Multi-Targeted Molecular Docking,Pharmacokinetics, and Drug-Likeness Evaluation of Okra-Derived Ligand Abscisic Acid Targeting Signaling Proteins Involved in the Development of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a global threat affecting millions of people of different age groups. In recent years, the development of naturally derived anti-diabetic agents has gained popularity. Okra is a common vegetable containing important bioactive components such as abscisic acid (ABA). ABA, a phytohormone, has been shown to elicit potent anti-diabetic effects in mouse models. Keeping its anti-diabetic potential in mind, in silico study was performed to explore its role in inhibiting proteins relevant to diabetes mellitus- 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD1), aldose reductase, glucokinase, glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase (GFAT), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma), and Sirtuin family of NAD(+)-dependent protein deacetylases 6 (SIRT6). A comparative study of the ABA-protein docked complex with already known inhibitors of these proteins relevant to diabetes was compared to explore the inhibitory potential. Calculation of molecular binding energy (ΔG), inhibition constant (pKi), and prediction of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties were performed. The molecular docking investigation of ABA with 11-HSD1, GFAT, PPAR-gamma, and SIRT6 revealed considerably low binding energy (ΔG from −8.1 to −7.3 Kcal/mol) and predicted inhibition constant (pKi from 6.01 to 5.21 µM). The ADMET study revealed that ABA is a promising drug candidate without any hazardous effect following all current drug-likeness guidelines such as Lipinski, Ghose, Veber, Egan, and Muegge.     

Unsymmetrically substituted benzimidazolium based Silver(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: Synthesis,characterization and in vitro anticancer study against human breast cancer and colon cancer

The promising biomedical applications of silver complexes stimulated the researchers to test these compounds against cancer. The present research work was designed to achieve this goal. In this work, a series of 5-methyl benzimidazole based N-Heterocyclic carbene ligands and respective silver(I) complexes were synthesized and tested on cancer cell lines to assess their anticancer activity. Unsymmetrically substituted benzimidazole was found unique in its reactivity and generation of a single product during NHC ligand formation was only possible after two successive alkylations with same alkyl halide. The corresponding Ag(I)-NHC adducts were obtained by in situ deprotonation of the NHC ligands. Synthesized compounds were characterized by various physcio-chemical and spectroscopic methods. Single crystal X-ray diffraction study of complex 7 revealed its mononuclear structure. Preliminary in vitro anticancer study of azolium salts and respective Ag(I)-NHC complexes against human breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), colon cancer (HCT-116) and normal endothelial cells (EA.hy926) cells revealed that all the compounds are more cytotoxic to cancer cells than normal cells and the complexes are relatively more potent compared to the corresponding NHC ligands. It was found that increased chain length and presence of methyl substituent on benzimidazole ring enhance the biopotency of Ag(I)-NHC complexes. The synthesized compounds were further studied for pro-apoptotic mechanism of action via Rhodamine 123 test. The tested compounds were found to induce apoptosis via extrinsic mitochondrial pathway.     

Green Synthesis of new Trizole Based Heterocyclic Amino Acids Ligands and their Transition Metal Complexes. Characterization,Kinetics, Antimicrobial and Docking Studies

Two novel amino acids imine ligands (H₂L₁ and H₂L₂) have been synthesized using green condensation reaction from 2‐[3‐Amino‐5‐(2‐hydroxy‐phenyl)‐5‐methyl‐1,5‐dihydro‐[1, 2, 4]triazol‐4‐yl]‐3‐(1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐propionic acid with benzaldehyde/p‐flouro benzaldehyde (1:1 molar ratio) in the presence of lemon juice as a natural acidic catalyst in aqueous medium. Their transition metal complexes have been prepared in a molar ratio (1:1). Characterization of the ligands and complexes using elemental analysis, spectroscopic studies, ¹HNMR, ¹³CNMR, and thermal analysis has been reported. E*, ΔH*, ΔS* and ΔG* thermodynamic parameters, were calculated to throw more light on the nature of changes accompanying the thermal decomposition process of these complexes. The molar conductance measurement of metal complexes showed nonelectrolyte behavior. The metal complexes of the two ligands have tetrahedral geometry with a general molecular structure [M(H₂L)X_n], where [(M = Mn (II), Co (II), Cu (II) and Zn (II), X = Cl, n = 2]; M = VO (II), X = SO₄, n = 1] for H₂L₁. [M = Co (II), Cu (II), Zn (II)] for H₂L₂. Antibacterial activity of the complexes against (Bacillis subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli), also antifungal activity against (Aspergillus niger, Candida Glabarta, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) have been screened. The results showed that all complexes have antimicrobial activity higher than free ligands. Molecular docking studies results showed that, all the synthesized compounds having minimum binding energy and have good affinity toward the active pocket, thus, they may be considered as good inhibitor of targeting PDB code: 1SC7 (Human DNA Topo‐isomerase I).     

vic‐Tricarbonyl Compounds of Quinolines: Analogues of Ninhydrin: A Short Review

Derivatives of ninhydrin are extensively used in the field of forensic sciences as important latent fingerprint reagents. Many works have been performed upon their synthesis and reactivity, but there are many spaces to work on the compounds of quinoline‐2,3,4(1H)‐triones—analogues of ninhydrin, in both dimensions: synthesis and reactivity, and according to the best of our knowledge, not a single detailed or short compiled article has been published for these compounds. This review briefly summarizes the chemistry of quinoline‐2,3,4(1H)‐triones.     

Effect of ring substitution on synthesis of benzimidazolium salts and their silver(I) complexes: characterization,electrochemical studies and evaluation of anticancer potential

Transition Metal Chemistry - A series of bidendate 5,6-dimethyl benzimidazolium-based N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) proligands and their silver complexes were synthesized. The synthetic approaches...     

Atom transfer radical polymerization of 1-phenoxycarbonyl ethyl methacrylate monomer

Atom transfer radical polymerization conditions with copper(I) bromide/2,2^′-bipyridine (Cu/2,2^′-bpy) as the catalyst system were employed for the homopolymerization and random copolymerization of 1-phenoxycarbonyl ethyl methacrylate (PCMA) with methyl methacrylate (MMA). Temperature studies indicated that the polymerizations occurred smoothly in bulk at 110 °C. Poly(PCMA)(polydispersity index=1.27) homopolymer was characterized and then used as macroinitiator for increasing its molecular weight. The homopolymerization of PCMA was also carried out under free radical conditions using 2,2^′-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator.The monomer and polymers were characterized by FT-IR and ¹H and ¹³C-NMR techniques. The glass transition temperatures, the solubility parameters and average-molecular weights of the polymers were determined. Thermal stabilities of the polymers were given as compared with each other by using TGA curves. Thermal degradation products of poly(PCMA)s obtained by ATRP and free radical polymerization were compared with each other by using ¹H-NMR technique.     

Crystal-packing trends for a series of 6,9,12,15,18-pentaaryl-1-hydro[60]fullerenes

The relationship between the size of the substituents of aryl groups in a series of fifteen 6,9,12,15,18-pentaaryl-1-hydro[60]fullerenes and the solid-state structures and packing motifs of these compounds has been analyzed. Pentaarylfullerenes have a characteristic "badminton shuttlecock" shape that causes several derivatives to crystallize into columnar stacks. However, many pentaarylfullerenes form non-stacked structures with, for example, dimeric, layered, diamondoid, or feather-in-cavity relationships between molecules. Computational modeling gave a qualitative estimate of the best shape match between the ball and socket surfaces of each pentaarylfullerene. The best match was for pentaarylfullerenes with large, spherically shaped para-substituents on the aryl groups. The series of pentaarylfullerenes was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A total of 34 crystal structures were obtained as various solvates and were categorized by their packing motifs.     

A Structural Study of Epoxidized Natural Rubber (ENR-50) and Its Cyclic Dithiocarbonate Derivative Using NMR Spectroscopy Techniques

A structural study of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR-50) and its cyclic dithiocarbonate derivative was carried out using NMR spectroscopy techniques. The overlapping ¹H-NMR signals of ENR-50 at δ 1.56, 1.68-1.70, 2.06, 2.15-2.17 ppm were successfully assigned. In this work, the ¹³C-NMR chemical shift assignments of ENR-50 were consistent to the previously reported work. A cyclic dithiocarbonate derivative of ENR-50 was synthesized from the reaction of purified ENR-50 with carbon disulfide (CS₂), in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) as catalyst at reflux temperature. The cyclic dithiocarbonate formation involved the epoxide ring opening of the ENR-50. This was followed by insertion of the C-S moiety of CS₂ at the oxygen attached to the quaternary carbon and methine carbon of epoxidized isoprene unit, respectively. The bands due to the C=S and C-O were clearly observed in the FTIR spectrum while the ¹H-NMR spectrum of the derivative revealed the peak attributed to the methylene protons had split. The ¹³C-NMR spectrum of the derivative further indicates two new carbon peaks arising from the >C=S and quaternary carbon of cyclic dithiocarbonate. All other ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR chemical shifts of the derivative remain unchanged with respect to the ENR-50.     

A new mathematical model for the enzymatic kinetic resolution of racemates

A mathematical model is presented for the kinetic resolution of racemates. It takes all intermediate binding steps into account and assumes that such steps are reversible. The model describing dynamics of the chiral reaction products consists of two nonlinear differential equations. With this model, the enantioselectivity of enzyme has been studied. Mathematical and numerical simulation of the model show that there are several ways to control the enantiomeric ratio (E) but the affinity and the binding rates of the intermediate enzyme complex to the racemic substrates are the key steps for the enzyme enantioselectivity.