A novel UPLC–MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of trigonelline, 4-hydroxyisoleucine,and diosgenin from Trigonella foenum-graecum extract: Application to pharmacokinetic study in healthy and type 2 diabetic rats

Trigonelline (TR), 4-hydroxyisoleucine (4-HI), and diosgenin (DG) are the main bioactives of the purified standardized extract of the popular plant Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (TFG), and it has been proven effective for the treatment of various diseases. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated the pharmacokinetic parameters of purified standardized T. foenum-graecum extract in normal and diabetic Wistar rats. The present study has developed and validated a rapid, reliable, and sensitive simultaneous ultra-performance liquid chromatography MS method to estimate these bioactives. The chromatographic separation was achieved using methanol, acetonitrile, and 0.1% formic acid with the ideal gradient flow system on a BEH Shield RP 18 column. A positive electrospray ionization mode was selected to estimate m/z values of TR (138.14 > 94.63), 4-HI (148.19 > 74.08), and DG (415.54 > 271.33). The method was robust and reproducible over the linearity range of 60–5000, 6–5000, and 15–5000 ng/mL for TR, 4-HI, and DG, respectively. Using this novel validated method, we investigated the pharmacokinetic parameters of bioactives using Phoenix WinNonlin version 8.0 (Certera) in normal and diabetic rats. The assay was successfully applied for the estimation of pharmacokinetic parameters using noncompartmental analysis. This investigation shows that the absorption rate increased, whereas distribution and elimination processes slowed down in diabetic rats compared with normal rats.     

Screening of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of functionalized tetrahydrocarbazole linked 1,2-diazoles and their docking studies

Inflammatory diseases are associated with life-threatening syndromes like hepatitis, cancer, and trauma injury while some decrease the quality of life such as rheumatism, arthritis, and tuberculosis. 1,2-Diazoles (pyrazolines) play a vital role in COX-2 inhibition thus dinitro-tetrahydrocarbazole linked pyrazolines have been synthesized and endeavor to screen for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and molecular docking studies. For this purpose, 6,8-dinitro-acetyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydrocarbazole (I), aromatic aldehydes (IIa-e) and hydrazines (IIIa-b) were combined via multicomponent reaction approach under the influence of microwave irradiations to afford pyrazolines (1–10). All new molecules were screened for in vitro anti-inflammatory activity by human red blood cells membrane stabilization, antioxidant potential by2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl,2,2´-azinobis (3-ethylbenzo thiazoline)-6-sulphonic acid, lipid peroxidation, and total antioxidant capacity assays along with cytotoxicity by brine shrimp lethality assay. Molecular docking was performed by using the Auto Dock program. Both disubstituted and trisubstituted diazoles showed excellent membrane stabilizing effects, (91.89 % and 77 %, respectively). The presence of phenol, furan, thiocarbamide, and chloro-moieties have the most prominent effect. Toxicity results indicated that compounds were less toxic at the tested dose (0.1 mg/ml). The antioxidant study showed that compound 2 was more active showing low IC₅₀ values (32.2 and 39.2 µg/ml) in DPPH and total phenolic contents assays respectively. Compound 3 (44.0 µg/ml) showed the highest potential assay in ABTS radical neutralization assay while compound 7 (65.0 µg/ml) showed maximum potential in lipid peroxidation. All diazoles (1–10) were screened for in vitro anti-inflammatory potential where disubstituted diazoles were found better than trisubstituted analogs and exhibited significant antioxidant potential. Molecular docking of diazoles showed a good correlation of their anti-inflammatory activity with p38α MAPK, COX-2, and 5-LOX enzymes that are molecular therapeutic targets of inflammation.     

Novel aromatic carboxamides from dehydroabietylamine as potential fungicides: Design,synthesis and antifungal evaluation

The present study was carried out to design and synthesize a number of novel aromatic carboxamide derivatives of dehydroabietylamine. The preliminary antifungal assay indicated that most of title compounds displayed moderate to good antifungal activity toward the six fungal strains in vitro. Compounds 3i, 3q, 4b and 4d showed significant antifungal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, with EC₅₀ values ranging from 0.067 ～ 0.393 mg/L. Compounds 3i, 4b and 4d also showed pronounced mycelial growth inhibition activities against B. cinerea and A. solani. Furthermore, in the in vivo assay, compound 4b exhibited brilliant protective activity against S. sclerotiorum-infected rape leaves. Meanwhile, the in vivo bioassay on tomato plants infected by B. cinerea showed that compound 3i and 4d displayed excellent protective activity at 200 mg/L, which were near to boscalid. Primary mechanistic study revealed that 4b could inhibit sclerotia formation as well as reduce the exopolysaccharide level. SEM and TEM analysis indicated that 4b possessed a strong ability to destroy the surface morphology of mycelia, cell structure and seriously interfere with the growth of the fungal pathogen. In addition, 4b exhibited good inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 23.3 ± 1.6 μM) toward succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). Molecular modeling study confirmed the binding modes between compound 4b and SDH. The above antifungal results and fungicidal mechanism study revealed that this class of dehydroabietylamine derivatives could be potential SDH inhibitors and lead compounds for novel fungicides development.     

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor curcumin upregulates mitochondrial uncoupling protein1 (UCP1) and mitochondrial function in brown adipocytes,in-silico study and screening natural drug library

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been associated with diverse pathological conditions globally. Specifically, in adipose tissues, mitochondrial dysfunction is the primary cause of obesity and obesity-related illnesses. An existing drugs such as atorvastatin and other lipid-lowering drugs demonstrated adverse effects and initiated other diseases. Thus, we need to explore new methods to prevent and treat obesity. In this study, we used the cell screening method to identify several natural compounds that increase adipocyte UCP1 gene expression. The identified drug Curcumin was evaluated in cell models and the In-silico model. We found curcumin is an active compound of turmeric belonging to Zingiberaceae (ginger family), which activates the Nrf2 mechanism. Curcumin potentially endorses the expression of UCP1 in the brown adipocyte in vitro cellular model. Curcumin plays an important role that modulating mitochondrial function and improving mitochondrial DNA quantification, ATP production, and cell viability. We have established an efficient in vitro cell experiment system to study the metabolic regulation of UCP1. The in-silico model revealed curcumin-UCP1 interaction. Curcumin, via enhancing mitochondrial activity, could be a helpful therapeutic molecule against metabolic disorders or obesity-related diseases. Curcumin will be the subject of more research in both human and murine models, which will provide novel therapeutic pathways for the treatment of metabolic illnesses by modulating the control of mitochondrial function.     

Fluorinated azole anticancer drugs: Synthesis,elaborated structure elucidation and docking studies

The present article deals with the synthesis of novel nano-sized fluorinated thiazoles and studying their anticancer potentiality. The targeted azoles could be accessed via trifluoro-methylated thiosemicarbazone (3) prepared by reaction of with thiosemicarbazide in acidic solution of ethanol. The latter a fluorinated building block (3) have been reacted with appropriate derivatives of a-halo compounds namely, N-aryl 2-oxopropane-hydrazonoyl chlorides 4a-f using dioxane containing TEA as base catalyst. Also, the reaction between N-(4-(1-(2-carbamothioylhydrazineylidene)ethyl)phenyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroacetamide (3) and chloroacetonitrile 8 under the same experimental conditions furnished the corresponding amino thiazole derivative 11. In the same manner the base catalyzed cyclocondensation reaction between N-(4-(1-(2-carbamothioylhydrazineylidene)ethyl)phenyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroacetamide (3) and phenacyl bromide derivatives 12a-d afforded the corresponding thiazoles 13a-d in good yield. The structure of all synthesized thiazole derivatives as well as their mechanistic pathways were studied based on spectral data analysis and physical characteristics. The nanosized products were confirmed by using XRD analysis. Moreover, twelve samples were submitted for evaluation of their cytotoxicity activities against MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer cell) using colorimetric MTT assay, in comparison with Cisplatin standard drug. Two nano-sized thiosemicarbazone derivative 3 and the thiazole derivative 7c showed potent activity with IC₅₀ = 7.7 and 2.97 µg/ml, respectively in compared with the IC₅₀ = 4.33 µg/ml of cisplatin. The nanosized thiazole derivative 7c was more potent than cisplatin. Also, two thiazole derivatives 13b and 7b showed good activity with IC₅₀ = 13.4 and 14.9 µg/ml. In addition, the molecular docking studies have been achieved using 4hy0, (X-chromosome-linked- inhibitor of apoptosis protein; (XIAP)).     

Pharmacokinetics,hepatic disposition,and heart tissue distribution of 14 compounds in rat after oral administration of Qi-Li-Qiang-Xin capsule via ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry

In the present study, a specific and sensitive approach using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for the quantitative analysis of 14 constituents in rat plasma, liver, and heart. The method was fully validated and successfully applied to pharmacokinetic, hepatic disposition, and heart tissue distribution studies of 14 compounds after the oral administration of Qi-Li-Qiang-Xin capsule. Ginsenoside Rb1, alisol A, astragaloside IV, and periplocymarin were found to be highly exposed in rat plasma, while toxic components such as hypaconitine, mesaconitine, and periplocin had low circulation levels in vivo. Moreover, sinapine thiocyanate, neoline, formononetin, calycosin, and alisol A exhibited significant liver first-pass effects. Notably, high levels of alisol A, periplocymarin, benzoylmesaconine, and benzoylhypaconine were observed in the heart. Based on high exposure and appropriate pharmacokinetic features in the systemic plasma and heart, astragaloside IV, ginsenoside Rb1, periplocymarin, benzoylmesaconine, benzoylhypaconine, and alisol A can be considered as the main potentially effective components. Ultimately, the results provide relevant information for discovery of effective substances, as well as further anti-heart failure action mechanism investigations of Qi-Li-Qiang-Xin capsule.     

面向高阶思维培养的自主型实验教学模式的设计与实践*

基于教育现代化、发展“互联网+教育”、培养创新性人才的指导思想,结合“超星学习通”网络平台与实验课堂的优势,设计了面向高阶思维培养的“预习自测-讲授讨论-自主实践-总结反思”的四段自主型实验教学模式,并应用于化学与化工类专业分析化学实验课程的教学实践。该实验教学模式增加了学生自主学习时间,培养了学生“分析、综合、评价和创造”等高阶思维能力,提高了实验课程的教学效率,为高等院校实践实验教学的改革提供了参考依据。     

PBL教学模式在中美高校化学实验课教学中应用的对比研究

因课程设置、学情等不同, PBL教学模式在中美高校化学实验课的实施过程中各具特色。本文从教材、课程考核、师资培训、研究机构和基金等4个角度客观分析PBL教学模式在中美2国高校化学实验课应用中的差异,并在此基础之上提出,应该客观公正地看待这种差异,树立文化自信。     

高中化学新手熟手专家教师教学策略知识比较*

以“原电池”教学主题为载体自编调查问卷,选取河北省90位在职高中化学教师进行教学策略知识(Knowledge of instructional strategies,简称KoIS)测查。应用单因素方差分析与多重比较LSD法,从教学策略与表征的选择、应用、调整、反馈以及评价等5个维度对新手、熟手和专家教师KoIS之间的差异及其表现特征进行了比较和分析,并据此提出相关建议,为促进高中化学教师KoIS水平提升提供借鉴和参考。