Synthesis and theoretical investigation of some new 4-substituted flavylium salts.

Flavylium salts substituted at 4-position with hydroxyphenyl substituents were synthesized by acidic condensation according to a slightly modified procedure described by Robinson and Walker. Their thermodynamic properties and conformational analysis have been studied at DFT level.

Free radical scavenging potency of quercetin catecholic colonic metabolites: Thermodynamics of 2H+/2e- processes.

Reaction energetics of the double (2H+/2e-), i.e., the first 1H+/1e- (catechol→ phenoxyl radical) and the second 1H+/1e- (phenoxyl radical→ quinone) free radical scavenging mechanisms of quercetin and its six colonic catecholic metabolites (caffeic acid, hydrocaffeic acid, homoprotocatechuic acid, protocatechuic acid, 4-methylcatechol, and catechol) were computationally studied using density functional theory, with the aim to estimate the antiradical potency of these molecules. We found that second hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and second sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanisms are less energy demanding than the first ones indicating 2H+/2e- processes as inherent to catechol moiety. The Gibbs free energy change for reactions of inactivation of selected free radicals indicate that catecholic colonic metabolites constitute an efficient group of more potent scavengers than quercetin itself, able to deactivate various free radicals, under different biological conditions. They could be responsible for the health benefits associated with regular intake of flavonoid-rich diet.

Antiradical activity of delphinidin, pelargonidin and malvin towards hydroxyl and nitric oxide radicals: The energy requirements calculations as a prediction of the possible antiradical mechanisms.

Naturally occurring flavonoids, delphinidin, pelargonidin and malvin, were investigated experimentally and theoretically for their ability to scavenge hydroxyl and nitric oxide radicals. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to determine antiradical activity of the selected compounds and M05-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory for the calculation of reaction enthalpies related to three possible mechanisms of free radical scavenging activity, namely HAT, SET-PT and SPLET. The results obtained show that the molecules investigated reacted with hydroxyl radical via both HAT and SPLET in the solvents investigated. These results point to HAT as implausible for the reaction with nitric oxide radical in all the solvents investigated. SET-PT also proved to be thermodynamically unfavourable for all three molecules in the solvents considered.

Free radical scavenging and COX-2 inhibition by simple colon metabolites of polyphenols: A theoretical approach.

Free radical scavenging and inhibitory potency against cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) by two abundant colon metabolites of polyphenols, i.e., 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (3-HPAA) and 4-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid (4-HPPA) were theoretically studied. Different free radical scavenging mechanisms are investigated in water and pentyl ethanoate as a solvent. By considering electronic properties of scavenged free radicals, hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanisms are found to be thermodynamically probable and competitive processes in both media. The Gibbs free energy change for reaction of inactivation of free radicals indicates 3-HPAA and 4-HPPA as potent scavengers. Their reactivity toward free radicals was predicted to decrease as follows: hydroxyl>>alkoxyls>phenoxyl≈peroxyls>>superoxide. Shown free radical scavenging potency of 3-HPAA and 4-HPPA along with their high µM concentration produced by microbial colon degradation of polyphenols could enable at least in situ inactivation of free radicals. Docking analysis with structural forms of 3-HPAA and 4-HPPA indicates dianionic ligands as potent inhibitors of COX-2, an inducible enzyme involved in colon carcinogenesis. Obtained results suggest that suppressing levels of free radicals and COX-2 could be achieved by 3-HPAA and 4-HPPA indicating that these compounds may contribute to reduced risk of colon cancer development.

Selected attributes of polyphenols in targeting oxidative stress in cancer.

Various plant polyphenols have been recognized as redox active molecules. This review discusses some aspects of polyphenols' modes of redox action, corresponding structure-activity relationships and their potential to be applied as adjuvants to conventional cytostatic drugs. Polyphenols' antioxidative capacity has been discussed as the basis for targeting oxidative stress and, consequently, for their chemopreventive and anti-inflammatory activities, which may alleviate side-effects on normal cells arising from oxidative stress caused by cytostatics. Some polyphenols may scavenge various free radicals directly, and some of them are found to suppress free radical production through inhibiting NADPH oxidases and xanthine oxidase. Additionally, polyphenols may increase antioxidative defense in normal cells by increasing the activity of NRF2, transcription factor for many protective proteins. The activation of the NRF2-mediated signaling pathways in cancer cells results in chemoresistance. Luteolin, apigenin and chrysin reduce NRF2 expression and increase the chemosensitivity of cancer cells to cytostatic drugs. Their common 5,7-dihydroxy-4H-chromen-4-one moiety, may represent a starting pharmacophore model for designing novel, non-toxic compounds for overcoming chemoresistance. However, prooxidative activity of some polyphenols (quercetin, EGCG) may also provide a basis for their use as chemotherapeutic adjuvants since they may enhance cytotoxic effects of cytostatics selectively on cancer cells. However, considerable caution is needed in applying polyphenols to anticancer therapy, since their effects greatly depend on the applied dose, the cell type, exposure time and environmental conditions.

Influence of different free radicals on scavenging potency of gallic acid.

The M05-2X/6-311++G(d,p) and B3LYP-D2/6-311++G(d,p) models are used to evaluate scavenging potency of gallic acid. The hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET), and single electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SET-PT) mechanisms of gallic acid with some radicals ((•)OO(-), (•)OH, and CH3OO(•)) were investigated using the corresponding thermodynamic quantities: bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE), ionization potential (IP), and proton affinity (PA). Namely, the ΔHBDE, ΔHIP, and ΔHPA values of the corresponding reactions in some solvents (water, DMSO, pentylethanoate, and benzene) are investigated using an implicit solvation model (SMD). An approach based on the reactions enthalpies related to the examined mechanisms is applied. This approach shows that a thermodynamically favored mechanism depends on the polarity of reaction media and properties of free radical reactive species. The most acidic 4-OH group of gallic acid is the active site for radical inactivation. The results of this investigation indicate that the SPLET mechanism can be a favored reaction pathway for all three radicals in all solvents, except for (•)OH in the aqueous solution. In water, gallic acid can inactivate (•)OH by the HAT mechanism.

Towards an improved prediction of the free radical scavenging potency of flavonoids: the significance of double PCET mechanisms.

The 1H(+)/1e(-) and 2H(+)/2e(-) proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes of free radical scavenging by flavonoids were theoretically studied for aqueous and lipid environments using the PM6 and PM7 methods. The results reported here indicate that the significant contribution of the second PCET mechanism, resulting in the formation of a quinone/quinone methide, effectively discriminates the active from inactive flavonoids. The predictive potency of descriptors related to the energetics of second PCET mechanisms (the second O-H bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE2) related to hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanism, and the second electron transfer enthalpy (ETE2) related to sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanism) are superior to the currently used indices, which are related to the first 1H(+)/1e(-) processes, and could serve as primary descriptors in development of the QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationships) of flavonoids.

Bond dissociation free energy as a general parameter for flavonoid radical scavenging activity.

Notwithstanding multiple mechanisms of radical scavenging (RS), measured RS activities (RSA) of flavonoids are usually related to O-H bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) for hydrogen atom transfer (HAT). For 12 flavonoids the reaction free energies were calculated for: (1) HAT, (2) single electron transfer-proton transfer (SET-PT) and (3) sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) in gas and aqueous phases. Aqueous free energies, like bond dissociation (BDFEaq), ionisation (IFEaq) and deprotonation (ΔGdeprot,aq) free energies were estimated using thermochemical cycles. While in gas HAT is a RS mechanism (BDFEg

Examination of the chemical behavior of the quercetin radical cation towards some bases.

It has been generally accepted that, due to high ionization potential values, single electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SET-PT) is not a plausible mechanism of antioxidant action in flavonoids. In this paper the SET-PT mechanism of quercetin (Q) was examined by revealing possible reaction paths of the once formed quercetin radical cation (Q(+)˙) at the M0-52X/6311+G(d,p) level of theory. The deprotonation of Q(+)˙ was simulated by examining its chemical behavior in the presence of three bases: methylamine (representative of neutral bases), the MeS anion (CH3S(-)) and the hydroxide anion (representative of anionic bases). It was found that Q(+)˙ will spontaneously be transformed into Q in the presence of bases whose HOMO energies are higher than the SOMO energy of Q(+)˙ in a given medium, implying that Q cannot undergo the SET-PT mechanism in such an environment. In the reaction with the MeS anion in both gaseous and aqueous phases and the hydroxide anion in the gaseous phase Q(+)˙ accepts an electron from the base, and so-formed Q undergoes the hydrogen atom transfer mechanism. On the other hand, SET-PT is a plausible mechanism of Q in the presence of bases whose HOMO energies are lower than the SOMO energy of Q(+)˙ in a given medium. In such cases Q(+)˙ spontaneously donates a proton to the base, with energetic stabilization of the system. Our investigation showed that Q conforms to the SET-PT mechanism in the presence of methylamine, in both gaseous and aqueous phases, and in the presence of the hydroxide anion, in the aqueous solution.

PM6 study of free radical scavenging mechanisms of flavonoids: why does O-H bond dissociation enthalpy effectively represent free radical scavenging activity?

It is well known that the bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) of the O-H group is related to the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanism of free radical scavenging that is preferred in gas-phase and non-polar solvents. The present work shows that the BDE may also be related to radical scavenging processes taking place in polar solvents, i.e., single electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SET-PT) and sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET). This is so because the total energy requirements related to the SET-PT [sum of the ionization potential (IP) and proton dissociation enthalpy (PDE)] and the SPLET [sum of the proton affinity (PA) and electron transfer enthalpy (ETE)] are perfectly correlated with the BDE. This could explain why the published data for polyphenolic antioxidant activity measured by various assays are better correlated with the BDE than with other reaction enthalpies involved in radical scavenging mechanisms, i.e., the IP, PDE, PA and ETE. The BDE is fairly well able to rank flavonoids as antioxidants in any medium, but to conclude which radical scavenging mechanism represents the most probable reaction pathway from the thermodynamic point of view, the IP and PA (ETE) should also be considered. This is exemplified in the case of the radical scavenging activity of 25 flavonoids.

Free radical scavenging activity of morin 2'-O(-) phenoxide anion.

Due to intramolecular H-atom transfer, deprotonation of the most acidic 3-OH group of morin yields 2'-O(-) phenoxide anion. The reaction enthalpies related to mechanisms of free radical scavenging activity of this dominant species at a physiological pH of 7.4 were calculated by PM6 and DFT methods in gas-phase, water, benzene and DMSO. Results indicate the 4'-OH group of 2'-O(-) phenoxide anion is the active site for radical inactivation. The thermodynamically favoured mechanism depends on the polarity of the reaction media: in polar solvents (water and DMSO), the sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanism is preferred while in non-polar benzene (and in gas-phase), the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanism is responsible for the free radical scavenging activity of the morin phenoxide anion. Results show that the fast, semiempirical PM6 method fairly mimics more accurate, though time-consuming DFT methodologies.

PM6 and DFT study of free radical scavenging activity of morin.

Flavonoids have long been recognised for their general health-promoting properties, of which their antioxidant activity may play an important role. In this work, we have studied the properties of flavonoid morin using semiempirical and density functional theory (DFT) methods in order to validate the application of the recently developed parametric method 6 (PM6). Reaction enthalpies related to mechanisms of free radical scavenging by flavonoid morin were calculated by DFT and PM6 methods in gas-phase, water, DMSO and benzene. It has been shown that fast semiempirical PM6 method can mimic results obtained by means of more accurate time consuming DFT calculations. Thermodynamically favoured mechanism depends on reaction medium: SPLET (sequential proton loss electron transfer) is preferred in water and DMSO, and HAT (hydrogen atom transfer) is predominant in gas-phase. In benzene these two mechanisms are competitive.

Prediction of carcinogenicity for diverse chemicals based on substructure grouping and SVM modeling.

The Carcinogenicity Reliability Database (CRDB) was constructed by collecting experimental carcinogenicity data on about 1,500 chemicals from six sources, including IARC, and NTP databases, and then by ranking their reliabilities into six unified categories. A wide variety of 911 organic chemicals were selected from the database for QSAR modeling, and 1,504 kinds of different molecular descriptors were calculated, based on their 3D molecular structures as modeled by the Dragon software. Positive (carcinogenic) and negative (non-carcinogenic) chemicals containing various substructures were counted using atom and functional group count descriptors, and the statistical significance of ratios of positives to negatives was tested for those substructures. Very few were judged to be strongly related to carcinogenicity, among substructures known to be responsible for carcinogens as revealed from biomedical studies. In order to develop QSAR models for the prediction of the carcinogenicities of a wide variety of chemicals with a satisfactory performance level, the relationship between the carcinogenicity data with improved reliability and a subset of significant descriptors selected from 1,504 Dragon descriptors was analyzed with a support vector machine (SVM) method: the classification function (SVC) for weighted data in LIBSVM program was used to classify chemicals into two carcinogenic categories (positive or negative), where weights were set depending on the reliabilities of the carcinogenicity data. The quality and stability of the models presented were tested by performing a dual cross-validation procedure. A single SVM model as the first step was developed for all the 911 chemicals using 250 selected descriptors, achieving an overall accuracy level, i.e., positive and negative correct estimate, of about 70%. In order to improve the accuracy of the final model, the 911 chemicals were classified into 20 mutually overlapping subgroups according to contained substructures, a specific SVM model was optimized for each subgroup, and the predicted carcinogenicities of the 911 chemicals were determined by the majorities of the outputs of the corresponding SVM models. The model developed on the basis of grouping of chemicals into 20 substructures predicts the carcinogenicities of a wide variety of chemicals with a satisfactory overall accuracy of approximately 80%.

Reliability of bond dissociation enthalpy calculated by the PM6 method and experimental TEAC values in antiradical QSAR of flavonoids.

The applicability of the newly developed RM1 and PM6 methods implemented in the semiempirical quantum chemistry mopac2009 software package in modeling free radical scavenging activity of flavonoids was examined. Bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) of OH groups could be calculated much faster than with DFT method but with similar quality. Despite the known shortcomings of the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay, we show that taking into account the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanism of free radical scavenging of flavonoids encoded by minimal BDE values (BDE(min)) and the number of OH groups (nOH), as well as experimental data, reasonable QSAR models could be developed. For TEAC values of 38 flavonoids measured by the ABTS free radical, a model based on BDE(min) and nOH was developed, having very good statistical parameters (r=0.983, r(cv)=0.976). The applicability of this model to three different data sets of flavonoids and reliability of TEAC values measured in distinct laboratories were discussed. Finally, a reasonably good model of experimental vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacity (VCEAC) of 36 flavonoids was obtained (r=0.954, r(cv)=0.947), involving BDE(min) and nOH as descriptors. Additionally, all presented models have comparable fit and cross-validated statistical parameters, as well as significant regression coefficients.

Bond dissociation enthalpies calculated by the PM3 method confirm activity cliffs in radical scavenging of flavonoids.

Radical scavenging potency of flavonoids is associated with activity cliffs, i.e., small chemical modifications on flavonoid core can have a significant effect on activity. The presence or absence of the 3',4'-diOH and/or 3-OH group may serve as an activity switch for radical scavenging. The physicochemical background of such an indicator variable, defined previously (Amic et al. (2003) Croat Chem Acta 76:55-61), is confirmed by computation of bond dissociation enthalpies and selecting the minimal of all values relating to flavonoid OH groups. Bond dissociation enthalpies for hydrogen abstraction from OH groups for 29 flavonoids were calculated by the PM3 method. Minimal bond dissociation enthalpy values were obtained for OH groups attached to C-3, C-3' and C-4' positions, and they correspond to the previously introduced indicator variable. Taking into account some driving forces of the radical scavenging mechanism, it is possible to relate structural characteristics of flavonoids to their radical scavenging potency as well as to develop reliable structure-activity models.

Antioxidant QSAR modeling as exemplified on polyphenols.

Methodology for deriving quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models based on computed molecular descriptors, representing numerically structural features of polyphenols, and applicable to the antioxidant activity of polyphenols is delineated. The application of this methodology is illustrated on a data set of 100 polyphenols. Prior to the computation of molecular descriptors, molecular structures are coded in the SMILES form, a computer-acceptable version of structure, and then converted to the 3D form by the CORINA program. Using 3D structures, molecular descriptors can be calculated by one of several programs developed (we used the DRAGON program in this study). Finally, using computer program for selection of most important descriptors in the model, a two-descriptor model is selected and its use is illustrated.

SAR and QSAR of the antioxidant activity of flavonoids.

Flavonoids are a group of naturally occurring phytochemicals abundantly present in fruits, vegetables, and beverages such as wine and tea. In the past two decades, flavonoids have gained enormous interest because of their beneficial health effects such as anti-inflammatory, cardio-protective and anticancer activities. These findings have contributed to the dramatic increase in the consumption and use of dietary supplements containing high concentrations of plant flavonoids. The pharmacological effect of flavonoids is mainly due to their antioxidant activity and their inhibition of certain enzymes. In spite of abundant data, structural requirements and mechanisms underlying these effects have not been fully understood. This review presents the current knowledge about structure-activity relationships (SARs) and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) of the antioxidant activity of flavonoids. SAR and QSAR can provide useful tools for revealing the nature of flavonoid antioxidant action. They may also help in the design of new and efficient flavonoids, which could be used as potential therapeutic agents.