Preliminary antifungal and cytotoxic evaluation of synthetic cycloalkyl[b]thiophene derivatives with PLS-DA analysis.

A series of 2-[(arylidene)amino]-cycloalkyl[b]thiophene-3-carbonitriles (2a-x) was synthesized by incorporation of substituted aromatic aldehydes in Gewald adducts (1a-c). The title compounds were screened for their antifungal activity against Candida krusei and Criptococcus neoformans and for their antiproliferative activity against a panel of 3 human cancer cell lines (HT29, NCI H-292 and HEP). For antiproliferative activity, the partial least squares (PLS) methodology was applied. Some of the prepared compounds exhibited promising antifungal and proliferative properties. The most active compounds for antifungal activity were cyclohexyl[b]thiophene derivatives, and for antiproliferative activity cycloheptyl[b]thiophene derivatives, especially 2-[(1H-indol-2-yl-methylidene)amino]- 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-cyclohepta[b]thiophene-3-carbonitrile (2r), which inhibited more than 97 % growth of the three cell lines. The PLS discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) applied generated good exploratory and predictive results and showed that the descriptors having shape characteristics were strongly correlated with the biological data.

Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of indole-imidazolidine derivatives.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) represent a group of approximately 50 different medicines that are widely prescribed for the management of inflammation and that exhibit variable anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and analgesic activities. Most NSAIDs also exhibit a shared set of adverse effects, particularly related to gastrointestinal complications; thus, the development of new drugs for the treatment of chronic inflammation and pain continues to be an issue of high interest. Hydantoin and indole derivatives are reported to possess various pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of hybrid molecules containing imidazole and indole nuclei. The anti-inflammatory activities of 5-(1H-Indol-3-yl-methylene)-2-thioxo-imidazolidin-4-one (LPSF/NN-56) and 3-(4-Bromo-benzyl)-5-(1H-indol-3-yl-methylene)-2thioxo-imidazolidin-4-one (LPSF/NN-52) were evaluated using air pouch and carrageenan-induced peritonitis models as well as an acetic acid-induced vascular permeability model followed by IL-1ß and TNF-α quantification. To evaluate the antinociceptive activities of the compounds, acetic acid-induced nociception, formalin and hot plate tests were also performed. The anti-inflammatory activities of the compounds were evidenced by a reduction in both leukocyte migration and the release of TNF-α and IL-1ß in air pouch and peritonitis models. Upon acetic acid-induced nociception, a decrease in the level of abdominal writhing in the groups treated with LPSF/NN-52 (52.1%) or LPSF/NN-56 (63.1%) was observed. However, in the hot plate test, none of the derivatives tested exhibited an inhibition of nociception. These results indicate that the compounds tested exhibited promising anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities that likely involved the modulation of the immune system.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential of Caesalpinia ferrea

Caesalpinia ferrea Mart. belongs to the family Fabaceae. Known as pau-ferro and jucá, it is used in folk medicine to treat diabetes, as antipyretic and antirheumatic. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of the ethanol extract of the fruits of C. ferrea (EECf). In the evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity, EECf (50 mg/kg) produced significantly inhibition of ear edema by 66.6 percent compared to control. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg) showed inhibition of 83.9 percent compared to control. EECf (50 mg/kg) inhibited of vascular permeability induced by acetic acid and was also able to reduce of cell migration to the peritoneal cavity induced by thioglycolate. In the writhing test induced by acid acetic, EECf (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg) significantly reduced the number of contortions by 24.9, 46.9 and 74.2 percent, respectively. In the formalin test, EECf presented effects only in the second phase. The results provided experimental evidence for the effectiveness of the traditional use of C. ferrea in treating various diseases associated with inflammation and pain.