Identification and structural characterization of major degradation products of tapentadol by using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Tapentadol, a centrally acting analgesic was subjected to hydrolysis (acidic, alkaline, and neutral), oxidation, photolysis, humidity, and thermal stress conditions as per International Conference on Harmonization prescribed guidelines. Tapentadol was found susceptible to oxidative stress that produced two major degradation products DP-I and DP-II. However, it was stable to hydrolysis, photolysis, and thermal stress conditions. A simple, sensitive, and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography stability-indicating assay method (liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer compatible) was developed and validated for identification and characterization of stressed degradation products of Tapentadol. The chromatographic separation of the drug and its degradation products were achieved on Inertsil ODS, C18 (250 × 4.6 mm, i.d., 5 µm) column using a 12.5 mM aqueous ammonium acetate buffer (with 0.2% triethyl amine and final pH of buffer was adjusted to 3.60 with glacial acetic acid): acetonitrile (75:25, v/v) as a mobile phase. The degradation products were characterized by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry and subsequently its fragmentation pathway as well as plausible mechanism for generation of degradation products was also proposed. The stability indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic method was validated with respect to linearity, precision, and accuracy.     

A novel tandem ene/Prins cyclization for the synthesis of octahydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrrole derivatives

A tandem ene/Prins cyclization of olefin tethered aldehyde with an aldehyde has been accomplished using 5 mol % scandium triflate at ambient temperature to afford a novel series of cis-fused octahydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrrole derivatives in good yields with high selectivity. This is the first report on a tandem cyclization of 4-methyl-N-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-N-(2-oxoethyl)benzenesulfonamide with aldehydes.     

Three New Acrylic Acid Derivatives from Achillea mellifolium as Potential Inhibitors of Urease from Jack Bean and α-Glucosidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

(1) Background: Achillea mellifolium belongs to a highly reputed family of medicinal plants, with plant extract being used as medicine in indigenous system. However, limited data is available regarding the exploitation of the medicinal potential of isolated pure compounds from this family; (2) Methods: A whole plant extract was partitioned into fractions and on the basis of biological activity, an ethyl acetate fraction was selected for isolation of pure compounds. Isolated compounds were characterized using different spectroscopic techniques. The compounds isolated from this study were tested for their medicinal potential using in-vitro enzyme assay, coupled with in-silico studies; (3) Results: Three new acrylic acid derivatives (1–3) have been isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of Achillea mellifolium. The characterization of these compounds (1–3) was carried out using UV/Vis, FT-IR, 1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopy (¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, HMBC, NOESY) and mass spectrometry. These acrylic acid derivatives were further evaluated for their enzyme inhibition potential against urease from jack bean and α glucosidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using both in-silico and in-vitro approaches. In-vitro studies showed that compound 3 has the highest inhibition against urease enzyme (IC₅₀ =10.46 ± 0.03 μΜ), followed by compound 1 and compound 2 with percent inhibition and IC₅₀ value of 16.87 ± 0.02 c and 13.71 ± 0.07 μΜ, respectively, compared to the standard (thiourea-IC₅₀ = 21.5 ± 0.01 μΜ). The investigated IC₅₀ value of compound 3 against the urease enzyme is two times lower compared to thiourea, suggesting that this compound is twice as active compared to the standard drug. On the other hand, all three compounds (1–3) revealed mild inhibition potential against α-glucosidase. In-silico molecular docking studies, in combination with MD simulations and free energy, calculations were also performed to rationalize their time evolved mode of interaction inside the active pocket. Binding energies were computed using a MMPBSA approach, and the role of individual residues to overall binding of the inhibitors inside the active pockets were also computed; (4) Conclusions: Together, these studies confirm the inhibitory potential of isolated acrylic acid derivatives against both urease and α-glucosidase enzymes; however, their inhibition potential is better for urease enzyme even when compared to the standard.     

Antioxidant and Gastroprotective Activity of Suaeda fruticosa Forssk. Ex J.F.Gmel

Suaeda fruticosa Forssk. Ex J.F.Gmel is traditionally used for inflammatory and digestive disorders, as a carminative, and for diarrhea. This plant is widely distributed in Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean region. Aqueous methanolic extract of S. fruticosa (Sf.Cr) was prepared and screened for phytoconstituents through qualitative and GC-MS analysis. Quantification of total phenolic and flavonoid contents was performed, while antioxidant capacity was determined by DPPH, CUPRAC, FRAP, and ABTS assays. The gastroprotective activity was assessed in an ethanol-induced ulcer model. Gastric secretory parameters and macroscopic ulcerated lesions were analyzed and scored for ulcer severity. After scoring, histopathology was performed, and gastric mucus contents were determined. Oral pre-treatment of Sf.Cr demonstrated significant gastroprotection. The gastric ulcer severity score and ulcer index were reduced while the %-inhibition of ulcer was increased dose-dependently. The Sf.Cr significantly elevated the pH of gastric juice, while a decrease in total acidity and gastric juice volume was observed. Histopathology demonstrated less oedema and neutrophil infiltration in gastric mucosa of rats pre-treated with the Sf.Cr in comparison to ethanol-intoxicated animals. Furthermore, the gastric mucus contents were increased as determined by alcian blue binding. Sf.Cr showed marked gastroprotective activity, which can be attributed to antioxidant, antisecretory, and cytoprotective effects.     

Design,Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Dihydropyridine and Pyridine Analogs as Potent Human Tissue Nonspecific Alkaline Phosphatase Inhibitors with Anticancer Activity: ROS and DNA Damage-Induced Apoptosis

Small molecules with nitrogen-containing scaffolds have gained much attention due to their biological importance in the development of new anticancer agents. The present paper reports the synthesis of a library of new dihydropyridine and pyridine analogs with diverse pharmacophores. All compounds were tested against the human tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (h-TNAP) enzyme. Most of the compounds showed excellent enzyme inhibition against h-TNAP, having IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.49 ± 0.025 to 8.8 ± 0.53 µM, which is multi-fold higher than that of the standard inhibitor (levamisole = 22.65 ± 1.60 µM) of the h-TNAP enzyme. Furthermore, an MTT assay was carried out to evaluate cytotoxicity against the HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Among the analogs, the most potent dihydropyridine-based compound 4d was selected to investigate pro-apoptotic behavior. The further analysis demonstrated that compound 4d played a significant role in inducing apoptosis through multiple mechanisms, including overproduction of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damaging, and arrest of the cell cycle at the G1 phase by inhibiting CDK4/6. The apoptosis-inducing effect of compound 4d was studied through staining agents, microscopic, and flow cytometry techniques. Detailed structure–activity relationship (SAR) and molecular docking studies were carried out to identify the core structural features responsible for inhibiting the enzymatic activity of the h-TNAP enzyme. Moreover, fluorescence emission studies corroborated the binding interaction of compound 4d with DNA through a fluorescence titration experiment.     

Novel antifungal janthinopolyenemycins A and B from a co-culture of marine-associated Janthinobacterium spp. ZZ145 and ZZ148

Two rare polyketides, named as janthinopolyenemycins A (1) and B (2), were isolated from a co-culture of two marine-sourced bacteria Janthinobacterium spp. ZZ145 and ZZ148. Their structures were established by a combination of extensive NMR spectroscopic analyses, HRESIMS data, and ECD calculation. Both janthinopolyenemycins A and B showed activity in inhibiting the growth of Candida albicans with a MIC value of 15.6?μg/mL and a MBC value of 31. 25?μg/mL.     

Antiglioma pseurotin A from marine Bacillus sp. FS8D regulating tumour metabolic enzymes

Pseurotin A was isolated from a culture of marine Bacillus sp. FS8D and showed to be active against the proliferation of four different glioma cells with IC₅₀ values of 0.51–29.3 μM. It has been found that pseurotin A downregulated the expression of tumour glycolytic enzymes pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) and lactate dehydrogenase 5 (LDH5) and upregulated the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase beta (PDHB), adenosine triphosphate synthase beta (ATPB) and cytochrome C (Cyto-C), the important regulators for tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. The data suggested that targeting multiple metabolic enzymes might be one of the antiglioma mechanisms of pseurotin A.     

Absolute configuration of 1β,10β-epoxydesacetoxymatricarin isolated from Carthamus oxycantha by means of TDDFT CD calculations

The absolute configuration of 1β,10β-epoxydesacetoxymatricarin 1, a sesquiterpenoid isolated from Carthamus oxycantha, was established by TDDFT CD calculations in combination with single crystal X-ray analysis. Since the solid-state CD spectrum shows contributions from intermolecular interactions in the crystal, 1 represents a test case for our solid-state CD/TDDFT approach.