of plants and cereals (either fresh or as juice) or purified anthocyanin-rich extracts have demonstrated significant improvements in low density lipoproteins oxidation, lipid peroxidation, total plasma antioxidant capacity, and dyslipidemia as well as reduced levels of CVD molecular biomarkers. This review discusses the use of anthocyanins in animal models and their applications in human medicine, as dietary supplements or as new potent drugs against cardiovascular disease