Chemical synthesis, pharmacological evaluation and in silico analysis of new 2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyrazole derivatives as potential anti-mitotic agents.

We have synthesized new, biologically active mono- and di-substituted 2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyrazole derivatives bearing electron withdrawing groups and electron donating groups. These derivative structures were characterized by their spectral and analytical data. The newly synthesized hexahydropyrazole analogues were evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity against breast and lung cancer cell lines using a cytotoxicity bioassay. To understand their mechanism of action, tubulin binding assays were performed which pointed to their binding to microtubules in a mode similar to but not identical to colchicine, as evidenced by their KD value evaluation. Computational docking studies also suggested binding near the colchicine binding site on tubulin. These results were further confirmed by colchicine-binding assays on the most active compounds, which indicated that they bound to tubulin near but not at the colchicine site. The moderate cytotoxic effects of these compounds may be due to the presence of electron donating groups on the para-position of the phenyl ring, along with the hexahydropyrazole core nucleus. The observed anti-cancer activity based on inhibition of microtubule formation may be helpful in designing more potent compounds with a hexahydropyrazole moiety.

Synthesis and aromatase inhibitory activity of some new 16E-arylidenosteroids.

A new series of 16E-arylidene androstene derivatives has been synthesized and evaluated for aromatase inhibitory activity. The impact of various aryl substituents at 16 position of the steroid skeleton on aromatase inhibitory activity has been observed. The 16E-arylidenosteroids 6, 10 and 11 exhibited significant inhibition of the aromatase enzyme. 16-(4-Pyridylmethylene)-4-androstene-3,17-dione (6, IC(50): 5.2 µM) and 16-(benzo-[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethylene)androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (11, IC(50): 6.4 µM) were found to be approximately five times more potent in comparison to aminoglutethimide.

Synthesis, antimicrobial activity and QSAR studies of new 2,3-disubstituted-3,3a,4,5,6,7-hexahydro-2H-indazoles.

Antimicrobial activity of synthesized 2,3-disubstituted-3,3a,4,5,6,7-hexahydro-2H-indazole derivatives indicated that 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)-3,3a,4,5,6,7-hexahydro-2H-indazole (6) and 3-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)-3,3a,4,5,6,7-hexahydro-2H-indazole (20) were the most active compounds. Further, the results of QSAR studies indicated the importance of topological parameters (2)chi and (2)chi(v) in defining the antimicrobial activity of hexahydroindazoles.

3,4-Disubstituted-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroquinazoline-2-thiones: synthesis, antimicrobial evaluation and QSAR investigations using Hansch analysis.

The 3,4-disubstituted-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroquinazoline-2-thione derivatives were synthesized and characterized by physicochemical and spectral means, and the results of antimicrobial study of these compounds against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans by tube dilution method indicated that 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroquinazoline-2-thione 6 and 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroquinazoline-2-thione 12 were the most potential ones. Further, the QSAR studies by Hansch analysis applied to find out the correlation between physicochemical characteristics of synthesized compounds with antimicrobial activity demonstrated the contribution of electronic parameter, total energy (Te) and the topological parameter (valence second order molecular connectivity index (2 chi v). Excellent statistically significant models were developed by Hansch approach (r2 = 0.828-0.898) for the three microorganisms under study. The cross-validated r2 (q2), which is an indication of the predictive capability of the model for all cases was also very good (q2 = 0.776-0.875).

Synthesis and cytotoxic studies of hydroximino derivatives of some 16E-arylidenosteroids.

Oxime and dioxime derivatives of various 16E-arylidenosteroids in the androstene series have been prepared and evaluated at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda (USA) for their antineoplastic activity against various tumor cell lines in order to determine the structural requirements for cytotoxic activity. Aldol condensation of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and DHA acetate with various aldehydes followed by treatment with hydroxylamine hydrochloride resulted in the formation of 16E-arylidenosteroid-oxime system. Oximes 15, 16 and compound 20 with a higher degree of oxidation in ring A have been found active in a 60 cell line antitumor prescreen by virtue of their cytotoxic effect against one or more tumor cell line and were further referred for in vivo hollow fiber bioassay. These compounds showed interesting intraperitoneal and subcutaneous scores in the in vivo hollow fiber bioassay and have been referred to the Biological Evaluation Committee for Cancer Drugs for further detailed in vivo testing.