Biology-oriented drug synthesis and evaluation of secnidazole esters as novel enzyme inhibitors.

The identification of novel compounds that can inhibit physiologically and metabolically important drug targets or enzymes has prime importance in medicinal chemistry. With this aim, a range of secnidazole esters 1-30 were synthesized under the heading of biology-oriented drug synthesis by the 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole-mediated coupling reaction between secnidazole and varyingly benzoic acid derivatives. All compounds were screened for inhibitory activity against human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) I and II, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and α-glucosidase. The results indicate that all the synthesized compounds showed potent inhibitory activities against all targets, as compared to the standard inhibitors, revealed by IC50 values. Ki values of the secnidazole derivatives 1-30 for hCA I, hCA II, AChE, BChE, and α-glucosidase enzymes were obtained in the ranges of 47.37-190.74, 44.38-198.21, 12.14-68.37, 8.04-61.53, and 7.78-45.91 nM, respectively. To assess the enzyme-ligand interactions, the optimized most active compounds 2, 3, 8, 9, 14, 17, and 23 were subjected to molecular docking studies with modeled AChE, BChE, hCA I, hCA II, and α-glucosidase enzymes, where several important and key interactions were monitored with amino acid residues of each target enzyme.

A Case of Intermittent Left Bundle Branch Block.

An 82-year-old woman with uncontrolled hypertension and occasional exertional dyspnea was found to be in intermittent left bundle branch block (LBBB). Her laboratory results, echocardiogram, and ischemic workup were unremarkable. This case highlights that intermittent LBBB is not always associated with coronary ischemia, vasospasm, blunt cardiac injury, drugs, and high catecholaminergic or inflammatory states.

Cardiac Manifestations in a Case of Severe Hyperkalemia.

Severe hyperkalemia is a life-threatening electrolyte imbalance that may lead to fatal arrhythmias. ECG (electrocardiogram) and serum potassium levels are vital for diagnosing and stratifying the risk. Management involves shifting potassium intracellularly and eliminating it through renal and gastrointestinal routes. Failure to diagnose early and manage severe hyperkalemia requires emergent hemodialysis.

2-Arylquinazolin-4(3H)-ones: Inhibitory Activities Against Xanthine Oxidase.

2-Arylquinazolin-4(3H)-ones (1-25) were synthesized, and evaluated for their xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. Significant to moderate activities were exhibited by the compounds 1-3, 7, 9, 13-15, 19-21, and 23 with IC50 between 2.80 - 28.13 µM as compared to the standard allopurinol (IC50 (IC50 = 2.01 ± 0.01 µM). Compounds 4-6, 8, 11-12, 16-18, 22, and 24 demonstrated a weak activity with IC50 values 44.60 - 112.60 µM. Nonetheless, compounds 10 and 25 did not show any activity. Amongst all derivatives, compound 2, containing a C-4´ dimethylamino group, was the most potent inhibitor of the enzyme with an IC50 value comparable to the standard. Kinetics studies on the most active compounds (2, 7, 9, 14, 15, 19, and 20) were conducted in order to determine their modes of inhibition and dissociation constants Ki. Some of the compounds of 2-arylquinazolin-4(3H)-one series were thus identified as potential leads for further studies towards the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.