Stereoselective reduction of arteannuin B and its chemical transformations

Absolute stereochemistry of dihydroarteannuin B 5 obtained by the reduction of arteannuin B 3 with Ni₂B, NaBH₄ or CdCl₂-Mg-MeOH-H₂O has been established by 2D NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Some experiments aimed at the synthesis of dihydrodeoxyarteannuin B [C-4, 5 double bond isomer of 11] are also discussed.     

Schistosomiasis Chemotherapy

After malaria, schistosomiasis (or bilharzia) is the second most prevalent disease in Africa, and is occurring in over 70 countries in tropical and subtropical regions. It is estimated that 600 million people are at risk of infection, 200 million people are infected, and at least 200 000 deaths per year are associated with the disease. All schistosome species are transmitted through contact with fresh water that is infested with free‐swimming forms of the parasite, which is known as cercariae and produced by snails. When located in the blood vessels of the host, larval and adult schistosomes digest red cells to acquire amino acids for growth and development. Vaccine candidates have been unsuccessful up to now. Against such devastating parasitic disease, the antischistosomal arsenal is currently limited to a single drug, praziquantel, which has been used for more than 35 years. Because the question of the reduction of the activity of praziquantel was raised recently, it is thus urgent to create new and safe antischistosomal drugs that should be combined with praziquantel to develop efficient bitherapies.     

吡啰红B为指示剂细胞色素C催化荧光测定青蒿素

在细胞色素C催化下,吡啰红B与青蒿素反应导致荧光降低,细胞色素C与青蒿素的反应为酶-底物模型。动力学研究表明,稳态催化速率依赖于酶和底物浓度,催化常数Km、Vm ax及Kcat分别为3.3×10-5mol/L,5.4×10-6mol.L-1.s-1和13.5 s-1,催化活性受去活化剂和乙醇抑制。在pH 5.3、25℃及7.6×10-7mol/L的细胞色素C催化条件下,荧光降低值ΔF(F0-F)与青蒿素浓度在7.1×10-8~1.1×10-6mol/L范围内呈线性关系;检出限为7.2×10-9mol/L;加标回收率为96.3%~106.8%。方法已用于测定血浆和尿液介质中的微量青蒿素。     

Intramolecular chain reaction of artemisinin oxidation

The intramolecular chain oxidation of artemisinin was analyzed using the parabolic model. The competition of the mono- and bimolecular peroxy radicals formed from artemisinin was considered. Artemisinin is predominantly oxidized via the intramolecular chain mechanism to form polyatomic hydroperoxides. This results in the situation when, under aerobic conditions, artemisinin is transformed from the monofunctional into polyfunctional initiator with several hydroperoxide groups. The enthalpy was calculated, and the activation energies and rate constants of the intramolecular reactions of the artemisinin peroxy radicals, as well as those of their bimolecular reactions with C-H, S-H, and O-H bonds of biological substrates and their analogs, were calculated in the framework of the parabolic model. A new kinetic scheme for artemisinin oxidation was proposed. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 267–275, February, 2008.     

青蒿素——历史和现实的启示

青蒿素类抗疟药物的发现是全球抗疟药物发展史上继奎宁之后的又一里程碑,它是在科研计划组织下,全国多部门、多学科尽心协作、相互配合取得的重大成果,是继承发扬我国传统医药宝库的成功范例。青蒿素以其独特的分子结构和杰出的生物活性显示出它是一有深远影响的研究对象,不仅对于药学,而且对于植物化学、生源合成、有机合成化学、化学生物学等学科都是一个可以大有作为的课题。30年来国内外已做了不少工作,但是还有更多的问题有待探索,机不可失,时不再来,期待着在綻放青蒿素的故土上结出更多的果实。     

Cocrystals of the antimalarial drug 11‐azaartemisinin with three alkenoic acids of 1:1 or 2:1 stoichiometry

The stoichiometry, X‐ray structures and stability of four pharmaceutical cocrystals previously identified from liquid‐assisted grinding (LAG) of 11‐azaartemisinin (11‐Aza; systematic name: 1,5,9‐trimethyl‐14,15,16‐trioxa‐11‐azatetracyclo[10.3.1.0^4,13.0^8,13]hexadecan‐10‐one) with trans‐cinnamic (Cin), maleic (Mal) and fumaric (Fum) acids are herein reported. trans‐Cinnamic acid, a mono acid, forms 1:1 cocrystal 11‐Aza:Cin ( 1 , C₁₅H₂₃NO₄·C₉H₈O₂). Maleic acid forms both 1:1 cocrystal 11‐Aza:Mal ( 2 , C₁₅H₂₃NO₄·C₄H₄O₄), in which one COOH group is involved in self‐catenation, and 2:1 cocrystal 11‐Aza₂:Mal ( 3 , 2C₁₅H₂₃NO₄·C₄H₄O₄). Its isomer, fumaric acid, only affords 2:1 cocrystal 11‐Aza₂:Fum ( 4 ). All cocrystal formation appears driven by acid–lactam R₂²(8) heterosynthons with short O—H…O=C hydrogen bonds [O…O = 2.56 (2) Å], augmented by weaker C=O…H—N contacts. Despite a better packing efficiency, cocrystal 3 is metastable with respect to 2 , probably due to a higher conformational energy for the maleic acid molecule in its structure. In each case, the microcrystalline powders from LAG were useful in providing seeding for the single‐crystal growth.     

Synthesis and Cleavage Studies of a 1,2-Dioxolane-type Peroxide

A [1,2]dioxolane-type peroxide was synthesized and tested for its cleavage behavior with Fe^2 -cysteinate as a simple model of biological redox species. No S-alkylation product was observed.     

Synthesis of N~(11)-anchoring biotinylated artemisinin derivatives and their preliminary biological assessment

Unique endoperoxide moiety of artemisinin and its derivatives has been considered the functionality exhibiting highly potent antimalarial and anticancer activities.To investigate the mechanisms of their biological actions,development of suitable molecular probes including biotinylated derivatives is of extreme significance.The synthesis and preliminary biological assessment of four new biotinylated artemisinin derivatives have been reported in this work.