Nonsteroidal Anti‐inflammatory Drug‐based N‐Allylidene Benzohydrazides and 1‐Acyl‐2‐pyrazolines: Their Synthesis as Potential Cytotoxic Agents In Vitro

A series of 1‐acyl‐2‐pyrazoline derivatives derived from nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs was designed as potential anticancer agents. Synthesis of these compounds was carried out via the condensation reaction of chalcones and acid hydrazides under heating. The methodology did not require the use of any costly reagents or catalysts, and the acid hydrazide reactants were readily prepared from mefenamic acid or ibuprofen. A variety of 1‐acyl‐2‐pyrazolines was prepared in good to excellent yields. An N‐allylidene benzohydrazide intermediate was isolated during the reaction optimization study, the structure of which was confirmed unambiguously by X‐ray single crystal data. A range of N‐allylidene benzohydrazides were also prepared in good yields. Some of the compounds synthesized showed promising cytotoxic activities when tested against HCT‐15 human colon cancer cell line in vitro.     

Direct and Indirect Organogenesis of Alpinia galanga and the Phytochemical Analysis

Alpinia galanga is a rhizomatous herb rich in essential oils and various other significant phytoconstituents. Rapid direct regeneration was obtained from the rhizome explants (15.66 ± 0.57 shoots) on MS media supplemented with zeatin at a concentration of 2 mg/l. The callus cultures of A. galanga were initiated from the rhizome explants on MS media supplemented with 2 mg/l each of BAP, 2,4-D, and NAA. The callus was analyzed for the presence of a vital phytoconstituent--acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA) associated with various biological properties. ACA was detected in the young friable callus as well as the stationary phase callus. Moreover, the induction of morphogenetic response in callus resulted in higher accumulation of ACA. The phytohormone withdrawal from the propagation media and the subsequent transfer of callus to BAP (2 mg/l) containing MS media has resulted in multiple shoot induction. The regenerated (indirect) plants have shown 1.6-fold higher ACA content (1.253%) when compared to the control plant (0.783%). Micropropagation of such conventionally propagated plants is very essential to meet the commercial demand as well as to ensure easy storage and transportation of disease free stocks.     

Polyphenolics profile and antioxidant properties of Raphanus sativus L

Raphanus sativus, a common cruciferous vegetable has been attributed to possess a number of pharmacological properties. Antioxidant and radical scavenging activity of R. sativus root extracted with solvents of varying polarity were evaluated using different model systems. Polyphenolic content was estimated to be in the range 13.18-63.54?mg?g?1 dry weight, with a considerable amount being obtained with polar solvents. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis indicated the presence of an array of polyphenolics. Catechin was found to be the most abundant phenolic compound in water extract and sinapic acid, the predominant phenolic compound in methanolic, ethyl acetate and hexane extracts. The methanolic extract showed significant ferric reducing ability, moderate metal chelating activity and strong radical scavenging activity. The methanolic extract could be successfully utilised as an ingredient in functional foods. However, water extract could be more pertinent to human nutrition as it contained a significant amount of catechin, which was comparable to traditional sources like green and black tea.     

A TEM and XRD study of the SbNbSe3 misfit layer structures

Two new misfit layer structures have been synthesized within the Sb-Nb-Se system. Powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques (electron diffraction, HREM, XEDS) have been used to determine the nature of their structure. According to TEM and XEDS data (for more than 15 crystals studied) both phases are monolayer type, i.e. (SbSe)1+delta (NbSe2). Electron microscopy reveals a composite modulated structure that consists of the periodical intergrowth of a pseudotetragonal SbSe layer, denominated as Q, and a pseudohexagonal layer NbSe2, denominated as H. Both layers fit along b, stack along c and do not fit along a (misfit) giving rise to an incommensurate modulation along this direction. The two phases differ in the symmetry of the Q layers being in one case orthorhombic (for delta = 0.17) and monoclinic in the other (for delta = 0.19). After the characterization of the sample by electron microscopy the unit cells of the basic layers could be refined for both phases by powder X-ray diffraction: aQ = 5.824(2) A, bQ = 5.962(5) A, cQ = 23.927(6) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees and aH = 3.415(5) A, bH = 5.962(6) A,, cH = 11.962(1) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees for the orthorhombic phase; aQ = 5.844(2) A, bQ = 5.981(1) A, cQ = 23.919(5) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 96.00(3)degrees and aH = 3.439(1) A, bH = 5.994(2) A, cH = 11.956(3) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees for the monoclinic phase. The phase with the monoclinic Q-sublattice often appears as twinned crystals. The more abundant crystals are disordered intergrowths of both monolayer phases.     

Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation in Alpinia galanga (Linn.) Willd. for Enhanced Acetoxychavicol Acetate Production

Agrobacterium-mediated transformations ensure elevated amounts of secondary metabolite accumulation with genetic and biosynthetic stability. In the present study, Alpinia galanga rich in bioactive compounds was genetically transformed using different strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes viz. LBA 9402, A ₄ , 532, 2364 and PRTGus. Even though a higher growth rate was obtained with the LBA 9402 strain, maximum acetoxychavicol acetate accumulation (ACA) was seen in the PRTGus transformant. PRTGus root line has shown 10.1 fold higher ACA content in comparison to the control roots. The lowest ACA production was shown by the A ₄ transformant (4.9 fold). The quantification of ACA in the transformed roots was carried out by using HPLC, which was found to be in the order of PRTGus > LBA 9402 > 2364 > 532 > A ₄ . The fast growth rate of hairy roots, genetic stability and their ability to synthesize more than one metabolite offer a promising system for the production of valuable secondary metabolites.     

Constitutive Expression and Optimization of Nutrients for Streptokinase Production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pichia pastoris</Emphasis> Using Statistical Methods

The Pichia pastoris clone producing streptokinase (SK) was optimized for its nutritional requirements to improve intracellular expression using statistical experimental designs and response surface methodology. The skc gene was ligated downstream of the native glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase promoter and cloned in P. pastoris. Toxicity to the host was not observed by SK expression using YPD medium. The transformant producing SK at level of 1,120 IU/ml was selected, and the medium composition was investigated with the aim of achieving high expression levels. The effect of various carbon and nitrogen sources on SK production was tested by using Plackett–Burman statistical design and it was found that dextrose and peptone are the effective carbon and nitrogen sources among all the tested. The optimum conditions of selected production medium parameters were predicted using response surface methodology and the maximum predicted SK production of 2,136.23 IU/ml could be achieved with the production medium conditions of dextrose (x1), 2.90%; peptone (x2), 2.49%; pH, 7.2 (x3), and temperature, 30.4 (x4). Validation studies showed a 95% increase in SK production as compared to that before optimization at 2,089 IU/ml. SK produced by constitutive expression was found to be functionally active by plasminogen activation assay and fibrin clot lysis assay. The current recombinant expression system and medium composition may enable maximum production of recombinant streptokinase at bioreactor level.     

Design and synthesis of novel cytotoxic agents based on combined framework of quinoline and nimesulide

Functionalization of quinoline aldehydes, derived from nimesulide framework was carried out using Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) chemistry. A number of novel quinoline‐based diverse MBH adducts was prepared via the reaction of derivatives of 2‐chloroquinoline‐3‐carbaldehyde and various activated alkenes in good yields. Many of these compounds were found to be potent when tested against human prostate cancer (Pc‐3) cell line in vitro. Among all the compounds tested N‐(2‐chloro‐3‐(2‐cyano‐1‐hydroxyallyl)‐7‐phenoxyquinolin‐6‐yl)formamide (IC₅₀ = 1.2 μg mL^?1) was identified as the most potent compound in this series. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).     

Cloning,High Expression and Purification of Recombinant Human Intereferon-β-1b in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Sequential evaluation and process control strategy were employed for impurity profile and high recovery with quality of rhIFN-β-1b expressed in Escherichia coli. The high-level expression was achieved by using codon substitution (AT content of 52.6% at N-terminal region) and optimization of culture conditions. The addition of rifampicin at a concentration of 200 μg/ml has increased the specific product yield of 66 mg optical density⁻¹ l⁻¹ (43.5% of total cellular protein). Eighty-three percent of lipopolysaccharides, 32% of host deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and 78% of host cell proteins were removed by 0.75% Triton X-100 and 2 M urea wash. Eleven percent of lipopolysaccharides, 39% of host DNA, and 12% of host cell proteins were removed at the solubilization step. Ninety-two percent of protein refolding was achieved by high-pressure diafiltration method. Refolding by high-pressure diafiltration, bed height, and height equivalent to the theoretical plate value in chromatography column were identified as key parameters for high recovery with purity. Finally, the established process yielded 34% of purified protein with greater than 99% purity and is acceptable for preclinical toxicological studies. The purified rhIFN-β-1b obtained in this study is the highest that has been reported so far.     

Optimization of keratinase production and enzyme activity using response surface methodology with streptomyces sp7

A two-step response surface methodology (RSM) study was conducted for the optimization of keratinase production and enzyme activity from poultry feather byStreptomyces sp7. Initially different combinations of salts were screened for maximal production of keratinase at a constant pH of 6.5 and feather meal concentration of 5 g/L. A combination of K₂HPO₄, KH₂PO₄, and NaCl gave a maximum yield of keratinase (70.9 U/mL) production. In the first step of the RSM study, the selected five variables (feather meal, K₂HPO₄, KH₂PO₄, NaCl, and pH) were optimized by a 2⁵ full-factorial rotatable central composite design (CCD) that resulted in 95 U/mL of keratinase production. The results of analysis of variance and regression of a second-order model showed that the linear effects of feather meal concentration (p<0.005) and NaCl (p<0.029) and the interactive effects of all variables were more significant and that values of the quadratic effects of feather meal (p<1.72e-5), K₂HPO₄ (p<4.731e-6), KH₂PO₄ (p<1.01e-10), and pH (p 7.63e-7) were more significant than the linear and interactive effects of the process variables. In the second step, a 2³ rotatable full-factorial CCD and response surface analysis were used for the selection of optimal process parameters (pH, temperature, and rpm) for keratinase enzyme activity. These optima were pH 11.0, 45°C, and 300 rpm.