Synthesis and Structure–Activity Relationship Studies of Benzimidazole-4,7-dione-Based P2X3 Receptor Antagonists as Novel Anti-Nociceptive Agents

P2X3 receptors (P2X3R) are ATP-gated ion channels predominantly expressed in C- and Aδ-fiber primary afferent neurons and have been introduced as a novel therapeutic target for neurological disorders, including neuropathic pain and chronic cough. Because of its localized distribution, antagonism of P2X3R has been thoroughly considered, and the avoidance of issues related to CNS side effects has been proven in clinical trials. In this article, benzimidazole-4,7-dione-based derivatives were introduced as a new chemical entity for the development of P2X3R antagonists. Starting from the discovery of a hit compound from the screening of 8364 random library compounds in the Korea Chemical Bank, which had an IC₅₀ value of 1030 nM, studies of structure–activity and structure–property relationships enabled further optimization toward improving the antagonistic activities as well as the drug’s physicochemical properties, including metabolic stability. As for the results, the final optimized compound 14h was developed with an IC₅₀ value of 375 nM at P2X3R with more than 23-fold selectivity versus P2X2/3R, along with properties of metabolic stability and improved solubility. In neuropathic pain animal models evoked by either nerve ligation or chemotherapeutics in male Sprague-Dawley rats, compound 14h showed anti-nociceptive effects through an increase in the mechanical withdrawal threshold as measured by von Frey filament following intravenous administration.     

Optimization of Naringenin Nanoparticles to Improve the Antitussive Effects on Post-Infectious Cough

Naringenin (NRG) is a natural compound with several biological activities; however, its bioavailability is limited owing to poor aqueous solubility. In this study, NRG nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using the wet media milling method. To obtain NRG NPs with a small particle size and high drug-loading content, the preparation conditions, including stirring time, temperature, stirring speed, and milling media amount, were optimized. The NRG (30 mg) and D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate (10 mg) were wet-milled in deionized water (2 mL) with 10 g of zirconia beads via stirring at 50 °C for 2 h at a stirring speed of 300 rpm. As a result, the NRG NPs, with sheet-like morphology and a diameter of approximately 182.2 nm, were successfully prepared. The NRG NPs were stable in the gastrointestinal system and were released effectively after entering the blood circulation. In vivo experiments indicated that the NRG NPs have good antitussive effects. The cough inhibition rate after the administration of the NRG NPs was 66.7%, cough frequency was three times lower, and the potential period was 1.8 times longer than that in the blank model group. In addition, the enzyme biomarkers and histological analysis results revealed that the NRG NPs can effectively regulate the inflammatory and oxidative stress response. In conclusion, the NRG NPs exhibited good oral bioavailability and promoted antitussive and anti-inflammatory effects.     

Natural Small Molecules in Gastrointestinal Tract and Associated Cancers: Molecular Insights and Targeted Therapies

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Although surgery is the primary treatment, serious maladies that dissipate to other parts of the body may require chemotherapy. As there is no effective procedure to treat stomach cancer, natural small molecules are a current focus of research interest for the development of better therapeutics. Chemotherapy is usually used as a last resort for people with advanced stomach cancer. Anti-colon cancer chemotherapy has become increasingly effective due to drug resistance and sensitivity across a wide spectrum of drugs. Naturally-occurring substances have been widely acknowledged as an important project for discovering innovative medications, and many therapeutic pharmaceuticals are made from natural small molecules. Although the beneficial effects of natural products are as yet unknown, emerging data suggest that several natural small molecules could suppress the progression of stomach cancer. Therefore, the underlying mechanism of natural small molecules for pathways that are directly involved in the pathogenesis of cancerous diseases is reviewed in this article. Chemotherapy and molecularly-targeted drugs can provide hope to colon cancer patients. New discoveries could help in the fight against cancer, and future stomach cancer therapies will probably include molecularly formulated drugs.     

Comparison of the Antioxidant Activities and Polysaccharide Characterization of Fresh and Dry Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo

It is generally believed that fresh Dendrobium officinale (FDO) has more significant pharmacological activity than dried Dendrobium officinale (DDO); however, the difference has not been clearly shown. Our study compared their antioxidant properties both in vitro and in vivo, and the molecular weight arrangement and monosaccharide composition of the fresh Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides (FDOPs) and the dried Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides (DDOPs) were analyzed by HPLC-GPC and GC-MS. The results showed that the FDO and its polysaccharides had more significant effects on scavenging DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radicals than the DDO. In addition, both the FDO and DDO significantly reduced lipid peroxidation levels and increased the SOD, T-AOC, CAT, and GSH levels in mice with acute liver damage caused by CCl₄, while the FDO and its polysaccharides were more effective. Histopathological analysis further verified the protective effect of the Dendrobium polysaccharides on CCl₄-induced liver injury. The determination of the polysaccharides revealed that the polysaccharide and mannose contents of the FDO were significantly higher than their dried counterparts, and the homogeneous arrangement of the polysaccharides in the FDO was degraded into three polysaccharide fragments of different molecular weights in the DDO. Overall, our data identified differences in the antioxidant activities of the FDO and DDO, as well as the reasons for these differences.     

载体化Et(Ind)2ZrCl2催化乙烯-苯乙烯共聚

用均相亚乙基二(1-茚基)二氯化锆(Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂)催化乙烯和苯乙烯共聚时,所得共聚物中苯乙烯链节含量和聚合活性不能同时满足聚乙烯功能化的要求^[1,2].因此我们用SiO₂对Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂进行载体化.     

PREPARATION AND CELL COMPATIBILITY OF FUNCTIONALIZED BIODEGRADABLE POLY(DL-LACTIDE-CO-RS-Β-MALIC ACID)

In order to create a functionalized biodegradable polymer for vascular tissue engineering application,poly(DL- lactide-co-RS-β-malic acid)(PDLLMAc)was synthesized.PDLLMAc was obtained after hydrogenolysis of poly(DL- lactide-co-RS-β-benzyl malolactonate)(PDLLMA),which was from the ring-opening polymerization of DL-lactide(DLLA) and RS-β-benzyl malolactonate(MA)using stannous octoate as catalyst.The copolymers were characterized by ~1H-NMR, FTIR,GPC and DSC.The tensile strength and water uptake of the cop...     

Radical dynamics of puerarin as revealed by laser flash photolysis and spin density analysis

Puerarin, a C-glycoside of daidzein, forms upon direct photoexcitation in acetonitrile an excited-state with a lifetime of 4.2 micros assigned by oxygen quenching and sensitized formation of triplet zeaxanthin as a triplet and phenoxyl radicals of ms lifetime insensitive to oxygen and with spin density delocalized over the ACB isoflavonoid ring system, [ACB]*, as shown by laser flash photolysis and theoretical spin density calculations. Photoexcitation of A-ring 7-phenolate puerarin yields a [AC]* radical, which converts into the [ACB]* radical with a rate constant of 3.6 x 10(5) s(-1) in 5% methanolic acetonitrile in a process triggered by B-ring deprotonation (4'-phenol). For the 7-phenolate with the 4'-phenol derivatized to yield a propyl anisole, no rearrangement of the initially formed [AC]* radical was observed. With the A-ring phenol derivatized, the 7-propyl-4'-phenolate forms a radical with spin density delocalized over the CB ring system, [CB]*, together with a minor fraction of [ACB]* due to propyl radical dissociations confirmed by BDE-calculations. Dianionic puerarin forms initially the [ACB]* radical, which is converted into the [CB]* radical in a slower process (1.6 x 10(4) s(-1)) assigned to 7-methylation. The radical dynamics is discussed in relation to puerarin/carotenoid antioxidant synergism at water/lipid interphases.     

Self-assembled monolayers of CH3COS- terminated surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalate complexes

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold surfaces based on three kinds of acetylthio-surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalate clusters (thio-SECs) terminated with multiple CH(3)COS- groups, (NC(26)H(55)S(CO)CH(3))(6)H(2)[Co(H(2)O)CoW(11)O(39)], (NC(26)H(55)S(CO)CH(3))(13)H(3)[Co(4)(H(2)O)(2)(P(2)W(15)O(56))(2)], and (NC(26)H(55)S(CO)CH(3))(13)[Fe(4)(H(2)O)(2)(P(2)W(15)O(56))(2)]Br, have been prepared, which is representative of a general methodology to fabricate polyoxometalate-based SAMs. Thio-SECs self-assembled into monolayers on gold surfaces through the hydrolysis of CH(3)COS- groups and the subsequent formation of S-Au bonds, which was confirmed by grazing angle infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ellipsometric and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements. Furthermore, the SAMs of the thio-SECs possess closely packed structures, and the local short-range order is clearly observed in the magnified STM image. We have also investigated the electrochemical behavior of SAMs of thio-SECs by cyclic voltammetry in detail, and the redox potential of the original polyoxometalates has been well retained. The electrochemical signals of the SAMs are very weak because of the small moiety of thio-SECs that are electrochemically accessible in the cyclic voltammetry experiments. The polyoxometalate-modified electrodes that we prepared are not only highly ordered in the local short range but also stable in electrochemical cycling because of the multiple S-Au bonds of thio-SECs on the gold substrates that aid in the construction of functional materials such as electrochemical and electrocatalytic devices.     

A theoretical investigation of the interactions between water molecules and ionic liquids

Quantum chemical calculations have been used to investigate the interaction between water molecules and ionic liquids based on the imidazolium cation with the anions [Cl(-)], [Br(-)], [BF(4)(-)], and [PF(6)(-)]. The predicted geometries and interaction energies implied that the water molecules interact with the Cl(-), Br(-), and BF(4)(-0 anions to form X(-)...W (X = Cl or Br, W = H(2)O), 2X-...2W, BF(4)(-)...W, and W...BF(4)(-)...W complexes. The hydrophobic PF(6)(-) anion could not form a stable complex with the water molecules at the density functional theory (DFT) level. Further studies indicate that the cation could also form a strong interaction with the water molecules. The 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium cation (Emim(+)) has been used as a model cation to investigate the interaction between a water molecule and a cation. In addition, the interaction between the ion pairs and the water was studied by using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (Emim x Cl) as a model ionic liquid. The strengths of the interactions in these categories follow the trend anion-W > cation-W > ion pair-W.