Design, synthesis, and photophysical characterization of water-soluble chlorins

The use of chlorins as photosensitizers or fluorophores in a range of biological applications requires facile provisions for imparting high water solubility. Two free base chlorins have been prepared wherein each chlorin bears a geminal dimethyl group in the reduced ring and a water-solubilizing unit at the chlorin 10-position. In one design (FbC1-PO3H2), the water-solubilizing unit is a 1,5-diphosphonopent-3-yl ("swallowtail") unit, which has previously been used to good effect with porphyrins. In the other design (FbC2-PO3H2), the water-solubilizing unit is a 2,6-bis(phosphonomethoxy)phenyl unit. Two complementary routes were developed for preparing FbC2-PO3H2 that entail introduction of the protected phosphonate moieties either in the Eastern-half precursor to the chlorin or by derivatization of an intact chlorin. Water-solubilization is achieved in the last step of each synthesis upon removal of the phosphonate protecting groups. The chlorins FbC1-PO3H2 and FbC2-PO3H2 are highly water-soluble (>10 mM) as shown by 1H NMR spectroscopy (D2O) and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The photophysical properties of the water-soluble chlorins in phosphate-buffered saline solution (pH 7.4) at room temperature were investigated using static and time-resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. Each chlorin exhibits dominant absorption bands in the blue and the red region (lambda = 398, 626 nm), a modest fluorescence yield (Phi f approximately 0.11), a long singlet excited-state lifetime (tau = 7.5 ns), and a high yield of intersystem crossing to give the triplet state (Phi isc = 0.9). The properties of the water-soluble chlorins in aqueous media are comparable to those of hydrophobic chlorins in toluene. The high aqueous solubility combined with the attractive photophysical properties make these compounds suitable for a wide range of biomedical applications.     

A new water soluble 3,6,9-trioxaundecanedioic acid-based linker and biotinylating reagent

Biotinylated peptides often have low solubility in water. In this Letter, we describe a new method to synthesize a biotinylating reagent for water-solubilizing hydrophobic peptides. The biotinyl-6-aminohexanoic derivatives prepared contain a hydrophilic 3,6,9-trioxaundecanedioic acid linker moiety between the biotin and the peptide to improve the water solubility, and also to function as a spacer. The monoesterified derivative of 3,6,9-trioxaundecanedioic acid was synthesized, and the Fmoc-protected ethylenediamine was used to link to the carboxylic group of biotin. The hydrophilic nature of this new biotin-peptide conjugate was also demonstrated in a comparative analysis of compounds containing a biotinyl-6-aminohexanoic acid or 3,6,9-trioxaundecanedioic acid derivative.     

水溶性紫杉醇前药研究进展

紫杉醇是具有良好抗癌活性的天然药物。但由于极差的水溶性,大大地限制它在临床上的应用。为此开发水溶性的紫杉醇前药越来越受到人们的重视。本文总结了近十几年来水溶性紫杉醇前药的研究状况,表明2'-羟基成酯是前药设计最有前景的方法,其中水溶性高分子支载的紫杉醇前药是最有前景的种类。     

A caged hydrophobic inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase II

[formula: see text] A tight-binding, hydrophobic inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase II has been masked with a water-solubilizing, photolabile group derived from o-nitrophenylglycine. This caged inhibitor represents our first effort at the site-specific delivery of prodrugs that can be activated by light. Via this approach, we have begun to address the problems of water insolubility and systemic side effects on administration of tight-binding inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase.     

Synthesis of a water-soluble triazole-linked cavitand-guanosine conjugate

A convergent synthesis of a water-soluble cavitand bearing four triazole-linked guanosines was achieved. The critical coupling reaction entailed a copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition between 5′-azido-5′-deoxyguanosine and a cavitand template functionalized with propargyl ether rim groups and water-solubilizing phosphate pendant groups.     

Optically active antifungal azoles. XII. Synthesis and antifungal activity of the water-soluble prodrugs of 1-[(1R,2R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-hydroxy-1-methyl-3-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)propyl]-3-[4-(1H-1-tetrazolyl)phenyl]-2-imidazolidinone

1-[(1R,2R)-2-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-2-hydroxy-1-methyl-3-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)propyl]-3-[4-(1H-1-tetrazolyl)phenyl]-2-imidazolidinone (1: TAK-456) was selected as a candidate for clinical trials, but since its water-solubility was insufficient for an injectable formulation, the quaternary triazolium salts 2 were designed as water-soluble prodrugs. Among the prodrugs prepared, 4-acetoxymethyl-1-[(2R,3R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-hydroxy-3-[2-oxo-3-[4-(1H-1-terazolyl)phenyl]-1-imidazolidinyl]butyl]-1H-1,2,4-triazolium chloride (2a: TAK-457) was selected as an injectable candidate for clinical trials based on the results of evaluations on solubility, stability, hemolytic effect and in vivo antifungal activities.     

An Efficient Method for the Conjugation of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Components by Solid‐Phase‐Assisted Disulfide Ligation

Chemical conjugation between hydrophilic and hydrophobic components is difficult because of their extremely different solubility. Herein, we report a new versatile method with a solid‐phase‐assisted disulfide ligation to overcome the difficulty of conjugation attributed to solubility. The method involves two steps in a one‐pot process: 1) loading of a hydrophobic molecule onto a resin in an organic solvent, and 2) release of the solid‐supported hydrophobic molecule as a conjugate with a hydrophilic molecule into an aqueous solvent. This strategy allows the use of a suitable solvent system for the substrates in each step. Conjugates of a water‐insoluble drug, plinabulin, with hydrophilic carriers that could not be prepared by solution‐phase reactions were obtained in moderate yields (29–45 %). This strategy is widely applicable to the conjugation of compounds with solubility problems.     

Synthesis of water-soluble polymeric prodrugs possessing 4-methylcatechol derivatives by mechanochemical solid-state copolymerization and nature of drug release

In this study we synthesized the water-soluble polymeric prodrugs possessing a 4-methylcatechol (4MC) derivative as a side chain by mechanochemical solid-state copolymerization. 1-benzoyl-4-methylcatechol (Bz4MC) was selected as a model compound of 4MC, and its methacryloyl derivative (1) was synthesized. 6-O-methacryloyl-D-galactose (2) was also prepared as a water-soluble monomer. The mechanochemical solid-state copolymerization of 1 and 2 was carried out to obtain the water-soluble polymeric prodrug possessing the Bz4MC as a side chain. The mechanochemical copolymerization of 1 and 2 proceeded to completion, and the polymeric prodrug produced possessed a narrow molecular weight distribution. Three kinds of polymeric prodrugs, whose compositions were different from one another, were hydrolyzed in vitro. The hydrolysis of these polymeric prodrugs proceeded to completion. The rate constants of hydrolysis decreased with increasing the mole fraction of 1 in polymeric prodrug. It was suggested that the rate constant of hydrolysis could be controlled by the composition, the mole fraction of 1 in the polymeric prodrug.     

Synthesis and biological activity of prodrug inhibitors of the thioredoxin-thioredoxin reductase system

A series of palmarumycin prodrugs and water-soluble analogs has been synthesized and assayed for inhibition of the thioredoxin-thioredoxin reductase system. Increased aqueous solubility led to an improved in vivo activity profile.     

Synthesis,characterisation, and biological activity of three new amide prodrugs of lamotrigine with reduced hepatotoxicity

Lamotrigine (LTG) is an antiepileptic drug used for the prevention of convulsions. Except several known side effects, hepatic dysfunction is also reported. Hepatotoxic side effects occur due to the dichlorophenyl moiety which develops an abnormally low level of glutathione. Depletion of glutathione causes oxidative stress and hepatic cell damage. The goal of the present study was to test the action and side effects of the three compounds synthesised and compared to LTG. Three amide prodrugs of LTG were synthesised by its reaction with N-acetylamino acids, viz, glycine, glutamic acid, and methionine. Purified synthesised prodrugs were subjected to thin layer chromatography, melting point, solubility and partition coefficients determination and characterised by UV, FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The synthesised prodrugs were subjected to in vitro hydrolysis and to anticonvulsant and hepatotoxic activity studies. Significant reduction in hepatotoxicity and comparable anticonvulsant activities were obtained in all synthesised prodrugs as compared to LTG.     

Size-Selective Encapsulation Property of Unimolecular Reverse Micelle Consisting of Hyperbranched D-Glucan Core and L-Leucine Ethyl Ether Shell

The synthesis of a unimolecular reverse micelle ( 3 ) consisting of hyperbranched D -glucan as the core and L -leucine ethyl ester as the shell was accomplished through the carbamation reaction of the hyperbranched D -glucan ( 1 ) with the N-carbonyl L -leucine ethyl ester ( 2 ) in pyridine at 100 °C. The polymer 3 was soluble in a large variety of organic solvents, such as methanol, acetone, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, and insoluble in water, which remarkably differed from the solubility of 1 . The solubilities of 3 were also changed by the substitution degrees of the L -leucine moiety. The encapsulation ability of 3 toward water-soluble dyes has been investigated. These results indicated that 3 was a unimolecular reverse micelle with an encapsulation ability toward hydrophilic dye molecules. In addition, 3 showed an molecular size-selective encapsulation ability.     

Prodrugs of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (DDI): improved oral bioavailability via hydrophobic esters.

Five ester prodrugs of 2'3'-dideoxyinosine (DDI) were synthesized for the purpose of improving oral bioavailability. The prodrugs, acetate (C2-DDI), octanoate (C8-DDI), stearate (C18-DDI), benzoate (Bz-DDI), and hemisuccinate (Suc-DDI) were proved to quantitatively regenerate their parent drug by enzymatic hydrolysis. Though the chemical stability of the prodrugs under acidic conditions was not improved, their solubility in water was significantly decreased by esterification, except for Suc-DDI. Bioavailability was evaluated by oral administration to rats. Two hydrophobic prodrugs (C8-DDI and Bz-DDI) showed higher absolute bioavailability (23.5% and 31.0%, respectively) than did DDI (15.2%), though that of C2-DDI (11.5%) and Suc-DDI (4.5%) was poor.     

Skin permeability of water-soluble drugs

The permeabilities of several water-soluble drugs through excised hairless rat skin from their aqueous suspensions were investigated by using newly designed two-chamber diffusion cells. Disodium cromoglycate, diclofenac sodium, dopamine hydrochloride, isoproterenol hydrochloride, diltiazem hydrochloride and papaverine hydrochloride were selected as water-soluble drugs. Indomethacin, a lipophilic drug, and deuterium oxide (D2O) were used for comparison. The skin permeability coefficients of these water-soluble drugs were 100--1000 times lower than that of indomethacin. Since these drugs have high solubility in the donor solution (distilled water or lactate buffer), however, the skin permeation rates, which are in general proportional to the product of skin permeability coefficient and solubility of drugs in the drug-donor compartment, were comparable to or higher than that of indomethacin (1.7 micrograms/cm2/h): the skin permeation rate of dopamine hydrochloride (458 micrograms/cm2/h) was about 300 times higher than that of indomethacin. The water-soluble drugs with lower molecular weight and higher solubility in water showed higher skin permeation rates. These results suggest that some water-soluble drugs with low molecular weight and high solubility in water might be good candidates for transdermal drug delivery.     

Synthesis and Characterization of PEG-scutellarin Conjugates, a Potential PEG Ester Prodrug for the Oral Delivery of Scutellarin

Scutellarin is the active ingredient extracted from Erigeron breviscapus, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Pharmacological study showed that scutellarin could significantly reduce the blood viscosity, improve the blood flow, decrease the vascular re…     

Design, synthesis, structure, and dehydrogenation reactivity of a water-soluble o-iodoxybenzoic acid derivative bearing a trimethylammonium group

5-Trimethylammonio-1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-1λ(5)-benzo[d][1,2]iodoxol-1-ol anion (AIBX 1a), an o-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) derivative having the trimethylammonium moiety on its phenyl ring, possesses very good solubility in water and distinct oxidative properties from IBX, which is demonstrated in the oxidation of various β-keto esters to the corresponding dehydrogenated products using water as cosolvent. The regeneration of AIBX 1a can be easily realized from the reaction mixture due to its good water solubility.     

Water-soluble red-emitting distyryl-borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes for biolabeling

A series of water-soluble red-emitting distyryl-borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes were designed and synthesized by using three complementary approaches aimed at introducing water-solubilizing groups on opposite faces of the fluorescent core to reduce or completely suppress self-aggregation. An additional carboxylic acid functional group was introduced at the pseudo-meso position of the BODIPY scaffold for conjugation to amine-containing biomolecules/biopolymers. The optical properties of these dyes were evaluated under simulated physiological conditions (i.e., phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), pH 7.5) or in pure water. The emission wavelength (λ(max)) of these labels was found in the 640-660 nm range with quantum yields from modest to unprecedentedly high values (4 to 38%). The bioconjugation of these distyryl-BODIPY dyes with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the monoclonal antibody (mAb) 12A5 was successfully performed under mild aqueous conditions.     

Synthesis of Water-soluble,Polyester-based Dendrimer Prodrugs for Exploiting Therapeutic Properties of Two Triterpenoid Acids

Dendrimers are macromolecules characterized by high controlled size, shape and architecture, presence of inner cavities able to accommodate small molecules and many peripheral functional groups to bind target entities. They are of eminent interest for biomedical applications, including gene transfection, tissue engineering, imaging, and drug delivery. The well-known pharmacological activities of ursolic and oleanolic acids are limited by their small water solubility, non-specific cell distribution, low bioavailability, poor pharmacokinetics, and their direct administration could result in the release of thrombi. To overcome such problems, in this paper we described their physical incorporation inside amino acids-modified polyester-based dendrimers which made them highly water-soluble. IR, NMR, zeta potential, mean size of particles, buffer capacity and drug release profiles of prepared materials were reported. The achieved water-soluble complexes harmonize a polycationic character and a buffer capacity which presuppose efficient cell penetration and increased residence time with a biodegradable cell respectful scaffold, thus appearing as a promising team of not toxic prodrugs for safe administration of ursolic and oleanolic acids.     

Synthesis of Cyclodextrin and Sugar-Based Oligomers for the Efavirenz Drug Delivery

Summary: In the present work water-soluble lactose based oligomers of β-cyclodextrin were synthesized by a simple and efficient condensation polymerization process. Proposed water-soluble β-cyclodextrin oligomers were prepared by controlled reaction between β-cyclodextrin and a triazine linker and purification by an ultrafiltration process. Similarly, lactose based β-cyclodextrin oligomers were synthesized for enhanced water solubility. The physical and chemical properties of the synthesized polymers were characterized by FT-IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, XRD analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and aqueous solubility determination.. Molecular weights of these β-cyclodextrin based oligomers were measured by ESI technique. These β-cyclodextrin based water-soluble oligomers polymers were used as supramolecular carriers for efavirenz (an anti HIV drug), improving the inclusion property and aqueous solubility properties of this drug. These synthesized oligomers were found to improve stability and aqueous solubility of efavirenz on their (1:1) inclusion complex through phase solubility and dissolution studies. Reduced cytotoxicity than the parent β-CD was observed in hemolysis test.     

Syntheses and properties of water-soluble Nile Red derivatives

Nile Red (compound A) fluoresces at about 530 nm with good quantum yields in apolar solvents. In more polar ones its fluorescence emission shows a dramatic, and potentially useful, shift to about 640 nm, but its quantum yield is significantly reduced. Further, Nile Red has a very poor solubility in aqueous media. The hypothesis tested in this paper is that Nile Red derivatives that incorporate water-solubilizing groups will tend to fluoresce with good quantum yields in aqueous media, and in the more useful wavelength range around 640 nm. Thus three Nile Red derivatives, 1-3, were prepared. Compound 1 had three hydroxyl groups more than Nile Red, but was surprisingly insoluble in aqueous media. However, the dicarboxylic acid 2 and carboxylic/sulfonic acid derivative 3 showed excellent water solubilities. Spectral data for 2 and 3 showed that they do indeed fluoresce with good quantum yields in the 640 nm region in aqueous media. These properties of compounds 2 and 3 might be useful in the development of fluorescent probes for biotechnology.     

水溶性甲壳素及其膜的制备与表征

通过对高脱乙酰度壳聚糖进行均相乙酰化反应，制得脱乙酰度为51．7％的水溶性甲壳素，产物有很好的水溶性．通过红外光谱、X-射线衍射、差热分析等测试表征了水溶性甲壳素结构．结果表明，水溶性甲壳素的结构发生了较大变化，结晶性显著下降是导致水溶性增加的主要原因．