Vibrational spectroscopic characterization of arylisoquinolines by means of Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations.

Promising new antimalarial agents were investigated using FT-NIR and deep-UV resonance Raman spectroscopy. The Raman spectra of the seven arylisoquinolines (AIQ) were calculated with the help of density functional theory (DFT). Very good agreement with the experimental data was achieved and a convincing mode assignment was performed with the help of the calculated potential energy distribution (PED). For the non-resonant Raman spectra the most prominent bands were assigned to ν(C[double bond, length as m-dash]C) stretching modes of the isoquinoline system. To differentiate between substances with similar structures, deep-UV resonance Raman spectra were recorded. Raman bands in the range between 1250 and 1210 cm-1 were assigned to ν(C[double bond, length as m-dash]C) stretching vibrations in combination with δ(HCC) deformation vibrations of the aryl rests. These vibrations of the aryl part of the molecules were selectively enhanced, which, thus, enabled the differentiation of similar active agents from each other. For λexc = 257 nm excitation, strong ν(C[double bond, length as m-dash]C) vibrations of the isoquinoline (benzo-) part dominate the Raman spectrum in the range between 1685 and 1585 cm-1 and for λexc = 244 nm the Raman signals between 1430 and 1350 cm-1 were enhanced and assigned to ν(C[double bond, length as m-dash]C) of the isoquinoline (pyridino-) system.

Anti-trypanosomal activities and structural chemical properties of selected compound classes.

Potent compounds do not necessarily make the best drugs in the market. Consequently, with the aim to describe tools that may be fundamental for refining the screening of candidates for animal and preclinical studies and further development, molecules of different structural classes synthesized within the frame of a broad screening platform were evaluated for their trypanocidal activities, cytotoxicities against murine macrophages J774.1 and selectivity indices, as well as for their ligand efficiencies and structural chemical properties. To advance into their modes of action, we also describe the morphological and ultrastructural changes exerted by selected members of each compound class on the parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Our data suggest that the potential organelles targeted are either the flagellar pocket (compound 77, N-Arylpyridinium salt; 15, amino acid derivative with piperazine moieties), the endoplasmic reticulum membrane systems (37, bisquaternary bisnaphthalimide; 77, N-Arylpyridinium salt; 68, piperidine derivative), or mitochondria and kinetoplasts (88, N-Arylpyridinium salt; 68, piperidine derivative). Amino acid derivatives with fumaric acid and piperazine moieties (4, 15) weakly inhibiting cysteine proteases seem to preferentially target acidic compartments. Our results suggest that ligand efficiency indices may be helpful to learn about the relationship between potency and chemical characteristics of the compounds. Interestingly, the correlations found between the physico-chemical parameters of the selected compounds and those of commercial molecules that target specific organelles indicate that our rationale might be helpful to drive compound design toward high activities and acceptable pharmacokinetic properties for all compound families.

Quantitative detection of C-deuterated drugs by CARS microscopy and Raman microspectroscopy.

The introduction of carbon-deuterium (C-D) bonds into drug compounds by organic synthesis is a non-invasive labelling approach, which does not alter the chemical and physiological properties of the drug itself. C-deuterated drugs exhibit characteristic vibrational signatures in the C-D stretching region around 2100-2300 cm(-1), which avoids spectral interference with contributions from a complex biological environment. In this paper, the quantitative detection of C-deuterated drugs by Raman microspectroscopy and single-band CARS microscopy is examined. Concentration-dependent studies on drugs with aliphatic and aromatic C-D moieties were performed in a two-channel microfluidic chip, using the corresponding non-deuterated (C-H) isotopologues as an internal reference.

Fenton's oxidation: a tool for the investigation of potential drug metabolites.

Within the scope of searching for new lead structures in the field of anti-infectives, we ascertained Fenton's reagent to be an easy-to-handle and non-expensive tool for screening the metabolic profile of new bioactive compounds. The underlying chemistry of the Fenton's one-electron oxidation is comparable to that of cytochrome P450, which is the main metabolism enzyme. To study the metabolic screening capability, we subjected different antibiotics and the antiplasmodial naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid dioncophylline A to Fenton's reagent and examined the obtained compound libraries by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). For ciprofloxacin and linezolid about half of literature-known metabolites were identified as products of Fenton's oxidation. For dioncophylline A six new possible metabolites were discovered.