Discovery andsynthesis of novel benzoylhydrazone neuraminidase inhibitors.

Neuraminidase (NA) serves as a promising target for the exploration and development of anti-influenza drugs. In this work, lead compound 5 was discovered through pharmacophore-based virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulation, and 14 new compounds were obtained by modifying the lead compound 5 based on pharmacophore features. The biological activity test shows that 5n (IC50 = 0.13 µM) has a better inhibitory effect on wild-type NA (H5N1), while 5i (IC50 = 0.44 µM) has a prominent inhibitory effect on mutant NA (H5N1-H274Y), both of them are better than the positive control oseltamivir carboxylate (OSC). The analysis of docking results indicate that the good activities of compounds 5n and 5i may be attributed to the thiophene ring in 5n can stretch into the 150-cavity of NA, whereas the thiophene moiety in 5i can extend to the 430-cavity of NA. The findings of this study may be helpful for the discovery of new NA inhibitors.

Design, synthesis and inhibition evaluation of novel chalcone amide α-glucosidase inhibitors.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to design and synthesize a series of novel chalcone amide α-glucosidase (AG) inhibitors (L1-L10) based on virtual screening and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Materials & methods: Target compounds (L1-L10) were synthesized from 2-hydroxyacetophenone and methyl 4-formylbenzoate. Results: In vitro activity test shows that most compounds have good AG inhibition. Specially, compound L4 (IC50 = 8.28 ± 0.04 µM) had the best inhibitory activity, superior to positive control acarbose (IC50 = 8.36 ± 0.02 µM). Molecular docking results show that the good potency of L4 maybe attributed to strong interactions between chalcone skeleton and active site, and the torsion of carbon nitrogen bond in amide group. Conclusion: Compound L4 maybe regard as a good anti-Type II diabetes candidate to preform further study.

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Discovery of novel polyheterocyclic neuraminidase inhibitors with 1,3,4-oxadiazole thioetheramide as core backbone.

Inspired by our earlier findings regarding neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors interacting with 150-cavity or 430-cavity of NA, sixteen novel polyheterocyclic NA inhibitors with 1,3,4-oxadiazole thioetheramide as core backbone were designed and synthesized based on the lead compound ZINC13401480. Of the synthesized compounds, compound N5 targeting 150-cavity exerts the best inhibitory activity against the wild-type H5N1 NA, with IC50 value of 0.14 µM, which is superior to oseltamivir carboxylate (OSC) (IC50 = 0.31 µM). Compound N10 targeting 430-cavity exhibits the best activity against the H5N1-H274Y mutant NA. Although the activity of N10 is comparable to that of OSC for wild-type H5N1 inhibition, it is approximately 60-fold more potent than OSC against the H274Y mutant, suggesting that it is not easy for the virus to develop drug resistance and is attractive for drug development. N10 (EC50 = 0.11 µM) also exhibits excellent antiviral activity against H5N1, which is superior to the positive control OSC (EC50 = 1.47 µM). Molecular docking study shows that the occupation of aromatic fused rings and oxadiazole moiety at the active site and the extension of the substituted phenyl to the 150-cavity or 430-cavity make great contributions to the good potency of this series of polyheterocyclic NA inhibitors. Some advancements in the discovery of effective target-specific NA inhibitors in this study may offer some assistance in the development of more potent anti-influenza drugs.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of sulfamethazine derivatives as potent neuraminidase inhibitors.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to design and synthesize a new series of sulfamethazine derivatives as potent neuraminidase inhibitors. Materials & methods: A sulfamethazine lead compound, ZINC670537, was first identified by structure-based virtual screening technique, then some novel inhibitors X1-X10 based on ZINC670537 were designed and synthesized. Results: Compound X3 exerts the most good potency in inhibiting the wild-type H5N1 NA (IC50 = 6.74 µM) and the H274Y mutant NA (IC50 = 21.09 µM). 150-cavity occupation is very important in determining activities of these inhibitors. The sulfamethazine moiety also plays an important role. Conclusion: Compound X3 maybe regard as a good anti-influenza candidate to preform further study.

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