First evaluation of the anxiolytic-like effects of a bromazepam­palladium complex in mice.

A significant fraction of patients are affected by persistent fear and anxiety. Currently, there are several anxiolytic drug options, however their clinical outcomes do not fully manage the symptoms. Here, we evaluated the effects of a bromazepam­palladium derivative [2-{(7-bromo-2-oxo-1,3-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-5-il)pyridinyl-κ2-N,N}chloropalladium(II)], [(BMZ)PdCl2], on fear/anxiety and memory-related behavior in mice. For this, female Swiss mice were treated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with saline (NaCl 0.9%) or [(BMZ)PdCl2] (0.5, 5.0, or 50 µg/kg). After 30 min, different tests were performed to evaluate anxiety, locomotion, and memory. We also evaluated the acute toxicity of [(BMZ)PdCl2] using a cell viability assay (neutral red uptake assay), and whether the drugs mechanism of action involves the γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor complex by pre-treating animals with flumazenil (1.0 mg/kg, i.p., a competitive antagonist of GABAA-binding site). Our results demonstrate that [(BMZ)PdCl2] induces an anxiolytic-like phenotype in the elevated plus-maze test and that this effect can be blocked by flumazenil. Furthermore, there were no behavioral alterations induced by [(BMZ)PdCl2], as evaluated in the light-dark box, open field, and step-down passive avoidance tests. In the acute toxicity assay, [(BMZ)PdCl2] presented IC50 and LD50 values of 218 ± 60 µg/mL and 780 ± 80 mg/kg, respectively, and GSH category 4. Taken together, our results show that the anxiolytic-like effect of acute treatment with [(BMZ)PdCl2] occurs through the modulation of the benzodiazepine site in the GABAA receptor complex. Moreover, we show indications that [(BMZ)PdCl2] does not promote sedation and amnesia and presents the same toxicity as the bromazepam prototype.

Comparative chemical and biological hydrolytic stability of homologous esters and isosteres.

Esters are one of the major functional groups present in the structures of prodrugs and bioactive compounds. Their presence is often associated with hydrolytic lability. In this paper, we describe a comparative chemical and biological stability of homologous esters and isosteres in base media as well as in rat plasma and rat liver microsomes. Our results provided evidence for the hydrolytic structure lability relationship and demonstrated that the hydrolytic stability in plasma and liver microsome might depend on carboxylesterase activity. Molecular modelling studies were performed in order to understand the experimental data. Taken together, the data could be useful to design bioactive compounds or prodrugs based on the correct choice of the ester subunit, addressing compounds with higher or lower metabolic lability.

Chloroquine analogs as antimalarial candidates with potent in vitro and in vivo activity.

In spite of recent efforts to eradicate malaria in the world, this parasitic disease is still considered a major public health problem, with a total of 216 million cases of malaria and 445,000 deaths in 2016. Artemisinin-based combination therapies remain effective in most parts of the world, but recent cases of resistance in Southeast Asia have urged for novel approaches to treat malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. In this work, we present chloroquine analogs that exhibited high activity against sensitive and chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum blood parasites and were also active against P. berghei infected mice. Among the compounds tested, DAQ, a chloroquine analog with a more linear side chain, was shown to be the most active in vitro and in vivo, with low cytotoxicity, and therefore may serve as the basis for the development of more effective chloroquine analogs to aid malaria eradication.