Benzene, coumarin and quinolinone derivatives from roots of Citrus hystrix.

Two coumarins, hystrixarin (1) and (+)-hopeyhopin (2); a benzenoid derivative, hystroxene-I (3) and a quinolinone alkaloid, hystrolinone (4), along with 33 known compounds were isolated from the crude acetone extract of the roots of Citrus hystrix. Their structures were determined by analysis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. The antioxidant, anti-HIV and antibacterial activities of the isolated compounds were also evaluated.

Voreloxin, a first-in-class anticancer quinolone derivative, in relapsed/refractory solid tumors: a report on two dosing schedules.

PURPOSE: Voreloxin, a novel replication-dependent DNA-damaging agent, intercalates DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II. Voreloxin induces site-selective DNA double-strand breaks and apoptosis. We report the phase 1 experience of voreloxin in patients with relapsed/refractory solid tumors, including dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), pharmacokinetics, and clinical activity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Two dose-escalation studies evaluated voreloxin administered i.v. every 3 weeks (SPO-0001) or weekly for 3 weeks every 28 days (SPO-0002). In SPO-0001, patients were classified as heavily pretreated (HP) or minimally pretreated (MP) based on therapeutic history. RESULTS: In the SPO-0001 study, 41 patients (24 HP/17 MP) were treated in eight dose cohorts (3-75 mg/m(2)). At 60 mg/m(2), four HP patients experienced DLTs: grade 4 neutropenia (n = 3, one with fever) and grade 3 febrile neutropenia/pneumonia (n = 1). At 75 mg/m(2), two MP patients experienced DLTs: grade 4 neutropenia/thrombocytopenia (n = 1) or grade 2 oral thrush for >29 days (n = 1). Therefore, the MTD was 48 mg/m(2) (HP patients) and 60 mg/m(2) (MP patients). In the SPO-0002 study, 21 patients were treated in six dose cohorts (3-24 mg/m(2)). At 18 mg/m(2), two patients experienced DLTs: grade 3 neutropenia, one with pleural effusion (>14 days each). The MTD was 15 mg/m(2). Voreloxin exhibited low clearance (2 L/h/m(2)), a long terminal half-life (22 hours), and dose-proportional exposure. Overall, 31 of 62 patients had stable disease and 1 patient (ovarian cancer) had a partial response per Rustin criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Voreloxin showed an acceptable safety profile with clinical activity in patients with relapsed/refractory solid tumors. The MTD was schedule-dependent. Voreloxin is currently in clinical studies of ovarian cancer and acute myeloid leukemia.

Probabilistic neural network multiple classifier system for predicting the genotoxicity of quinolone and quinoline derivatives.

Quinolone and quinoline are known to be liver carcinogens in rodents, and a number of their derivatives have been shown to exhibit mutagenicity in the Ames test, using Salmonella typhimurium strain TA 100 in the presence of S9. Both the carcinogenicity and the mutagenicity of quinolone and quinoline derivatives, as determined by SAS, can be attributed to their genotoxicity potential. This potential, which is measured by genotoxicity tests, is a good indication of carcinogenicity and mutagenicity because compounds that are positive in these tests have the potential to be human carcinogens and/or mutagens. In this study, a collection of quinolone and quinoline derivatives' carcinogenicity is determined by qualitatively predicting their genotoxicity potential with predictive PNN (probabilistic neural network) classification models. In addition, a multiple classifier system is also developed to improve the predictability of genotoxicity. Superior results are seen with the multiple classifier system over the individual PNN classification models. With the multiple classifier system, 89.4% of the quinolone derivatives were predicted correctly, and higher predictability is seen with the quinoline derivatives at 92.2% correct. The multiple classifier system not only is able to accurately predict the genotoxicity but also provides an insight about the main determinants of genotoxicity of the quinolone and quinoline derivatives. Thus, the PNN multiple classifier system generated in this study is a beneficial contributor toward predictive toxicology in the design of less carcinogenic bioactive compounds.

In vitro antimicrobial activity of gatifloxacin compared with other quinolones against clinical isolates from cancer patients.

Owing to the predominance of gram-positive pathogens in neutropenic cancer patients, newer generation quinolones with an expanded gram-positive spectrum and enhanced potency, may have a role to play for prophylaxis and/or empiric therapy in such patients. The in vitro activity of gatifloxacin was compared with that of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and trovafloxacin against 848 recent clinical isolates from cancer patients. Against gram-positive organisms, gatifloxacin was the most active agent tested inhibiting all Aerococcus, Listeria monocytogens, Micrococcus, Stomatococcus mucilaginous, Bacillus, and Rhodococcus equi strains at < or =2 mg/l, its designated susceptibility breakpoint. It was also very active against methicillin-susceptible staphylococci and Streptococcus spp. (including penicillin nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae and viridans streptococci). It had moderate activity against methicillin-resistant staphylococci and Enterococcus faecalis, inhibiting 68-80% of these strains at < or =2 mg/l. Gatifloxacin also had good activity against the Enterobacteriaceae (although ciprofloxacin was more potent) inhibiting >95% of isolates at < or =1 mg/l. Nonfermentative gram-negative organisms were less susceptible to all 4 agents. Gatifloxacin was very active against Acinetobacter lwoffi (MIC100 0.12 mg/l) and had moderate activity against Acinetobacter baumanii, Chryseobacterium spp., Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other Pseudomonas species. Alcaligenes xylosoxidans strains were relatively resistant to all 4 agents.

Quinolactacins A, B and C: novel quinolone compounds from Penicillium sp. EPF-6. I. Taxonomy, production, isolation and biological properties.

Quinolactacins A (1), B (2) and C (3), novel quinolone antibiotics have been found from the cultured broth of a fungal strain isolated from the larvae of the mulberry pyralid Margaronia pyloalis Welker). The fungal strain, EPF-6 was identified as Penicillium sp. from its morphological characteristics. Quinolactacins were obtained from the culture medium by solvent extraction and chromatographic purification. Compound 1 showed inhibitory activity against tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production induced by murine peritoneal macrophages and macrophage-like J774.1 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Quinolonas: aspectos generales sobre su estructura y clasificación / Quinolones: general characteristics of structure and classification

Las quinolonas constituyen uno de los grupos de antimicrobianos de mayor desarrollo. Químicamente son estructuras bicíclicas heteroaromáticas, constituidas por un núcleo piridona- ß-ácido carboxílico y un anillo aromático. La relación entre la estructura química y la actividad biológica (relación estructura-actividad) de estas moléculas ha motivado la síntesis de compuestos con distintos radicales en la estructura química básica. Posición 1: el sustituyente de mayor importancia es el grupo ciclopropil que combina favorables propiedades estéricas, espaciales y de interacción electrónica exhibiendo las quinolonas que poseen este grupo una potente actividad sobre bacilos Gram negativos; otros sustituyentes de importante desarrollo son los anillos bencénico mono o difluorados, que amplían el espectro de actividad y mejoran las propiedades farmacocinéticas, pero podrían estar asociadas a fenómenos de toxicidad. Las posiciones 2, 3, 4 no presentan mayores variaciones. La posición 6 prácticamente define, por la presencia de flúor, a las modernas quinolonas, sin embargo, se han sintetizado quinolonas experimentales sin flúor que presentan una interesante actividad in vitro. Posición 5, la presencia de grupos amino o metilo favorece algunas propiedades farmacocinéticas. Posición 8: la presencia de halógenos aumenta la actividad antianaerobia, en particular Cl y F, pero se asocia a fenómenos de fototoxicidad incentivando la síntesis de compuestos sin halógenos. También estas moléculas se clasifican en generaciones de acuerdo al momento de su síntesis y los radicales utilizados

Esparfloxacino e as fluorquinolonas: uma revisäo de sua classificaçäo, atividade antibacteriana, mecanismo de açäo, características farmacocinéticas, tolerabilidade e perspectivas farmacêuticas / Sparfloxacin and the fluoroquinolones: a review of classification, antibacterial activity, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic properties, tolerability and pharmaceutical perspectives

Foi realizada uma revisäo na literatura sobre as quinolonas, classe antibacteriana que possui amplo espectro de açäo, enfocando, principalmente, o esparfloxacino, fluorquinolona de terceira geraçäo que possui potente atividade contra bactérias Gram-positivas, como Streptococcus pneumoniae e Staphylococcus aureus inclusive cepas metilina resistentes (MRSA), bactérias Gram-negativas, anaeróbios, Legionella spp, Mycoplasma spp, Chlamydia spp e Mycobacterium spp.

Farmacología de las nuevas fluoroquinolonas y su utilidad en el manejo de infecciones / Pharmacology of new fluroquinolonas and its the handling of infections

Analiza que las nuevas fluoroquinolonas tienen un potente alcance sobre las bacterias Grampositivas y Gramnegativas, excelente penetración tisular, conveniente dosificación oral de una a dos veces diarias, y la Sparfloxacina y Levofloxacina parecen tener mayor efectividad que las antiguas quinolonas contra el pneumococo. Desafortunadamente, las reacciones de fotosensibilidad y otras reacciones adversas, han sido reportadas y ninguna es recomendada para ser empleada en niños, jóvenes menores de dieciocho años, mujeres embarazadas o lactantes, todo ello apoyado en estudios efectuados con animales. Sin embargo, estos efectos no ha sido claramente dilucidados. Pero en muchos casos, estos fármacos tienen un indiscriminado o inapropiado uso y ello requiere conocimiento para el adecuado manejo de las infecciones nosocomiales o de las adquiridas en la comunidad.

Quinolonas / Quinolones

Os agentes antimicrobianos estäo entre os medicamentos prescritos com maior frequência e, a cada dia, aumentam em número e complexidade, tornando-se cada vez mais difícil, até mesmo para os especialistas em doenças infecciosas, a manutençäo de conhecimentos atualizados nesta área. Os autores fazem uma revisäo sobre os anticrobianos sintéticos do grupo das quinolonas, procurando abordar alguns aspectos práticos de seu uso na prática médica diária.