Inhibition effect of phenyl compounds from the Oryza sativa roots on melanin production in murine B16-F10 melanoma cells

Five phenyl compounds, vanillin (1), methyl trans-ferulate (2), trans-p-coumaric acid methyl ester (3), N-benzoyltryptamine (4), and N-(trans-cinnamoyl)tryptamine (5), were isolated from the roots of Oryza sativa L. and identified on the basis of spectroscopic data. Compounds 3 and 5 showed strong inhibition effect on melanin production in murine B16-F10 melanoma cells and tyrosinase activity. Also, the quantitative analysis of the compounds was carried out using LC/MS/MS experiment. Compounds 3 and 5 could be used as skin-whitening agents.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of triazole derivatives conjugated with piperidine as new anti-enzymatic agents

The current study was aimed for the study of piperidine-based triazole compounds for their biological potential against various enzymes. A novel library of compounds, 9a-r , having piperidine, 1,2,4-triazole, and propanamides was synthesized through consecutive steps including the formation of sulfonamide, hydrazide, 1,2,4-triazole, and thio-ether. Initially, 4-methoxybenzenesulfonyl chloride ( 1 ) and ethyl isonipecotate ( 2 ) were utilized to develop ethyl 1-(4-methoxyphenylsulfonyl)-4-piperidinecarboxylate ( 3 ). The product 3 was converted into respective hydrazide ( 4 ) which was further cyclized into 1,2,4-triazole ( 5 ) nucleus. A series of propanamides, 8a-r , were synthesized from different amines, 6a-r . These electrophiles, 8a-r , were reacted with compound 5 under conventional and microwave-assisted protocols to acquire the library of hybrids, 9a-r . The structural confirmations were availed by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and IR techniques. The whole series was evaluated for biological potential against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and α-glucosidase enzymes. The biological evaluation ranges low to high in potential for different compounds based on the structural variations of synthesized compounds. Almost all the compounds remained active against both the enzymes except a few ones. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding study demonstrated the flow of drug in the body, and the docking study explained the interactions responsible for active behavior of synthesized compounds.     

Toxicological determination and in vitro metabolism of the designer drug methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MPDV) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

A method for the toxicological screening of the new designer drug methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is described; with an emphasis on its application for anti‐doping analysis. The metabolism of MDPV was evaluated in vitro using human liver microsomes and S9 cellular fractions for CYP450 phase I and uridine 5′‐diphosphoglucuronosyltransferase (UGT) and sulfotransferase (SULT) phase II metabolism studies. The resulting metabolites were subsequently liquid/liquid extracted and analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) as trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives. The structures of the metabolites were further confirmed by accurate mass measurement using a liquid chromatography/quadrupole time‐of‐flight (LC/QTOF) mass spectrometer. The studies demonstrated that the main metabolites of MDPV are catechol and methyl catechol pyrovalerone, which are in turn sulfated and glucuronated. The method for the determination of MDPV in urine has been fully validated by assessing the limits of detection and quantification, linearity, repeatability, and accuracy. This validation demonstrates the suitability for screening of this stimulant substance for anti‐doping and forensic toxicology purposes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sr,Ba and Cd arsenates with the apatite‐type structure

X‐ray diffraction analysis of single crystals of three new arsenates adopting apatite‐type structures yielded formula Sr₅(AsO₄)₃F for strontium arsenate fluoride, (I), (Sr_1.66Ba_0.34)(Ba_2.61Sr_0.39)(AsO₄)₃Cl for strontium barium arsenate chloride, (II), and Cd₅(AsO₄)₃Cl_0.58(OH)_0.42 for cadmium arsenate hydroxide chloride, (III). All three structures are built up of isolated slightly distorted AsO₄ tetrahedra that are bridged by Sr²⁺ in (I), by Sr²⁺/Ba²⁺ in (II) and by Cd²⁺ in (III). Compounds (I) and (II) represent typical fluorapatites and chlorapatites, respectively, with F⁻ at the 2a (0, 0, ) site and Cl⁻ at the 2b (0, 0, 0) site of P6₃/m. In contrast, in (III), due to the requirement that the smaller Cd²⁺ cation is positioned closer to the channel Cl⁻ anion (partially substituted by OH⁻), the anion occupies the unusual 2a (0, 0, ) site. Therefore, Cl⁻ is similar to F⁻ in (I), coordinated by three A2 cations, unlike the octahedrally coordinated Cl⁻ in (II) and other ordinary chlorapatites. Furthermore, in (III), using FT–IR studies, we have inferred the existence of H⁺ outside the channel in oxyhydroxyapatites and provided possible atomic coordinates for a H atom in HAsO₄²⁻, leading to a proposed formulation of the compound as Cd₅(AsO₄)_3−x(HAsO₄)_xCl_0.58(OH)_{0.42−x−(y/2)}O_x+(y/2)□_y/2.     

Tandem synthesis of [1,2,4]-triazoles mediated by iodine—a regioselective approach

A tandem regioselective one-pot synthesis of 3-amino-[1,2,4]-triazoles has been achieved from 1,3-disubstituted thioureas using molecular iodine. In this one-pot strategy, the intermediate carbodiimide generated in situ from thiourea upon reaction with HCONHNH₂ gives diaryl/alkylhydrazinecarboximidamide or acylureidrazone, which then undergoes an intramolecular cyclodehydration to afford the corresponding 3-amino-[1,2,4]-triazole. The product regioselectivity for unsymmetrical 1,3-disubstituted thioureas correlate well with the pK_as of the parent amines attached, in which the amine having higher pK_a goes to the ring nitrogen while the other nitrogen remains flanked as an exocyclic nitrogen of the triazole core. This method is milder and environmentally sustainable giving good to excellent yields of the desired products.     

Influence of hydrophobic alkylated gold nanoparticles on the phase behavior of monolayers of DPPC and clinical lung surfactant

The effect of hydrophobic alkylated gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) on the phase behavior and structure of Langmuir monolayers of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and Survanta, a naturally derived commercial pulmonary surfactant that contains DPPC as the main lipid component and hydrophobic surfactant proteins SP-B and SP-C, has been investigated in connection with the potential implication of inorganic NPs in pulmonary surfactant dysfunction. Hexadecanethiolate-capped Au NPs (C(16)SAu NPs) with an average core diameter of 2 nm have been incorporated into DPPC monolayers in concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 mol %. Concentrations of up to 0.2 mol % in DPPC and 16 wt % in Survanta do not affect the monolayer phase behavior at 20 °C, as evidenced by surface pressure-area (π-A) and ellipsometric isotherms. The monolayer structure at the air/water interface was imaged as a function of the surface pressure by Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). In the liquid-expanded/liquid-condensed phase coexistence region of DPPC, the presence of 0.2 mol % C(16)SAu NPs causes the formation of many small, circular, condensed lipid domains, in contrast to the characteristic larger multilobes formed by pure lipid. Condensed domains of similar size and shape to those of DPPC with 0.2 mol % C(16)SAu NPs are formed by compressing Survanta, and these are not affected by the C(16)SAu NPs. Atomic force microscopy images of Langmuir-Schaefer-deposited films support the BAM observations and reveal, moreover, that at high surface pressures (i.e., 35 and 45 mN m(-1)) the C(16)SAu NPs form honeycomb-like aggregates around the polygonal condensed DPPC domains. In the Survanta monolayers, the C(16)SAu NPs were found to accumulate together with the proteins in the liquid-expanded phase around the circular condensed lipid domains. In conclusion, the presence of hydrophobic C(16)SAu NPs in amounts that do not influence the π-A isotherm alters the nucleation, growth, and morphology of the condensed domains in monolayers of DPPC but not of those of Survanta. Systematic investigations of the effect of the interaction of chemically defined NPs with the lipid and protein components of lung surfactant on the physicochemical properties of surfactant films are pertinent to understanding how inhaled NPs impact pulmonary function.     

Design, synthesis and characterisation of a fluorescently labelled CyPLOS ionophore

A novel fluorescently labelled synthetic ionophore, based on a cyclic phosphate-linked disaccharide (CyPLOS) backbone and decorated with four tetraethylene glycol tails carrying dansyl units, has been synthesised in 12 steps in 26% overall yield. The key intermediate in the synthetic strategy is a novel glucoside building block, serving through its 2- and 3-hydroxy groups as the anchor point for flexible tetraethylene glycol tentacles with reactive azido moieties at their ends. To test the versatility of this glucoside scaffold, it was preliminarily functionalised with a set of diverse probes--as fluorescent, redox-active or hydrophobic tags--either by reduction of the azides followed by condensation with activated carboxylic acid derivatives, or by a direct coupling with a terminal alkyne in a Cu(I)-promoted 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Tagging of the monomeric building block with dansyl residues allowed us to prepare a fluorescent, amphiphilic macrocycle, which was investigated for its propensity to self-aggregate in CDCl(3)--studied by means of concentration-dependent (31)P NMR spectroscopy experiments--and in aqueous solution, in which combined dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements provided a detailed physico-chemical analysis of the self-assembled systems, mainly organised in the form of large vesicles. Its ion-transport properties through phospholipid bilayers, determined by HPTS fluorescence assays, showed this compound to be more active than the previously synthesised CyPLOS congeners. Solvent-dependent fluorescence changes for the labelled ionophore in liposome suspension established that the dansyl moieties are dispersed in environments with polarity intermediate between those of CH(2)Cl(2) and propan-2-ol, suggesting that the CyPLOS tentacles infiltrate the mid-polar region of the membranes.     

Production and characterization of antibodies against crosslinked gelatin nanoparticles and first steps toward developing an ELISA screening kit

Nanotechnologies are finding a growing range of applications in the food sector. Nanoparticles are used notably to add vitamins and other nutrients to foods and beverages without affecting taste and color. They are also used to develop new tastes, preserve food texture, control the release of flavors, improve the bioavailability of compounds such as antioxidants and vitamins, and monitor freshness with nanosensors. Crosslinked gelatin nanoparticles are a component of nano-sized carriers for nutrient and supplement delivery in foods and related products. This paper describes the production and characterization of polyclonal antibodies against gelatin nanoparticles. Two immunization schemes were investigated: subcutaneous injection with and without a first intravenous injection. Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay formats were used to characterize the antibodies: an inhibition format with an antigen-coated plate for detection of the immune response and a sandwich format for development of the method. The antibodies showed good sensitivity with an IC50 equal to 0.11 ng mL(-1) using indirect ELISA format and a good specificity for the nanomaterials, without significant cross-reactivity against native gelatin. The limit of detection was determined-0.42, 0.27, 0.26, and 0.24 μg mL(-1) for apple, orange juice, milk, and soft drink matrices, respectively. ELISA technology offers rapid, low-cost assays for screening foods, feeds, and beverages. We have studied a prototype ELISA for detection of gelatin-based nanocarrier systems. Fruit juices, milk, and a soft drink were the matrices selected for assay development.     

Chemically programmed supramolecular assembly of hemoprotein and streptavidin with alternating alignment

Alternating: a cofactor dyad consisting of a heme group (red in picture) and a bis(biotin) unit (blue) was synthesized and shown to specifically bind to both apomyoglobin and streptavidin. In the presence of the dyad, the 1:1 association of a disulfide-bridged myoglobin dimer (green) with streptavidin (gray) afforded a submicrometer-sized fibrous alternating copolymer.     

Synthesis and testing of a focused phenothiazine library for binding to HIV-1 TAR RNA

We have synthesized a series of phenothiazine derivatives, which were used to test the structure-activity relationship of binding to HIV-1 TAR RNA. Variations from our initial compound, 2-acetylphenothiazine, focused on two moieties: ring substitutions and n-alkyl substitutions. Binding characteristics were ascertained via NMR, principally by saturation transfer difference spectra of the ligand and imino proton resonance shifts of the RNA. Both ring and alkyl substitutions manifested NMR changes upon binding. In general, the active site, while somewhat flexible, has regions that can be capitalized for increased binding through van der Waals interactions and others that can be optimized for solubility in subsequent stages of development. However, binding can be nontrivially enhanced several-fold through optimization of van der Waals and hydrophilic sites of the scaffold.