Discovery of ( ±)-3-(1 H -pyrazol-1-yl)-6,7-dihydro-5 H -[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4- b ][1,3,4] thiadiazine derivatives with promising in vitro anticoronavirus and antitumoral activity

A new series of (?±)-(3-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-6-phenyl-6,7-dihydro-5H-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]thiadiazin-7-yl)(phenyl)methanones were efficiently synthesized starting from 4-amino-5-hydrazinyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol 1, acetyl acetone 2, various aromatic and heterocyclic aldehydes 3 and phenacyl bromides 4. All the newly synthesized compounds were tested for their antiviral and antitumoral activity. It was shown that subtle structural variations on the phenyl moiety allowed to tune biological properties toward antiviral or antitumoral activity. Mode-of-action studies revealed that the antitumoral activity was due to inhibition of tubulin polymerization.

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Additive-free Aqueous Dispersions of Two-Dimensional Materials with Glial Cell Compatibility and Enzymatic Degradability

Water-dispersible two-dimensional (2D) materials are desirable for diverse applications. Aqueous dispersions make processing safer and greener and enable evaluation of these materials on biological and environmental fronts. To evaluate the effects of 2D materials with biological systems, obtaining dispersions without additives is critical and has been a challenge. Herein, a method was developed for obtaining additive-free aqueous dispersions of 2D materials like transition metal dichalcogenides and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). The nanosheet dispersions were investigated through spectroscopic and microscopic methods, along with the role of size on stability. The aqueous media enabled investigations on cytocompatibility and enzymatic degradation of molybdenum disulphide (MoS₂) and h-BN. Cytocompatibility with mixed glial cells was observed up to concentrations of 100 μg mL⁻¹, suggesting their plausible usage in bioelectronics. Besides, biodegradation using human myeloperoxidase (hMPO) mediated catalysis was investigated through Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The findings suggested that additive-free 2H-MoS₂ and h-BN were degradable by hMPO, with 2H-phase exhibiting better resistance to degradation than the 1T-phase, while h-BN exhibited slower degradation. The findings pave a path for incorporating 2D materials in the burgeoning field of transient bioelectronics.     

Stability-indicating HPLC method for acyclovir and lidocaine in topical formulations

A simple, rapid and accurate stability-indicating HPLC assay was developed for the determination of acyclovir and lidocaine in topical formulations. Chromatographic separation of acyclovir and lidocaine was achieved using a reversed-phase C₁₈ column and a gradient mobile phase (20 mm ammonium acetate pH 3.5 in water and acetonitrile). The degradation products of acyclovir and lidocaine in the samples were analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry. The HPLC method successfully resolved the analytes from the impurities and degradation products in the topical formulation. Furthermore, the method detected the analytes from the human skin leachables following the extraction of the analytes in the skin homogenate samples. The method showed linearity over wide ranges of 5–500 and 10–200 μg/ml for acyclovir and lidocaine in the topical product, respectively, with a correlation coefficient (r²) >0.9995. The relative standard deviations for precision, repeatability, and robustness of the method validation assays were <2%. The skin extraction efficiency for acyclovir and lidocaine was 92.8 ± 0.7% and 91.3 ± 3.2%, respectively, with no interference from the skin leachables. Thus, simultaneous quantification of acyclovir and lidocaine in the topical formulations was achieved.     

cis‐Dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes with unsymmetric linear tetradentate ligands: syntheses,structures and bromoperoxidase activities

Reactions of [MoO₂(acetylacetonate)₂], 2‐((2‐(2‐hydroxyethylamino)ethylamino)methyl)‐4‐R‐phenols (H₂Lⁿ, n = 1–5 for R = H, Me, OMe, Cl and Br, respectively) and KOH in 1:1:2 mole ratio in methanol afford a series of complexes having the general formula cis‐[MoO₂(Lⁿ)] ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) in 81–86% yields. The complexes have been characterized using elemental analysis, spectroscopy (infrared, UV–visible, and ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and ¹³C‐DEPT NMR) and electrochemical measurements. The molecular structures of 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 have been determined using single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. In each of 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , the ONNO‐donor 6,5,5‐membered fused chelate rings forming (Lⁿ)²⁻ and the two mutually cis oxo groups assemble a distorted octahedral N₂O₄ coordination sphere around the metal centre. In the crystal lattice, each of 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 forms a one‐dimensional infinite chain structure via intermolecular N  H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonding interactions. In cyclic voltammograms, the diamagnetic complexes display an irreversible metal‐centred reduction in the potential range −0.73 to −0.88 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The physicochemical data are consistent with a very similar gross molecular structure for all of 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 . All the complexes exhibit decent bromoperoxidase activities and are also able to effectively catalyse benzoin and methyl(phenyl)sulfide oxidation reactions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of the ‘southern’ tripeptide of Cyclomarins A and C having novel anti-tuberculocidal mode of action

The synthesis of the ‘southern’ tripeptide of Cyclomarins A and C has been described which includes two unusual amino acids. The unusual amino acids have been synthesized and coupled with l-alanine to obtain the tripeptide.     

Degradation of Single‐Layer and Few‐Layer Graphene by Neutrophil Myeloperoxidase

Biodegradability of graphene is one of the fundamental parameters determining the fate of this material in vivo. Two types of aqueous dispersible graphene, corresponding to single‐layer (SLG) and few‐layer graphene (FLG), devoid of either chemical functionalization or stabilizing surfactants, were subjected to biodegradation by human myeloperoxidase (hMPO) mediated catalysis. Graphene biodegradation was also studied in the presence of activated, degranulating human neutrophils. The degradation of both FLG and SLG sheets was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy analyses, leading to the conclusion that highly dispersed pristine graphene is not biopersistent.     

White Graphene undergoes Peroxidase Degradation

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanosheets are emerging as promising 2D materials for different types of applications. However, biodegradation of hBN materials is poorly explored owing to their high chemical inertness and strong oxidation resistance. The assessment of oxidation/biodegradation of hBN is important in developing biomedical tools. Herein, we report the first study on the biodegradability of hBN nanosheets comparing the enzymatic catalysis of two different peroxidases, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and human myeloperoxidase (MPO), with the photo‐Fenton (P.F.) reaction. The results show that degradation of hBN nanosheets is different to that of graphene and graphene oxide, since partial oxidation was found using MPO after 35 h, while HRP failed to degrade hBN up to 60 days. Nearly complete oxidation/degradation was occurred by P.F. reaction in 100 h. These results are helpful in designing advanced conjugates for biomedical uses of hBN.