DPPH-scavenging activities and structure-activity relationships of phenolic compounds

Thirty-eight phenolic compounds (including 31 flavonoids) were examined for their DPPH radical-scavenging activities, and structure-activity relationships were evaluated. Specifically, the presence of an ortho-dihydroxyl structure in phenolics is largely responsible for their excellent anti-radical activity. 3-Hydroxyl was also essential to generate a high radical-scavenging activity. An increasing number of hydroxyls on flavones with a 3',4'-dihydroxyl basic structure, the presence of a third hydroxyl group at C-5', a phloroglucinol structure, glycosylation and methylation of the hydroxyls, and some other hydroxyls, for example 5-, and 7-hydroxyl in ring A, decreased the radical-scavenging activities of flavonoids and other phenolics.     

Studies on aldose reductase inhibitors from medicinal plant of "sinfito," Potentilla candicans, and further synthesis of their related compounds

For several years we have screened natural products having aldose reductase (AR) inhibitory activity. 3,3',4-Tri-O-methylellagic acid 4'-sulfate potassium salt (2) was isolated from a Mexican herb "Sinfito" (Potentilla candicans) as a potent AR inhibitory active constituent. 2 was more potent (IC50 = 8.0 x 10(-8)M) than ellagic acid, which is one of the natural inhibitors of AR. So we examined the synthesis of ellagic acid derivatives and found that the sulfate group is one of the important function.     

黄酮类化合物与α-羟乙基过氧自由基反应的脉冲辐解研究

由于脂质过氧化反应(LPO)是导致人体疾病(如肝炎、肝硬化、动脉硬化、脑溢血等)的主要原因, 而黄酮类化合物是一类很强的过氧化反应抑制剂, 因此有必要研究其化学结构与过氧化反应的关系及其抗氧化机理.本文选择α-羟乙基过氧自由基为脂质过氧自由基的模拟物, 采用脉冲辐解方法研究了乙醇溶液中4种典型的黄酮类化合物(槲皮素、芦丁、儿茶素以及黄岑甙)与α-羟乙基过氧自由基的反应动力学, 测得其反应活性顺序为:芦丁>槲皮素>黄岑甙>儿茶素. 同时以黄酮体和邻苯二酚为黄酮类化合物不同结构特征的模型化合物, 用脉冲辐解法测得二者与α-羟乙基过氧自由基的反应速率常数分别为(1.7±0.1)×10⁶和(2.9±0.1)×10⁵ mol^-1·dm³·s^-1.实验结果表明, 在黄酮类化合物与α-羟乙基过氧自由基的反应中, A环C₅位的羟基, C环C₂＝C₃或B-C环的大π键和B环邻二羟基共存时清除α-羟乙基过氧自由基活性最好, 而且C环C₂＝C₃或B-C环大π键的清除活性好于B环邻二羟基, 同时C环是否含有C₃-醣甙结构对清除作用没有明显影响. 因此我们推测在黄酮类化合物抑制脂质过氧化反应过程中, 起主要作用的是C环C₂＝C₃或B-C环的大π键与脂质过氧自由基的双键加成反应.     

Artificial neural network‐based drug design for diabetes mellitus using flavonoids

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease involving the failure to regulate glucose blood levels in the body and has been linked with numerous detrimental complications. Studies have shown that these complications can be linked to the activities of aldose reductase (AR), an enzyme of the polyol pathway. Flavonoids have been identified as good AR inhibitors (ARIs) and are also strong antioxidants with radical scavenging (RS) activity. As such, flavonoids show potential to become a better class of ARIs because they are able to concurrently address the oxidative stress issue. In this article, we carried out quantitative structure‐activity relationship analysis of flavones and flavonols (members of flavonoid family) using artificial neural networks. Three computer experiments were conducted to study the influence of hydrogen (H), hydroxyl (? OH), and methoxyl (? CH₃) functional groups on eight substitution sites of the lead flavone molecule and to predict potential ARIs. Of 6561 possible flavones and flavonols, in experiment 1, we predicted 69 potent ARIs, and in experiment 2, we predicted 346 compounds with strong RS activity. In experiment 3, we combined these results to find overlapping compounds with both strong AR inhibition and RS activity and we are able to predict 10 potent compounds with strong AR inhibition (IC₅₀ < 0.3 μM) and RS activity (IC₂₅ < 1.0 μM). These 10 compounds show promise of being good therapeutic agents in the prevention of diabetic complications and is suggested to undergo further wet bench experimentation to prove their potency. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011     

Synthesis and activity of a new series of (Z)-3-phenyl-2-benzoylpropenoic acid derivatives as aldose reductase inhibitors

During the course of studies directed towards the discovery of novel aldose reductase inhibitors for the treatment of diabetic complications, we synthesized a series of new (Z)-3-phenyl-2-benzoylpropenoic acid derivatives and tested their in vitro inhibitory activities on rat lens aldose reductase. Of these compounds, (Z)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-methylbenzoyl)propenoicacid (3k) was identified as the most potent inhibitor, with an IC50 of 0.49 microM. The theoretical binding mode of 3k was obtained by simulation of its docking into the active site of the human aldose reductase crystal structure.     

Flavonoids inhibiting glycation of bovine serum albumin: affinity-activity relationship

Protein glycation leads to the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. The structure-activity relationship of dietary flavonoids for inhibiting the glycation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in vitro was subjected to a detailed investigation. The structure-activity relationship revealed that: 1) the hydroxylation on ring B of the flavones enhanced the inhibition and the hydroxyl groups at the C-5 and C-7 positions of flavones favoured the inhibition; 2) the optimal number of hydroxyl groups on ring B of the flavonols was one (at the C-3 position) and the methylation of flavonols weakened the inhibition; 3) the methoxylation at the C-6 position and methylation at C-4′ position of genistein clearly enhanced the inhibition; 4) the hydroxyl groups at the C-5 and C-7 positions of flavanones were in favour of the inhibition; 5) the glycosylation of flavonoids significantly weakened the inhibition. Obvious linear affinity-activity relationships exist between the BSA-flavonoid interaction and flavonoids as BSA glycation inhibitors (R² = 0.76585). The flavonoids with a higher affinity to BSA exhibited a stronger inhibition of the glycation of BSA.     

Key role of chemical hardness to compare 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging power of flavone and flavonol O-glycoside and C-glycoside derivatives

The antioxidant activities of flavonoids and their glycosides were measured with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH radical, DPPH(·)) scavenging method. The results show that free hydroxyl flavonoids are not necessarily more active than O-glycoside. Quercetin and kaempferol showed higher activity than apigenin. The C- and O-glycosides of flavonoids generally showed higher radical scavenging activity than aglycones; however, kaempferol C3-O-glycoside (astragalin) showed higher activity than kaempferol. In the radical scavenging activity of flavonoids, it was expected that OH substitutions at C3 and C5 and catechol substitution at C2 of B ring and intramolecular hydrogen bonding between OH at C5 and ketone at C3 would increase the activity; however, the reasons have yet to be clarified. We here show that the radical scavenging activities of flavonoids are controlled by their absolute hardness (η) and absolute electronegativity (χ) as a electronic state. Kaempferol and quercetin provide high radical scavenging activity since (i) OH substitutions at C3 and C5 strikingly decrease η of flavones, (ii) OH substitutions at C3 and C7 decrease χ and η of flavones, and (iii) phenol or o-catechol substitution at C2 of B ring decrease χ of flavones. The coordinate r(χ,?η) as the electron state must be small to increase the radical scavenging activity of flavonoids. The results show that chemically soft kaempferol and quercetin have higher DPPH radical scavenging activity than chemically hard genistein and daidzein.     

New diarylheptanoids from Alnus japonica and their antioxidative activity

In the course of research on the bioactive constituents of woody plants in the Cyugoku area of Japan, a methanol extract of the leaves of Alnus japonica were found to have strong antioxidative activity. Ethyl acetate soluble and n-buthanol soluble fractions of the methanol extract had a potent antioxidative effect. Both fractions were purified by silica gel column chromatography and HPLC using an ODS column to give four new diarylheptanoids along with known diarylheptanoids and flavonoids. These new compounds were elucidated to be 7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-heptanone-5-O-beta-D-xylopyranoside (1), 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy-7-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-heptanone-5-O-beta-D-xylopyranoside (2), 1,7-bis-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy-3-heptanone-5-O-[2-(2-methylbutenoyl)]-beta-D-xylopyranoside (3) and 1,7-bis-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-methoxy-3-heptanone (4) using spectral methods and especially 1H-, 13C-NMR and 2D-NMR measurements. The isolated compounds including their main constituent, oregonin (5), were tested for antioxidative activity. Some of these compounds having two catechol structures showed potent antioxidative activity. Compounds having one catechol structure showed moderate antioxidative activity, but a peracetate of 5 having no catechol structure exhibited no antioxidative activity. Thus the catechol structure of the diarylheptanoids is indispensable for antioxidative activity.     

Structure-activity correlation of flavonoids for inhibition of bovine lens aldose reductase

To clarify the structure-activity correlation of flavonoids for inhibition of aldose reductase, about fifty flavonoid compounds were screened. The presence of hydrophobic substituents on the A ring and hydrophilic substituents on the B ring of the flavonoid skeleton was suggested to improve the potency of inhibitory activity. The activities of extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis, Andrographis paniculata and Gutierrezia microcephala are also described.     

Cytotoxicity of constituents from Mexican propolis against a panel of six different cancer cell lines

The cytotoxicity of 39 compounds, including eighteen flavonoids (flavanones, 1-10; flavones, 11-17; flavanol, 18), sixteen phenolic acid derivatives (aromatic acids, 19-24; aldehyde, 25; esters, 26-34) and five glycerides (35-39), isolated from Mexican propolis, were evaluated against a panel of six different cancer cell lines; murine colon 26-L5 carcinoma, murine B16-BL6 melanoma, murine Lewis lung carcinoma, human lung A549 adenocarcinoma, human cervix HeLa adenocarcinoma and human HT-1080 fibrosarcoma. A phenylpropanoid-substituted flavanol, (2R,3S)-8-[4-phenylprop-2-en-1-one]-4',7-dihydroxy-3',5-dimethoxyflavan-3-ol (18), showed the most potent cytotoxicity against A549 cells (IC50, 6.2 microM) and HT-1080 cells (IC50, 3.9 microM), stronger than those of the clinically used anticancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (IC50, 7.5 microM and 5.4 microM, respectively). Based on the observed results, the structure-activity relationships are discussed.     

Exploring structural feature of aldose-reductase inhibition by 5-[[2-(omega-carboxyalkoxy)aryl]methylene]-4-oxo-2-thioxothiazolidine derivatives employing Fujita-Ban and Hansch approach

Designing of a highly selective, potent and safe inhibitor of aldose reductase (ALR) capable of potentially blocking the excess glucose flux through the polyol pathway that prevails under diabetic condition has been a long standing challenge. In our study, we did quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis, based on Fujita-Ban and classical Hansch approach, on 5-[[2-(omega-carboxyalkoxy)aryl]methylene]-4-oxo-2-thioxothiazolidine derivatives. Study gave structural insight into the binding mode of the molecules to the aldose reductase enzyme. The Fujita-Ban approach revealed that benzylidene thiazolidine nucleus is more potent as compare to naphthyl-methylene thiazolidine analogs. The bulkierness of naphthyl-methylene might be inquisitive with receptor. Hansch approach suggested that electron-withdrawing groups are conducive to aldose reductase inhibitory activity.     

Synthesis and aldose reductase inhibitory activities of benzyl 2-oxazolecarbamate analogues.

Various analogues of benzyl 5-phenyl-2-oxazolecarbamate (1a) were synthesized, and the structure-activity relationship of these analogues as aldose reductase inhibitor was studied. The carbamate group was necessary for the inhibitory activity. The introduction of an alkyl group at the C-4 position of 1a enhanced the inhibitory activity, however, the N-carboxymethyl group on the carbamate moiety counteracted to a hydrophobic interaction between the alkyl group at the C-4 position and the enzyme molecule.     

Prenylated flavonoids with PTP1B inhibitory activity from the root bark of Erythrina mildbraedii

Phytochemical study on an EtOAc-soluble extract of the root bark of Erythrina mildbraedii resulted in the isolation of six prenylated flavonoids 1-6. Based on physicochemical and spectroscopic analyses, their structures were determined to be new natural products licoflavanone-4'-O-methyl ether (1), 2',7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy-5'-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)isoflavone (2), and (3R)-2',7-dihydroxy-3'-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2',2'-dimethylpyrano[5',6' :4',5']isoflavan (3), along with three known compounds erythrinin B (4), abyssinin II (5), and parvisoflavone B (6). All the isolates, except for compound 4, inhibited PTP1B activity in vitro with IC(50) values ranging from 5.3 to 42.6 microM. This result further suggests that the prenyl group on the B ring of flavonoids plays an important role in suppressing the enzyme PTP1B.     

1, 4-Pyrone Effects on O-H Bond Dissociation Energies of Catechols in Flavonoids: A Density Functional Theory Study

In recent years, there has been growing interest in selecting efficient antioxidants with low toxicity to reduce the damage of free radicals. Among these antioxidants, flavonoids have been paid much attention, owing to their excellent antioxidative and pharmacological activities1. Up to now, many efforts have been given to summarize the structure-activity relationships (SAR) for flavonoids. It has been widely accepted that two structural factors are critical for flavonoids to enhance the…     

A facile preparation of 1-(6-hydroxyindol-1-yl)-2,2-dimethylpropan-1-one

An effective synthesis of 1-(6-hydroxyindol-1-yl)-2,2-dimethylpropan-1-one (4) was developed starting from 1H-indole (2). The key step involved suitable utilization of 4-(1-pyrrolidino)pyridine for the removal of the chloroacetyl moiety from chloroacetic acid 1-(2,2-dimethylpropionyl)-1H-indol-6-yl ester (3); a possible mechanism is, also, presented. Compound 4 might lead to selectively substituted derivatives, either on the phenolic-OH or the indolyl-NH, with putative biological interest. In this respect, we found that the core structure of 1H-indol-6-ol (1) possesses a degree of aldose reductase inhibitory potential, at a concentration of 100 microM.     

Synthesis and aldose reductase inhibitory activity of triazine derivatives possessing acetic acid group.

N-Acetic acid derivatives of 6-aryl-pyrazolo-triazin-4-ones were synthesized for evaluation as new aldose reductase inhibitors. The intrinsic activity of each compound was assessed by measuring the inhibition of enzymatic activity in an isolated pig lens enzyme preparation. All the prepared compounds exhibited a significant in vitro aldose reductase inhibitory effect (10(-6) M less than or equal to IC50 less than or equal to 10(-4) M). Furthermore, biological activity (log 1/IC50) for most of the data sets could be correlated directly to electronic and steric parameters. Finally, spatial configuration of the most active derivative 6c (IC50 = 2 x 10(-6) M) was compared with that of tolrestat and with pharmacophor requirements of the aldose reductase inhibitor site using a molecular modeling system.     

Isolation of flavonoids from Populus nigra as delta 4-3-ketosteroid (5 alpha) reductase inhibitors

Inhibitors of delta 4-3-ketosteroid (5 alpha) reductase, which had been prepared from rat prostate and converted testosterone to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and 4-androstene-3,17-dione, were isolated from 50% ethanol extract of Populus nigra. They were identified as pinobanksin (I, 3,5,7-trihydroxyflavanone), 3,7-dimethylquercetin (II, 3',4',5-trihydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyflavone) and pinocembrin (III, 5,7-dihydroxyflavanone). Compound III showed the most potent inhibitory activity among them.     

Studies on α-glucosidase,aldose reductase and glycation inhibitory properties of sesquiterpenes and flavonoids of Zingiber zerumbet Smith

Eight known phytochemicals, four sesquiterpenes and four flavonoids of Zingiber zerumbet were screened against α-glucosidase enzyme, aldose reductase enzyme and antiglycation property under in vitro conditions. The results established kaempferol-3-O-methylether as a potent inhibitor of α-glucosidase enzyme with an IC₅₀ value of 7.88 μM. In aldose reductase enzyme inhibition assay, all the compounds except zerumbone epoxide showed good to excellent inhibition properties. Among these, the flavonoid compounds were found to be potent aldose reductase inhibitors compared with the four sesquiterpenes. In addition, compounds such as α-humulene, kaempferol, kaempferol-3-O-methylether and 3″,4″-O-diacetylafzelin displayed potent antiglycation properties. From overall results, we found that kaempferol and kaempferol-3-O-methylether are potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase enzyme, aldose reductase enzyme and glycation reaction, the three main targets of drugs for the treatment of diabetes and its complications.     

Tyrosinase inhibitory constituents from the bark of Peltophorum dasyrachis (yellow batai)

Tyrosinase inhibitory activity-guided fractionation of the bark of Peltophorum dasyrachis (yellow batai) led to the isolation of the six active compounds which were characterised as six flavonoids: apigenin (1), (+)-2,3-trans-dihydrokaempferol (2), (+)-2,3-trans-dihydrokaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside (3), (+)-4',7-dimethoxy-2,3-trans-dihydroquercetin (4), (+)-2,3-trans-dihydroquercetin (5) and (-)-2,3-trans-dihydroquercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside (6). All compounds were isolated for the first time from the bark of P. dasyrachis. Moreover, all compounds were evaluated for tyrosinase activities towards L-DOPA as the substrate. We observed that compounds 2 and 5 showed potent inhibitory effects (IC?? values were 126?±?3.2 and 210?±?5.8?μM, respectively). In general, for flavonoids the 3',4'-dihydroxy group's substituent is a more potent inhibitor than the 4'-hydroxy group substituent, i.e. quercetin?>?kaempferol. Interestingly, our result in the oxidation of L-DOPA showed that the 4'-hydroxy group substituent (compound 2) is a more potent inhibitor than the 3',4'-dihydroxy group substituent (compound 5). This result showed a new relationship between tyrosinase inhibitory activities and flavonoids. The kinetic analyses by Lineweaver-Burk plots showed that both the compounds 2 and 5 behaved as competitive inhibitors of L-DOPA oxidation.     

Studies on aldose reductase inhibitors from natural products. IV. Constituents and aldose reductase inhibitory effect of Chrysanthemum morifolium, Bixa orellana and Ipomoea batatas.

The hot water extracts of Chrysanthemum morifolium, Bixa orellana and Ipomoea batatas, were found to have potent inhibitory activity towards lens aldose reductase (AR). Ellagic acid (4) was isolated from C. morifolium and I. batatas, isoscutellarein (7) from B. orellana and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (10) from I. batatas, respectively, as potent inhibitors.