Identification of potential inhibitors of Zika virus targeting NS3 helicase using molecular dynamics simulations and DFT studies.

Despite the various research efforts towards the drug discovery program for Zika virus treatment, no antiviral drugs or vaccines have yet been discovered. The spread of the mosquito vector and ZIKV infection exposure is expected to accelerate globally due to continuing global travel. The NS3-Hel is a non-structural protein part and involved in different functions such as polyprotein processing, genome replication, etc. It makes an NS3-Hel protein an attractive target for designing novel drugs for ZIKV treatment. This investigation identifies the novel, potent ZIKV inhibitors by virtual screening and elucidates the binding pattern using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies. The molecular dynamics simulation results indicate dynamic stability between protein and ligand complexes, and the structures keep significantly unchanged at the binding site during the simulation period. All inhibitors found within the acceptable range having drug-likeness properties. The synthetic feasibility score suggests that all screened inhibitors can be easily synthesizable. Therefore, possible inhibitors obtained from this study can be considered a potential inhibitor for NS3 Hel, and further, it could be provided as a lead for drug development.

Novel candidates in the clinical development pipeline for TB drug development and their synthetic approaches.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world. Mtb has the ability to become dormant within the host and to develop resistance. Hence, new antitubercular agents are required to overcome problems in the treatment of multi-drug-resistant Tb (MDR-Tb) and extensively drug-resistant Tb (XDR-Tb) along with shortening the treatment time. Several efforts are being made to develop very effective new drugs for Tb, within the pharmaceutical industry, the academia and through public-private partnerships. This review will address the antitubercular activities, biological target, mode of action, synthetic approaches and thoughtful concept for the development of several new drugs currently in the clinical trial pipeline (up to October 2019) for tuberculosis. The aim of this review may be very useful in scheming new chemical entities (NCEs) for Mtb.

Synthesis of 2-methoxy-3-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)quinoline containing amino carbinols as antitubercular agents.

We have designed and synthesized 2-methoxy-3-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)quinoline containing amino carbinols as possible anti-tubercular agents to combat the disease. These molecules were synthesized by tethering amino ether linkage with hydroxyl group to diarylquinoline skeleton; hydroxyl and amine chains were engrafted on diaryl ring. They were evaluated against strain (H37Ra) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and most of compounds showed in vitro antitubercular activity. Two compounds having diaryl quinoline hydroxyl amino ether scaffold and three compounds having diaryl amino alkyl carbinol core showed activities at 6.25 µg/mL. This study explores diaryl carbinol prototype as inhibitor against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.