Inhibitory effects of glycyrrhetic acid and its related compounds on 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase of rat liver cytosol.

Glycyrrhetic acid (GA), aglycone of glycyrrhizin (GL), inhibited potently (I50 = 7 x 10(-6) M) and non-competitively the activity of NAD(P)+-linked 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase of rat liver cytosol. The inhibition was slightly weaker than that of indomethacin, a potent anti-inflammatory agent, but stronger than that of dexamethasone, another anti-inflammatory agent. GL, GA monoglucuronide, and 3-epi-glycyrrhetic acid also inhibited this enzyme activity, but did so less effectively (I50 = 5-8 x 10(-5) M). Carbenoxolone (GA 3-hemisuccinate) and 3-keto-glycyrrhetic acid showed potent inhibitory effects similar to GA, and 18 alpha-GA showed the most powerful inhibition of the activity.     

Amperometric biosensor for the quantification of gentisic acid using polyphenol oxidase modified carbon paste electrode

The affinity of mushroom polyphenol oxidase (PPO) towards gentisic acid (GA), a metabolite of acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), is demonstrated by spectrophotometry and by electrochemical techniques. The enzyme can selectively recognize GA even in the presence of large excess of ASA and its metabolic derivatives (salicylic acid (SA) and salicyluric acid (SUA)). At -0.150 V, the sensitivity is (6.1+/-0.1)x10(4) NAM(-1), the response is linear up to 2.0x10(-4) M and the detection limit is 5.0x10(-5) M. The kinetic parameters, obtained from Eadie-Hofstee plots, are I(max)=51.4 nA and K(m)(app)=6.7x10(-4) M.     

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of human renin inhibitors designed from angiotensinogen transition state

The synthesis and the structure-activity relationships of renin inhibitors designed from the angiotensinogen transition state are described. These inhibitors contained residues modified at P1-P1', P2, and P4-P3. Decrease in the size of side chain alkyl group in norstatine analog at P1 diminished the inhibitory activities of the compounds. Compound 5j, which contained valine residue instead of histidine residue at P2, inhibited potently cathepsin D (IC50 = 6.0 x 10(-9) M) and pepsin (IC50 = 3.5 x 10(-7) M) to the same extent as renin (IC50 = 8.5 x 10(-10) M), and thus was not specific for renin. The reduction of the beta-carbonyl group to methylene group in beta-carbonylpropionyl residue at P4-P3 decreased the potency about 2 orders against human renin (5i: IC50 = 1.1 x 10(-7) M vs. 1: IC50 = 2.4 x 10(-9) M). These results confirmed the rationality of our analysis of the interaction between an orally potent human renin inhibitor 1 and the active site of human renin using modeling techniques, showing that 1 fits the active site of renin favorably. The experimental details of the synthesis are presented.     

Simultaneous determination of Cl(-), Br(-), I(-) and F(-) with flow-injection/ion-selective electrode systems

Flow-through ion-selective electrodes were constructed from compressed pellets (8-10 mm thick, 13 mm diameter, 10 tons/cm(2) pressure) of Ag(2)S/AgX (X = Cl(-), Br(-) or I(-)) drilled longitudinally (1.5 mm diameter hole) to be suitable for use in flow-injection analysis. A column of AgCl (5.5 cm long, 2-3 mm i.d.) was included in the Cl(-)-electrode manifold to remove interferences from 10(-4)M Br(-) and 3 x 10(-5)M I(-) and S(2-). A column of amalgamated lead (2-3 cm long, 2-3 mm i.d.) was used in the Br(-) electrode manifold to remove interference from 2 x 10(-5)M I(-), 3 x 10(-5)M S(2-) and 7 x 10(-4)M Cl(-). These columns and the addition of ascorbic acid were not required when I(-) was determined with the iodide electrode. The carrier stream was 0.1M sodium perchlorate (pH 4) at a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min. The sample pH could be 4-7. Simultaneous determination of Cl(-) and I(-), Cl(-), I(-) and Br(-) and Cl(-), I(-), Br(-) and F(-) ions was possible with combinations of the corresponding electrodes and columns in series and/or parallel in specially designed manifolds. Calibration plots were linear, with almost theoretical slopes, down to 10(-6)M I(-), 5 x 10(-6)M Br(-), 10(-4)M Cl(-) and 5 x 10(-6)M F(-), with precision better than 1%. Sampling rates for single-ion determinations were 72, 102, 90 and 80 per hr for the one-, two-, three- and four-electrode systems respectively. Determinations of these ions in water samples by the recommended procedure and by established batch methods showed no significant difference at the 95% confidence limits in a paired comparison t-test.     

A sensitive and specific method for isoniazid determination based on selective adsorption using an isoniazid ion-selective piezoelectric sensor

A selective, sensitive and simple ion-selective piezoelectric (ISP) sensor was developed for the direct determination of isoniazid (INH) in body fluids. Based on sensitive mass response of piezoelectric quartz crystal and selective adsorption/desorption across the modified film, the ISP sensor was fabricated by coating a PVC film containing activant on one electrode of a thickness-shear mode piezoelectric quartz crystal. The observed frequencies of ISP sensor were found to decrease with the increase of the INH concentration in a 0.1 M NaNO(3) solution. In this paper, three activants, INH-phosphotungstate (I), INH-silicotungstate (II), and INH-[BiI(4)](-) (III), were synthesized and investigated. Calibration graphs were linear from 6x10(-8) to 2x10(-3) M for I, 2x10(-7) to 2x10(-3) M for II and 2x10(-7) to 2x10(-3) M for III, with detection limits 6x10(-8) M for I, 2x10(-7) M for II and 2x10(-7) M for III, in a 0.1 M NaNO(3) solution at pH 7.0 and 37 degrees C. Recoveries were from 98% to 102% with R.S.D. up to 2%. Results for real samples obtained by the proposed method agreed well with those obtained by the conventional pharmacopeia method.     

Spectroscopic investigation of the interaction between human serum albumin and three organic acids

The interactions of human serum albumin (HSA) with sinapic acid (SA), gallic acid (GA) and shikimic acid (SI) were investigated by fluorescence and Fourier transformed infrared spectrometry. Fluorescence results showed that one molecule of protein combined with one molecule of GA at the molar ratio of drug to HSA ranging from 0.1 to 30, and their binding constant (K(A)) is 1.1x10(4) M(-1). While one HSA molecule combined with one or two molecule of SA at the molar ratio of drug to HSA ranging from 0.1 to 4.26 or 4.26 to 30, and their binding affinities (K(A)) are 1.92x10(3) M(-1) and 6.87x10(8) M(-1), respectively. There is no specific interaction between HSA and SI. Combining the curve-fitting results of infrared amide I and amide III bands, the alterations of protein secondary structures induced by drugs were estimated. The drug-protein combination brought gradual reductions of the protein alpha-helix structure with increasing the concentrations of SA and GA, but SI did not change the protein secondary structure. From the fluorescence and FT-IR results, the binding mode was discussed in relation to the structures of the organic acids.     

The chemical bond in polyphosphides: crystal structures, the electron localization function, and a new view of aromaticity in P4(2-) and P5(-)

The incongruent solvation of M(I)4P6 species (M(I) = K, Rb, Cs) in liquid ammonia leads to a broad variety of polyphosphides such as P7(3-), P11(3-), and the putatively aromatic P4(2-) and P5(-), which we investigated by using NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. The structures of Cs2P4 x 2 NH3, (K@[18]crown-6)3K3(P7)2 x 10 NH3, Rb3P7 x 7 NH3, and (Rb@[18]crown-6)3P7 x 6 NH3 are discussed and compared. The electron localization function ELF is used in a comparison of the chemical bonding of various phosphorus species. The variances of the basin populations provide a well-established measure for electron delocalization and therefore aromaticity. While comparable variance is calculated for P4(2-) and P5(-) it is observed in the lone pairs rather than in the basin populations of the bonds as in the prototypical aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene or the cyclopentadienide anion. For this behavior, the term "lone pair aromaticity" is proposed.     

Radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl of ascorbic acid 2-glucoside (AA-2G) and 6-acyl-AA-2G

The radical scavenging activity of the stable derivatives, which are O-substituted at the C-2 position of ascorbic acid (AA), against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was evaluated in buffer under different pH conditions, and compared with those of AA and alpha-tocopherol. AA was shown to have 50% radical scavenging ability (EC50) at a concentration of 2.2 x 10(-5) M against 0.1 mM DPPH in 60% ethanol. Ascorbyl 6-palmitate, a lipophilic AA derivative which has a free endiol group and is therefore unstable, also showed potent radical scavenging activity with EC50 of 2.9 x 10(-5) M. A typical lipophilic antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol gave a similar EC50 value as that of AA. In contrast, ascorbyl 2,6-dipalmitate, AA 2-phosphate and AA 2-sulfate exhibited negligible scavenging activity. On the other hand, 2-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid (AA-2G) and a series of 6-O-acyl-2-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acids (6-Acyl-AA-2G) themselves exhibited the radical scavenging activity of EC50: 6.1 x 10(-5) M and 4.4 x 10(-5)-5.9 x 10(-5) M, respectively, although their activities were lower than that of AA. Among 6-Acyl-AA-2G derivatives, the EC50 values tended to decrease with increasing length of their acyl carbon group. Increasing pH of the buffer resulted in decrease in the scavenging activity of all compounds tested as expected. We speculate that the difference in the radical scavenging activity of derivatives O-substituted at the C-2 position of AA may be ascribed to the linkage type of the substituent group to the endiol-lactone resonance system and the degree of dissociation of the C-3 proton.     

High-voltage contactless conductivity detection of underivatized amino acids in capillary electrophoresis

High-voltage contactless conductivity detection of underivatized amino acids in both acidic and basic media is demonstrated. The suitability of different acidic buffer solutions at pH values of about 2.5 was investigated with 12 amino acids. Lactic acid as background electrolyte gave the best results in terms of detection limits for arginine, lysine and histidine, which were approximately 2 x 10(-7), 3 x 10(-7) and 4 x 10(-7) M, respectively. However, the sensitivity for other species was not quite as good and the detection limits in the order of 0.5-1 x 10 (-5) M. The use of basic conditions at pH 10-11 generally led to more stable baselines and more consistent sensitivities. A range of 20 amino acids was investigated with alkaline buffers and detection limits were typically about 10(-6) M. Urine and beer samples were analyzed. Nine and eleven amino acids could be identified, respectively.     

Determination of copper with neocuproine by thermal-lens spectrometry

Conditions for the spectrophotometric determination of copper with 2,9-dimethyl-l,10-phenan-throline (neocuproine) in the presence of ascorbic acid in a water-ethanol solution (9 : 1) at pH 4.5–5.0 have been found. The detection limit is 3 x 10^-6 M. The concentration range is from 4.4 x 10^-6 to 3 x 10^-4 M. Conditions for the determination of copper(I) with neocuproine by thermal lens spectrometry have been proposed. The detection limit is 4 x 10^-7 M. The concentration range is from 7 x 10^-7 to 6 x 10^-5 M. Iron(II) at concentrations as high asn x 10^-4 M does not interfere with the determination of copper. Changes in the conditions for the photometric reaction associated with passing from spectrophotometric measurements to thermal lensing are discussed.     

New renin inhibitors containing pseudodipeptidic units in P3-P2 and P1-P1' positions

A series of four non-peptidic renin inhibitors have been designed and synthesized. All of them contain in their molecule (3S,4S)-4-amino-5-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypentanoic acid (ACHPA), a hydrophobic portion at the C-terminus and a second dipeptide-like transition state analog or unnatural dipeptidic fragment at the N-terminus. Inhibitory activity of the compounds was measured in vitro by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Their IC50 (M/l) values were: <10(-3) (12), 1.0 x 10(-6) (19), 4.0 x 10(-4) (23) and 1.0 x 10(-6) (29), respectively. All the compounds are stable against chymotrypsin.     

Enhanced spectrophotometric determination of nicotinic acid in a sodium dodecyl sulphate micellar medium

The spectrophotometric determination of pyridine and pyridine derivatives by means of the K?nig reaction was studied in micellar media of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), N-cetylpyridinium chloride and Triton X-100. The sensitivity was largely increased in SDS micellar medium. The attack of the pyridine ring with cyanogen bromide to produce a glutaconic aldehyde was not affected by the presence of SDS, but the yield of the coupling reaction with an arylamine to produce a polymethine dye was largely increased. In the SDS micellar medium, aniline was superior to other coupling reagents. The limits of detection (LODs) were 6 x 10(-7), 1 x 10(-6) and 5 x 10(-7)M for pyridine, pyrrol-ylmethylpyridine and nicotinic acid, respectively, and the reproducibility for 2 x 10(-5)M solutions was ca. 2%. In the absence of SDS, the LODs were 3 x 10(-6), 3 x 10(-6) and 9 x 10(-6)M, respectively, and the reproducibility was ca. 3.5%. Application was made to the determination of nicotinic acid in pharmaceuticals.     

A new spectrofluorometric method for the determination of ascorbic acid based on its activating effect on a hemoglobin-catalyzed reaction.

A spectrofluorometric method for the determination of ascorbic acid (AA) based on its activation on the hemoglobin-catalyzed reaction was proposed. The fluorescence intensity of the product was measured under the optimal experimental conditions, i.e. 4.0 x 10(-6) M H2O2, 6.0 x 10(-5) M p-cresol, 1.2 M NH3-NH4Cl (pH 10.4) and 2.0 x 10(-7) M hemoglobin. The order of additions of the reagents was also studied. The activation of AA was found to be associated with a high ammonia concentration. The linear range of the method was 9.0 x 10(-10)-3.6 x 10(-8) M of AA. The detection limit was calculated to be 3.0 x 10(-10) M. The relative standard deviation of this method is 1.6% at 7.0 x 10(-9) M for 11 determinations.     

Altered pterin patterns in photobehavioral mutants of Phycomyces blakesleeanus.

Pterins were extracted with methanol from sporangiophores of the lower fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus and separated and identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The following pterins were found and identified for the wild-type strain NRRL1555: carboxypterin (6.7 x 10(-6) M), neopterin (4.2 x 10(-7) M), xanthopterin (5.3 x 10(-6) M), biopterin (3.9 x 10(-7) M), pterin (9.1 x 10(-7) M), and 6,7-dimethylpterin (1.2 x 10(-6) M). The HPLC elution profiles of the wild type were compared to a set of phototropism mutants (genotype mad) with specific defects in the light-transduction pathway. The mutant profiles were qualitatively similar to those of the wild type. Quantitative differences were, however, discerned for madA, madC, and madH mutants. The madA mutation was associated with increased amounts of biopterin and 6,7-dimethylpterin and a reduction of neopterin, pterin, xanthopterin, and unidentified pterins eluting at 14-18 min. The stimulatory effect of the madA mutation on biopterin and 6,7-dimethylpterin appears to be compensated by a secondary mutation (pde) which is responsible for the loss of 75% of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-phosphodiesterase activity. In a madA pde double mutant the amounts of biopterin and 6,7-dimethylpterin fell below the wild-type level. These results suggest that an increased level of endogenous cAMP represses the biosynthesis of these pterins. The madC mutation increased the amounts of biopterin and xanthopterin and that of the unidentified pterins which could be derivatized to carboxypterin. Single madB mutations had, compared to the wild type, two times higher amounts of biopterin and two times lower amounts of neopterin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Voltammetric detection of sulfonamides at a poly(3-methylthiophene) electrode

Detection of sulfonamide compounds in a mixture of standards at a poly(3-methylthiophene) coated on glassy carbon (GC) electrode is reported. The polymer, poly(3-methylthiophene), was electrochemically synthesized at a GC rotating disk-working electrode versus Ag/AgCl using cyclic voltammetry (+0.5 to +2.0 V). Square wave voltammetry (SQWV) with cathodic reduction (0 to -4.0 V) was used for the detection of seven sulfonamide compounds in a mixture. The working concentration ranges (curvilinear) established for different compounds in Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer (pH 6.26), were: 5.0x10(-6)-3.2x10(-3) M sulfamerazine, 5.0x10(-6)-3.2x10(-3) M sulfadiazine, 7.5x10(-7)-3.2x10(-4) M sulfasalazine, 9.0x10(-7)-5.0x10(-4) M sulfamethazine, 6.5x10(-8)-3.5.0x10(-5) M sulfamethoxazole, 9.7x10(-8)-5.0x10(-5) M sulfathiazole, and 9.0x10(-8)-3.2x10(-5) M 5-sulfaminouracil. Detection limits were calculated as: 3.9x10(-6) M for sulfamerazine; 4.0x10(-6) M sulfadiazine; 2.5x10(-7) M sulfasalazine; 3.7x10(-7) M sulfamethazine; 4.0x10(-8) M sulfamethoxazole; 6.4x10(-8) M sulfathiazole and 6.0x10(-9) M 5-sulfaminouracil. The data suggests a potential application of the poly(3-methylthiophene) (P3MT) electrode for determination of sulfonamides in veterinary and other applications.     

Inhibitor Ionization as a Determinant of Binding to 3-Dehydroquinate Synthase

Phosphinomethyl and carboxymethyl monoacids along with succinyl, malonyl ether, malonyl, and hydroxymalonyl diacids were substituted for phosphorylmethyl, phosphonoethyl, and phosphonomethyl groups in carbocyclic inhibitors of DHQ synthase. All but one of the carbocyclic inhibitors were synthesized via intermediacy of a 2,3-butane bisacetal-protected 3-dehydroquinic acid. Carbaphosphinate (K(i) = 20 x 10(-)(6) M) was a modest competitive inhibitor of DHQ synthase, while carbaacetate was a linear mixed-type inhibitor (K(i) = 3 x 10(-)(6) M, K(i)' = 20 x 10(-)(6) M). Carbasuccinate (K(i) = 5 x 10(-)(6) M), carbamalonate ether (K(i) = 7 x 10(-)(6) M), carbamalonate (K(i) = 0.7 x 10(-)(6) M), and carbahydroxymalonate (K(i) = 0.3 x 10(-)(6) M) were all competitive inhibitors. Carbaacetate was the only inhibitor that was not oxidized by DHQ synthase. On the basis of these data, carbocyclic inhibitors with malonyl and hydroxymalonyl groups are apparently bound by DHQ synthase as tightly as carbocyclic inhibitors possessing phosphorylmethyl and phosphonoethyl moieties.     

Preparation and root growth-inhibitory activity of N-substituted 2-(2-chloroacetamido)-3-(furan-2-yl)propanamides

A series of N-substituted 2-(2-chloroacetamido)-3-(furan-2-yl)propanamides (16--18) was prepared through the reaction of chloroacetyl chloride with N-substituted 2-amino-3-(furan-2-yl)propanamides (15), which were obtained via condensation of 2-(tert-butoxycarbonylamido)-3-(furan-2-yl)propanoic acid (Boc-furylalanine) (8) with amines (9, 11, 13), followed by hydrolysis of the resultant N-substituted Boc-furylalanine acid amides (10, 12, 14) in the presence of HCl/dioxane. The biological activity of the prepared 16, 17 and 18 as root growth inhibitors was examined by germination assay using rape seed. At the concentration of 5.0 x10 (-5) M, the most active compound, 2-(2-chloroacetamido)-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-3-(furan-2-yl)propanamide (16 n), showed potent root growth-inhibitory activity of 76% towards rape seedlings.     

Kinetics of acid-catalyzed O-atom transfer from a hydroperoxorhodium complex to organic and inorganic substrates

Oxygen atom transfer from (NH(3))(4)(H(2)O)RhOOH(2+) to organic and inorganic nucleophiles takes place according to the rate law -d[(NH(3))(4)(H(2)O)RhOOH(2+)]/dt = k[H(+)] [(NH(3))(4)(H(2)O)RhOOH(2+)][nucleophile] for all the cases examined. The third-order rate constants were determined in aqueous solutions at 25 degrees C for (CH(2))(5)S (k = 430 M(-)(2) s(-)(1), micro = 0.10 M), (CH(2))(4)S(2) (182, micro = 0.10 M), CH(3)CH(2)SH (8.0, micro = 0.20 M), (en)(2)Co(SCH(2)CH(2)NH(2))(2+) (711, micro = 0.20 M), and, in acetonitrile-water, CH(3)SPh (130, 10% AN, micro = 0.20 M), PPh(3) (3.74 x 10(3), 50% AN), and (2-C(3)H(7))(2)S (45, 50% AN, micro = 0.20 M). Oxidation of PPh(3) by (NH(3))(4)(H(2)O)Rh(18)O(18)OH(2+) produced (18)OPPh(3). The reaction with a series of p-substituted triphenylphosphines yielded a linear Hammett relationship with rho = -0.53. Nitrous acid (k = 891 M(-)(2) s(-)(1)) is less reactive than the more nucleophilic nitrite ion (k = 1.54 x 10(4) M(-)(2) s(-)(1)).     

用分子子图对烷烃摩尔响应值的估计与预测

提出了一种新的烷烃拓扑子图表示方法,并结合多元线性回归算法和反传神经网络算法,对烷烃摩尔响应值进行处理,获得了比文献更佳的预测效果,交互校验的相关系数ｒ＝０．９８９。     

Ratiometric fluorescence detection of pyrimidine/purine transversion by using a 2-amino-1,8-naphthyridine derivative.

A new class of abasic site-binding fluorescence ligands, Naph-NBD in which 7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD) is connected to 2-amino-7-methyl-1,8-naphthyridine (Naph) by a propylene linker, is presented for the ratiometric assay for SNPs typing. In solutions buffered to pH 7.0 (I = 0.11 M, at 5 degrees C), Naph-NBD is found to selectively recognize pyrimidine bases over purine bases opposite the abasic site in DNA duplexes (K11/M(-1): T, 8.1 x 10(6); C, 2.5 x 10(6): G, 0.33 x 10(6); A, 0.27 x 10(6)). The binding of Naph-NBD is accompanied by significant quenching of the fluorescence from the naphthyridine moiety (lambda max, 409 nm), while the emission from the NBD (lamda max, 544 nm) is relatively unaffected. Such a fluorescence response of Naph-NBD allows the emission ratio detection of pyrimidine/purine transversion.