Mass spectra of some steroidal diols

The mass spectral fragmentations of a number of steroidal 3,5- and 4,5-diols and some derivatives have been examined using high resolution mass spectrometry and deuterium labelling. Although the 3,5- and 4,5-diols have very similar mass spectra those of the derived ketols are quite characteristic. A pathway for the formation of the important m/e 332 ion in the mass spectrum of cholestan-4β,5α-diol has been postulated.     

Anticancer and antimicrobial evaluation of newly synthesized steroidal 5,6 fused benzothiazines

A series of new 5α-cholestano [5,6-b] benzothiazines (4–6) has been synthesized by the reaction of 5α-cholestan-6-one (1–3) with 2-aminothiophenol in the presence of iodine. The structures of newly synthesized compounds have been established on the basis of spectral and analytical data. Compounds (1–6) were screened for in vitro anticancer activity against the human cancer cell lines; SW480 (colon adenocarcinoma cells), A549 (lung carcinoma cells), HepG2 (hepatic carcinoma cells) and HeLa (cervical cancer cells) using MTT assay during which the products (4–6) showed marked increase in anticancer activity and in particular, compound 6 showed IC₅₀ = 13.73 μmol L⁻¹ against HeLa cells, being more effective than Doxorubicin against the same cells. Compounds 4 and 6 also showed minimum IC₅₀ of 15.83 μmol L⁻¹ and 16.89 μmol L⁻¹ against HepG2 and A549 cells, respectively. Compounds (1–6) were also tested for in vitro antimicrobial activity against different bacterial as well as fungal strains during which newly synthesized compounds (4–6) were found more potent than starting compounds (1–3). Compound 4 was found to be more potent than the reference drug, Chloramphenicol, in the case of Escherichia coli while compound 5 was found almost equally potential antifungal agent against P. marneffei in comparison with the reference drug, Nystatin.     

Gas chromatography mass spectrometry of some steroidal spirolactones

Gas chromatography mass spectrometry of a number of steroidal spirolactones and their TMS ethers is reported. Open tubular column gas chromatography provides useful structural information for these compounds as shown by shifts in retention index values. The electron impact fragmentation pathways have been established for a number of the compounds. The results of the study indicate that open tubular column gas chromatography mass spectrometry will be of value in studies of the metabolism of this class of steroids in animals and man.     

Titrations of some steroidal bases in non-aqueous media

Summary The potentiometric and catalytic thermometric titrations of some newly synthetised steroidal compounds containing the pyridine nucleus are performed with 0. 1 M perchloric acid in acetic acid. Amounts of 15.32–37.71 mg were determined with a relative standard deviation < 0.89 %. Results of separate determinations of the bases by catalytic thermometric and potentiometric titration are in good agreement.By means of the data of potentiometric titrations, pK-values of the investigated compounds were estimated and some possible explanations are provided for the noticeable differences in the two pairs of geometrical isomers. The obtained results show that these compounds behave as relatively stronger bases (pK 6.04–7.03) in acetic acid. It has also been found that the introduction of one vinyl-group into -position of the pyridine nucleus has no essential influence on the basicity, as confirmed by the obtained pK-values.Determination of the isomeric ketones, 3-acetoxy-17-picolinylidene-5-androstene-16-ones, in mixture was successfully performed by potentiometric titration in acetic anhydride only.

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Titrationen einiger Steroidbasen in nichtwäßrigen Medien

Zusammenfassung Potentiometrische und katalytische thermometrische Titrationen wurden für einige neusynthetisierte Androstenverbindungen mit pyridinischem Kern mittels 0,1 M Perchlorsäure in Essigsäure durchgeführt. Mengen von 15,32–37,31 mg wurden mit einer relativen Standardabweichung von <0,89% bestimmt. Die Ergebnisse der katalytischen thermometrischen Titrationen stimmen mit denen der potentiometrischen gut überein.Auf Grund der Daten der potentiometrischen Titrationen wurden die pK-Werte der untersuchten Verbindungen berechnet und mögliche Erklärungen für ihre geometrischen Isomeren gegeben. Die erhaltenen Ergebnisse zeigen, daß diese Verbindungen in Essigsäure starke Basen (pK 6,04–7,03) sind. Ebenso wurde festgestellt, daß die Einführung einer Vynilgruppe in -Stellung des pyridinischen Kerns sehr wenig die Basizität beeinflußt, was die erhaltenen pK-Werte bestätigen.Die Bestimmung von isomeren Ketonen, 3 -Acetoxy-17-picolinyliden-5-adrosten-16-onen, in Mischung wurde erfolgreich durch potentiometrische Titration nur in Essigsäureanhydrid ausgeführt.

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The authors thank the Scientific Fund of SAP Vojvodina for partial financial support of the present work     

Synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of some steroidal derivatives of tigogenin

Some 5α-type steroidal derivatives of the steroidal sapogenin tigogenin were synthesized. The structures of the synthesized derivatives were characterized by spectral methods and elemental analysis. The antituberculosis activity of the compounds toward Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv was studied in vitro (Microplate Alamar Blue Assay) in BACTEC 12B medium and was compared with that of isoniazide. Some of the synthesized compounds exhibited high (92-98%) antimycobacterial activity. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 332-334, May-June, 2009.     

具有生物活性氮杂甾体化合物的研究进展

本文概述了近年来新合成的氮杂甾体类化合物的生物活性及研究进展,并对此方面的发展趋势、应用前景做了展望.     

具有生理活性甾体金属配合物的研究进展

按照金属离子与甾体配体之间的连接方式对甾体金属配合物进行分类。综述了近年来合成的甾体金属配合物及其抗肿瘤、抗菌等多种生理活性研究进展,并对此类化合物发展趋势、应用前景作出展望。     

取代嘧啶衍生物抗前列腺癌活性的3D-QSAR研究

运用比较分子力场分析(CoMFA)方法,建立18种取代嘧啶衍生物抗前列腺癌活性(pM)的三维定量构效关系。训练集中15个化合物用于建立预测模型,测试集13个化合物(含10号模板分子和新设计的9个分子)作为模型验证。建立的CoMFA模型的交叉验证系数(R_ev²)、非交叉验证系数(R²)分别为0.344、0.935,说明所建模型具有较强的鲁棒性和良好的预测能力。该模型中立体场、静电场贡献率依次为71.6%、28.6%。影响取代嘧啶衍生物抗前列腺癌活性的主要因素是取代基的疏水作用和空间位阻,其次是取代基的库仑力、氢键及配位作用。基于此研究结果,设计了9个新化合物,其抗前列腺癌活性有待医学实验验证。     

Application of capillary zone electrophoresis to the screening of some angiotensin II receptor antagonists

A capillary zone electrophoretic (CZE) method was optimized for the separation of five angiotensin II receptor antagonists (Losartan, Irbesartan, Valsartan, Telmisartan and Eprosartan) and two of their metabolites (EXP 3174 and Candesartan M1) by means of experimental design methodologies. The aim of this study was to define rapidly experimental conditions under which the analytes can be resolved for quantitation. The effects of the buffer (pH, concentration and composition), the organic modifier and voltage were studied. Critical factors were identified in a screening design (fractional factorial design) and sequentially an optimization design (central composite design) was used to choose optimal conditions for separation. The most favorable electrophoretic conditions were found by setting the resolution at a threshold value (Rs < or = 1.5) and minimizing, if possible, analysis time. Successful results were obtained with a 50 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate:boric acid (25:75 v/v) buffer at pH 5.5 in the presence of 5% methanol and application of a 25 kV voltage. Analysis time was 8 min in a conventional fused-silica capillary (50 cm effective length) in a normal cationic mode (anode at the inlet and cathode at the outlet) after hydrostatical sample injection for 30 s.     

Photochemistry of some steroidal bicyclo[3.1.0]hexenones

The photochemistry of five 11-hydroxy-1,5-cyclopregn-3-en-2-ones (‘lumi’ products from the corresponding pregna-1,4-dien-3-ones) has been investigated. In all cases the photoproducts were 1,11-oxy derivatives, resulting from intramolecular attack of the hydroxyl group to the incipient positive charge at C-1. When a fluorine atom was present at C-6, HF elimination took place concurrently with the nucleophilic addition and led to linearly conjugated dienones, rather than the enones obtained in the other cases. Quantum yields were in the range 0.06-0.2, the lower values applying when a fluorine atom was present in position 6 (not in position 9). The results add new evidence on the role of zwitterionic intermediates in the photochemistry of cross-conjugated dienones and the corresponding lumi photoproducts.     

A proposed common spatial pharmacophore and the corresponding active conformations of some peptide leukotriene receptor antagonists

Summary Molecular modeling studies were carried out by a combined use of conformational analysis and 3D-QSAR methods to identify molecular features common to a series of hydroxyacetophenone (HAP) and non-hydroxyacetophenone (non-HAP) peptide leukotriene (pLT) receptor antagonists. In attempts to develop a ligand-binding model for the pLT receptor, the Apex-3D program was used to identify biophoric structural patterns that are common to 13 diverse sets of compounds showing different levels of biological activity. A systematic conformational analysis was carried out to obtain sterically accessible conformations for these flexible compounds. Apex-3D was then utilized to propose common biophoric regions based on the selection of one of several conformations (MOPAC-minimized AM1) from each compound's data set that best fits the biophoric pattern and the resulting superimposition with all the other data-set compounds. Apex-3D identified three common biophoric features important for activity: one as the hydroxyl, acetyl, carbonyl and carboxyl groups, which mimic the acid-binding region of an agonist, the other as the hydrogen-bond donating site, and the third part is represented by a plane in which lipophilic aromatic groups align. The structure-activity relationships were then assessed by using the 3D-QSAR model. A common biophore model is proposed from the Apex-3D analysis which may be useful in designing new pLT antagonists. Molecular volumes and electrostatic potential similarities were also calculated in order to obtain the important structural requirements for the activity.     

New steroidal alkaloids from Fritillaria imperialis and their cholinesterase inhibiting activities

Two new cevanine steroidal alkaloids, impericine (1) and forticine (2) along with known bases delavine (3), persicanidine A (4), and imperialine (5) were isolated from the bulbs of Fritillaria imperialis. The structures of impericine (1) [(20R,22S,25S)-5alpha-cevanin-23-ene-3beta,6beta,16beta-triol] and forticine (2) [(20S,22S,25S)-5alpha-cevanine-3beta,6beta-diol] were determined with the help of spectroscopic studies. These steroidal bases showed anti-acetylcholinesterase and anti-butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity.     

Antimalarial and cytotoxic activities of pregnene-type steroidal alkaloids from Holarrhena pubescens roots

The phytochemical investigation of an alkaloidal extract of Holarrhena pubescens roots led to the isolation and identification of a new pregnene-type alkaloid, mokluangin D (1), together with nine known steroidal alkaloids (2–10). The structure of the new metabolite was determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses including 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Compounds 3 and 4 showed potent antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum K1 stain with IC₅₀ values of 1.2 and 2.0 μM, respectively, and showed weak cytotoxic activity against the NCI-H187 cell line with IC₅₀ values of 27.7 and 30.6 μM, respectively. The substituent groups at C-3 and the carbonyl group at C-18 are important for the activity against the P. falciparum K1 stain.     

Synthesis of some fused heterocyclic systems and their nucleoside candidates

A series of pyridofuro compounds were synthesized from 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-6-(thiophen-2-yl)pyridine-3-carbonitrile (1) as starting material. Alkylation of 1 with ethyl bromoacetate gave the corresponding ester 2, which was condensed with hydrazine hydrate to afford the corresponding acid hydrazide derivative 3. Thrope-Ziegler cyclization of 2 with sodium methoxide gave furo[2,3-b]pyridine derivative 4, which was reacted with thiosemicarbazide, allyl isothiocyanate, formamide or hydrazine hydrate to give furopyridine derivatives 5–8, respectively. The latter compound 8 was cyclized with acetylacetone or formic acid to give the corresponding compounds 9 and 10, respectively. Furthermore, sulfurization of 1 with P₂S₅ gave the corresponding thioxopyridine 11, which was reacted with glycosyl (or galactosyl) bromide, morpholine or piperidine to give the corresponding thioglycoside 12a,b and Mannich base 14a,b derivatives. The deacetylation of 12a,b gave the corresponding deacetylated thioglycosides 13a,b, respectively. All the newly synthesized compounds were characterized by the elemental analyses and spectroscopic evidences (IR, ¹H- and ¹³C NMR).