Biotin-Targeted Nanomicellar Formulation of an Anderson-Type Polyoxomolybdate: Synthesis and In Vitro Cytotoxicity Evaluations.

This study is aimed at developing a micellar carrier for an Anderson-type manganese polyoxomolybdate (TRIS-MnPOMo) to improve the potency and reduce the general toxicity. The biotin-targeted stearic acid-polyethylene glycol (SPB) polymeric conjugate was selected for the first time as a micelle-forming basis for the delivery of TRIS-MnPOMo to breast cancer cells. The cytotoxicity of TRIS-MnPOMo and its nanomicellar form (TRIS-MnPOMo@SPB) was evaluated against MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer cell lines), and HUVEC (normal cell line) in vitro using the MTT assay. The quantity of cellular uptake and apoptosis level were studied properly using standard methods. The hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index of the prepared micelles were 140 nm, -15.6 mV, and 0.16, respectively. The critical micelle concentration was about 30 µg/mL, which supports the colloidal stability of the micellar dispersion. The entrapment efficiency was interestingly high (about 82%), and a pH-responsive release of TRIS-MnPOMo was successfully achieved. The micellar form showed better cytotoxicity than the free TRIS-MnPOMo on cancer cells without any significant heme and normal cell toxicity. Biotin-targeted nanomicelles internalized into the MDA-MB-231 cells interestingly better than nontargeted micelles and TRIS-MnPOMo, most probably via the endocytosis pathway. Furthermore, at the same concentration, micelles remarkably increased the level of induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, TRIS-MnPOMo@SPB could profoundly improve potency, safety, and cellular uptake; these results are promising for further evaluations in vivo.

Design and synthesis of novel quinazolinone-pyrazole derivatives as potential α-glucosidase inhibitors: Structure-activity relationship, molecular modeling and kinetic study.

In this study, a new series of quinazolinone-pyrazole hybrids were designed, synthesized and screened for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The results of the in vitro screening indicated that all the molecular hybrids exhibited more inhibitory activity (IC50 values ranging from 60.5 ± 0.3 µM-186.6 ± 20 µM) in comparison to standard acarbose (IC50 = 750.0 ± 10.0 µM). Limited structure-activity relationship suggested that the variation in the inhibitory activities of the compounds affected by different substitutions on phenyl rings of diphenyl pyrazole moiety. The enzyme kinetic studies of the most potent compound 9i revealed that it inhibited α-glucosidase in a competitive mode with a Ki of 56 µM. Molecular docking study was performed to predict the putative binding interaction. As expected, all pharmacophoric moieties used in the initial structure design playing a pivotal role in the interaction with the binding site of the enzyme. In addition, by performing molecular dynamic investigation and MM-GBSA calculation, we investigated the difference in structural perturbation and dynamic behavior that is observed over α-glycosidase in complex with the most active compound and acarbose relative to unbound α-glycosidase enzyme.

Boron phenyl alanine targeted chitosan-PNIPAAm core-shell thermo-responsive nanoparticles: boosting drug delivery to glioblastoma in BNCT.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is one of the best treatment modalities for glioblastoma multiform that could selectively kill the tumor cells. To be successful in BNCT, it is crucial to have enough 10B in the tumor. l-boron phenylalanine (l-BPA) targeted thermo-responsive core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) of chitosan-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) were our idea for endocytosis via sialic acid receptors, and selective delivery of 10B to glial cells. Methotrexate (MTX) was chosen as a model drug for evaluating the efficacy of NPs in tumor cells, and BPA was selected for BNCT purposes. The polymeric conjugates were synthesized and the chemical structures were approved by spectroscopic methods (FTIR, 1H NMR, and 11B NMR). Cargos were loaded efficiently (>95%) in the prepared NPs, and the release profile of MTX and BPA was studied around the lower critical solution temperature (LCST; about 39 °C). The loaded drugs were released quantitatively at the LCST, while almost no drug was released at 37 °C. The prepared NPs did not show considerable hemolysis ratio (<2%) and were still safe when loaded BPA, on U87MG cells. The MTX loaded NPs showed lower IC50 (30.78 µg/mL) than the free MTX (37.03 µg/mL) in MTT assay, and targeted NPs had the lowest IC50s in U87MG cell lines (27.35 µg/mL). Targeted BPA@CSSU-PNI NPs were uptaken better than the non-targeted ones by U87MG cells, and CR-39 assay showed the boron content efficiency for further applications in BNCT. This study's results introduce novel targeted thermo-responsive NPs for treating glioblastoma using BNCT.

Boron phenyl alanine targeted ionic liquid decorated chitosan nanoparticles for mitoxantrone delivery to glioma cell line.

Nanotechnology has revolutionized drug delivery in cancer treatment. In this study, novel efficient pH-responsive boron phenylalanine (BPA) targeted nanoparticles (NPs) based on ionic liquid modified chitosan have been introduced for selective mitoxantrone (MTO) delivery to the U87MG glioma cells. Urocanic acid (UA) and imidazolium (Im) based ionic liquids were used for structural modification simultaneously. The NPs were prepared by ionic gelation and fully characterized; the pH-responding and swelling index of NPs were studied carefully. The drug release was studied at a pH of 5.5 in comparison to the neutral state. Also, the cytotoxicity of loaded NPs was evaluated on U87MG glial cells, and cellular uptake was studied. The NPs were smaller than 250 nm, with a spherical pattern and acceptable uniformity with a zeta potential around +20 mV. The loading efficacy was about 85%, and most of the loaded MTO released at a pH of 5.5 after 48 h with a swelling-controlled mechanism. The NPs showed a relatively lower IC50 than the free MTO, and the BPA-targeted NPs have lower IC50 and better cellular uptake than non-targeted NPs in U87MG cells. More studies on this promising formula are on the way, and the results will be published soon.

Antitumor activity of raloxifene-targeted poly(styrene maleic acid)-poly (amide-ether-ester-imide) co-polymeric nanomicelles loaded with docetaxel in breast cancer-bearing mice.

Purpose Raloxifene (RA) receptors have over-expressed GPER-positive breast cancer tumors. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the antitumor activity and pharmacokinetic behavior of docetaxel (DTX), loaded in RA-targeted nanomicelles, which were designed to overcome a lack of specific distribution and inadequate DTX concentration in tumor tissues, as well as its cytotoxicity and damage to normal tissues. Methods DTX-loaded RA-targeted poly(styrene maleic acid) (SMA)- poly(amide-ether-esterimide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PAEEI-PEG) nanomicelles were prepared; then, their antitumor activity and survival rate were studied in MC4-L2 tumors induced in BALB/c mice. The pharmacokinetics of DTX-loaded SMA-PAEEI-PEG-RA micelles was also investigated in comparison with free DTX. Results DTX-loaded SMA-PAEEI-PEG-RA micelles inhibited tumor growth considerably and increased animal survival as compared to free DTX and non-targeted micelles. SMA-PAEEIPEG-RA micelles enhanced significantly the area under the curve (AUC0-∞) 1.3 times as compared to free DTX and reduced clearance (CL) from 410.43 ml/kg.h (for free DTX) to 308.8 ml/kg.h (for SMA-PAEEI-PEG-RA micelles). Volume of distribution (Vdss) was also reduced 1.4 times as compared to free DTX. RA-targeted micelles increased tumor inhibition rate (TIR) 1.3 times and median survival time (MST) >1.5 times compared to free DTX. Percentage increase in life span (%ILS) was also enhanced significantly from 41.66% to >83.33% in MC4-L2 tumor-bearing BALB/c mice. Discussion All studies in this work showed the potential of DTX-loaded SMA-PAEEI-PEG-RA micelles in the treatment of GPER-positive receptor breast cancer tumors.

Hybrid Pharmacophore Design, Molecular Docking, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Aldimine-Type Schiff Base Derivatives as Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitor.

A series of hybrid aldimine-type Schiff base derivatives including trimethoxyphenyl ring and 1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol/thione were designed as tubulin inhibitors. The molecular docking simulations on tubulin complex (PDB: 1SA0) revealed that derivatives with nitro and/or chloro or dimethylamino substitutes (4-nitro, 2-nitro, 3-nitro, 4-Cl-3-nitro, and 4-Me2 N) on the aldehyde ring were the best compounds with remarkable binding energies (-9.09, -9.07, -8.63, -8.11, and -8.07 kcal mol-1 , respectively) compared to colchicine (-8.12 kcal mol-1 ). These compounds were also showed remarkable binding energies from -10.66 to -9.79 and -10.12 to -8.95 kcal mol-1 on human (PDB: 1PD8) and Candida albicans (PDB: 3QLS) DHFR, respectively. The obtained results of cytotoxic activities against HT1080, HepG2, HT29, MCF-7, and A549 cancer cell lines indicated that 4-nitro and 2-nitro substituted compounds were the most effective agents by mean IC50 values of 11.84 ± 1.01 and 19.92 ± 1.36 µm, respectively. 4-Nitro substituted compound (5 µm) and 2-nitro substituted compound (30 µm) were able to strongly inhibit the tubulin polymerization compared to colchicine (5 µm) and 4-nitro substituted compound displayed IC50 values of 0.16 ± 0.01 µm compared to that of colchicine (0.19 ± 0.01 µm). This compound also showed the lowest MIC values on all tested microbial strains including three Gram-positive, four Gram-negative, and three yeast pathogens.

Synthesis, in vitro characterization, and anti-tumor effects of novel polystyrene-poly(amide-ether-ester-imide) co-polymeric micelles for delivery of docetaxel in breast cancer in Balb/C mice.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of the present work was to make novel co-polymeric micellar carriers for the delivery of docetaxel (DTX). SIGNIFICANCE: Co-polymeric micelles can not only solubilize DTX and eliminate the need for toxic surfactants to dissolve it, but also cause passive targeting of the drug to the tumor and reduce its toxic side effects. METHODS: Poly(styrene-maleic acid) (SMA) was conjugated to poly (amide-ether-ester-imide)-poly ethylene glycol (PAEEI-PEG). Copolymer synthesis was proven by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). The SMA-PAEEI-PEG micelles loaded with DTX were prepared and their critical micelle concentration (CMC), zeta potential, particle size, entrapment efficiency, and their release efficiency were studied. MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells were used to evaluate the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of the micelles. The antitumor activity of the DTX-loaded nanomicelles was measured in Balb/c mice. RESULTS: The FTIR and HNMR spectroscopy confirmed successful conjugation of SMA and PAEEI-PEG. The drug loading efficiency was in the range of 34.01-72.75% and drug release lasted for 120 h. The CMC value of the micelles was affected by the SMA/PAEEI-PEG ratio and was in the range of 29.85-14.28 µg/ml. The DTX-loaded micelles showed five times more cytotoxicity than the free drug. The DTX loaded micelles were more effective in tumor growth suppression in vivo and the animals showed an enhanced rate of survival. CONCLUSION: The results show that the SMA-PAEEI-PEG micelles of DTX could potentially provide a suitable parenteral formulation with more stability, higher cytotoxicity, and improved antitumor activity.

Cyclic imide derivatives: As promising scaffold for the synthesis of antimicrobial agents.

Cyclic imides as building blocks in the synthesis of natural products, drugs and polymers display a diverse of pharmacological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, anticonvulsant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. This review summarizes recent findings on antimicrobial activities of cyclic imide derivatives and emphasis on the importance of cyclic imides for drug design and development of new antimicrobial compounds.

Biologically Active Heterocyclic Hybrids Based on Quinazolinone, Benzofuran and Imidazolium Moieties: Synthesis, Characterization, Cytotoxic and Antibacterial Evaluation.

Cytotoxic and antimicrobial agents structurally based on quinazolinone, benzofuran and imidazole pharmacophores, have been designed and synthesized. Spectral (IR, 1 H-NMR) and elemental analysis data established the structures of these novel 3-[1-(1-benzofuran-2-yl)-2-(4-oxoquinazolin-3(4H)-yl)ethyl]-1-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium chloride hybrid derivatives. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities. Cytotoxic evaluation using MTT assay revealed that compounds 12c, 12g and 12i exhibited significant cytotoxicity with IC50 values 1, 1, and 0.57 µm on this cell line, respectively. Biological activity of the synthesized compounds as antibacterial agent were also evaluated against three Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi), three Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Listeria monocitogenes) and one yeast-like fungi (Candida albicans) strains. All compounds 12a - 12i showed slightly higher activity against Gram-positive bacteria than the Gram-negative one. Among the nine new compounds screened, 3-[1-(5-bromo-1-benzofuran-2-yl)-2-(6-chloro-4-oxoquinazolin-3(4H)-yl)ethyl]-1-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium chloride (12e) has pronounced higher antimicrobial activity against all tested strains. These results demonstrated potential importance of molecular hybridization in the development of new lead molecules with major cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity.

Novel Aldimine-Type Schiff Bases of 4-Amino-5-[(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)methyl]-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione/thiol: Docking Study, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Anti-Tubulin Activity.

The present study was planned to design some novel aldimine-type Schiff bases bearing 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl and 1,2,4-triazole-3-thione/thiol as potential tubulin polymerization inhibitors. The obtained results of the molecular docking study using the tubulin complex (PDB code: 1SA0) showed that compounds H-25 and H-26 were well fitted in the colchicine binding site of tubulin with binding energies of -8.68 and -8.40 kcal/mol, respectively, in comparison to the main ligand (-8.20 kcal/mol). In parallel, molecular simulations were also performed on five other 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl-containing ligand targets including hsp90, VEGFR2, and human and microbial (Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans) dihydrofolate reductase, among which H-17, H-45, H-27, H-02, and H-19 were the most suitable compounds, respectively. Evaluation of the cytotoxic effect of the most efficient compounds of the docking steps (H-25) revealed IC50 values of 12.48 ± 1.10, 4.25 ± 0.22, 3.33 ± 0.31, and 9.71 ± 0.75 µM against the HT1080, HT29, MCF-7, and A549 cell lines, respectively, compared to doxorubicin (12.69 ± 1.23, 6.12 ± 0.47, 3.51 ± 0.32, and 6.40 ± 0.31 µM, respectively). The in vitro tubulin polymerization investigation launched compounds H-25 and H-26 as potent antitubulin agents due to their IC50 values of 0.17 ± 0.01 and 10.93 ± 0.43 µM, respectively.

A Rapid and Sensitive HPLC Method for Quantitation of Paclitaxel in Biological Samples using Liquid-Liquid Extraction and UV Detection: Application to Pharmacokinetics and Tissues Distribution Study of Paclitaxel Loaded Targeted Polymeric Micelles in Tumor Bearing Mice.

A simple, rapid, and sensitive reversed-phase HPLC method was developed and validated for determination of paclitaxel (PTX) in plasma, various organs and tumor tissues of tumor-bearing mice. Tissue specimens of liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, heart and tumor were separately homogenized in normal saline. Plasma or tissue homogenate (250 µl) containing PTX and internal standard (diazepam) were extracted by diethyl ether (6 ml). The separation was achieved on a µ-Bondapak C18 HPLC column using sodium acetate buffer solution (0.01 M)/acetonitrile (58/42 v/v) at pH 5 ± 0.1 and flow rate of 1.9 mL/min. The effluent was monitored at 227 nm and column temperature was adjusted at 58ºC. The internal standard and PTX were eluted at 4.2 and 5.2 min, respectively and no interfering peaks were observed. Calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.25-10 µg/ml of PTX in plasma and 0.3-20 µg/ml PTX in tissue homogenates with acceptable precision and accuracy (<15%). The mean recoveries of the drug after plasma extraction was 87.4% ± 3.6 while those of tissue homogenates ranged from 62.1± 4.5 to 75.5± 3.2 depending on the type of tissues studied. PTX was stable in samples with no evidence of degradation during 3 freeze-thaw cycles and 3 months storage at -70 °C. The developed HPLC method was applied to quantify PTX in the mouse plasma and tissues after intravenous administration of 10 mg equivalent PTX/Kg dose of PTX-loaded tocopherol succinate-chitosan-polyethylene glycol-folate (TS-CS-PEG-FA) micelles formulation or Anzatax® (Cremophor® EL- based formulation of PTX) to female Balb/c mice.

Self-assembly micelles with lipid core of cholesterol for docetaxel delivery to B16F10 melanoma and HepG2 cells.

The objective of the present study was to prepare a micellar polymeric carrier for the delivery of Docetaxel (DTX) as a kind of polysorbate free preparation. Pluronic F127 (PF127) was conjugated to cholesterol (Chol) via succinyl linkage and characterized by FTIR and HNMR. DTX-loaded polymeric micelles were prepared via film hydration method. Physicochemical properties of micelles including particle size, zeta potential, drug loading and release efficiency were studied. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) was determined using pyrene as a hydrophobic fluorescent probe. In vitro cytotoxicity of micelles was evaluated in B16F10 melanoma cells and HepG2 cell line. The FTIR and HNMR spectroscopy methods confirmed the conjugation of PF127 to cholesterol via succinyl linkage. The micelles were spherical under scanning electron microscope (SEM) with the mean particle size of 248.2 ± 8-278.8 ± 12.3 nm and zeta potential ranging from -17.2 ± 8.7 to -28.4 ± 12.7 mV. Drug loading efficiency was higher than 98%. The in vitro release study showed the sustained release behavior of DTX within 144 h. The CMC of the micelles was about 41.67 ± 0.17 µg/ml, which was significantly lower than the CMC of pure PF127 micelles. Compared with the free drug, DTX-loaded micelles showed higher cytotoxicity against B16F10 melanoma and HepG2 cell lines.

Co-delivery of paclitaxel and α-tocopherol succinate by novel chitosan-based polymeric micelles for improving micellar stability and efficacious combination therapy.

The aim of this study was to develop chitosan derivative polymeric micelles for co-delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) and α-tocopherol succinate (α-TS) to the cancer cells to improve the therapeutic efficiency and reduce side effects of PTX. In this study, amphiphilic tocopheryl succinate-grafted chitosan oligosaccharide was synthesized and physically loaded by PTX and α-TS with entrapment efficiency of 67.9% and 73.2%, respectively. Physical incorporation of α-TS into the micelles increased the hydrophobic interaction between PTX and the micelles core, which improved micelle stability, reduced the micelle size and also sustained the PTX release from the micelles. The mean particle size and zeta potential of αTS/PTX-loaded micelles were about 133 nm and +25.2 mV, respectively, and PTX release was completed during 6-9 d from the micelles. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of α-TS/PTX-loaded micelles against human ovarian cancer cell line cancer cell in vitro was higher than that of PTX-loaded micelles and the free drug solution. Half maximal inhibitory concentration values of PTX after 48-h exposure of the cells to the PTX-loaded micelles modified and unmodified with α-TS were 110 and 188 ng/ml, respectively.

Feasibility of haloperidol-anchored albumin nanoparticles loaded with doxorubicin as dry powder inhaler for pulmonary delivery.

Haloperidol (Hal) is a ligand that can target sigma 2 receptors over-expressed in non-small cell lung cancer. Hal targeted nanoparticles of bovine serum albumin (BSA) were prepared for pulmonary delivery of doxorubicin (DOX). The conjugation was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR) spectroscopic methods. Nanoparticles were prepared by desolvation method from BSA-Hal and were loaded with DOX. They were characterized for their morphology, particle size, zeta potential, drug loading and release efficiency. The optimized nanoparticles were spray-dried using trehalose, l-leucin and mannitol as dry powder inhaler (DPI) in different inlet temperatures between 80 and 120°C. The obtained nanocomposites were characterized for their aerodynamic diameter, specific surface area (cm(2)/g) and fine particle fraction (FPF) by a Cascade Impactor device. The optimized nanoparticles showed particle size of 218 nm, zeta potential of -25.4 mV, drug entrapment efficiency of 89% and release efficiency of 56% until 2 h. After spray drying of these nanoparticles, the best results were obtained from mannitol with an inlet temperature of 80°C which produced a mean aerodynamic diameter of 4.58 µm, FPF of 66% and specific surface area of 6302.99 cm(2)/g. The obtained results suggest that the designed DPI could be a suitable inhaler for targeted delivery of DOX in pulmonary delivery.

Benzofuran as a promising scaffold for the synthesis of antimicrobial and antibreast cancer agents: A review.

Benzofuran as an important heterocyclic compound is extensively found in natural products as well as synthetic materials. Since benzofuran drivatives display a diverse array of pharmacological activities, an interest in developing new biologically active agents from benzofuran is still under consideration. This review highlights recent findings on biological activities of benzofuran derivatives as antimicrobial and antibreast cancer agents and lays emphasis on the importance of benzofurans as a major source for drug design and development.

Design, synthesis, docking, and antidepressant activity evaluation of isatin derivatives bearing Schiff bases.

Objectives: Depression is a prevalent psychiatric disorder. Treatment of depression is still a challenge due to the lack of response of some patients to a variety of available medications and side effects. Isatin is an interesting molecule with diversified biological effects. It also participates in many synthetic reactions, as a precursor molecule. In this study, a new series of N-alkyl and N-benzyl isatin derivatives bearing Schiff bases were synthesized and screened for antidepressant activities in mice. Materials and Methods: The synthesis was initiated by N-alkylation and N-benzylation of isatin by an alkylation reaction to give N-substituted isatins. 2-(Benzyloxy) benzohydrazide derivatives were synthesized by treating methyl2-hydroxybenzoate with benzyl bromide or 4-chlorobenzyl bromide which was followed by a reaction with hydrazine hydrate to provide acid hydrazide derivatives. The final compounds were obtained by condensation of N-substituted isatins with 2-(benzyloxy) benzohydrazide derivatives as Shiff-base products. Compounds were evaluated for antidepressant activities in mice by the locomotor activity, marble burying test, and forced swimming test. Monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) enzyme has been used for molecular docking studies. Results: Compounds 8b and 8e in both doses, and 8 c in the lower dose, reduced immobility time during the forced swimming test relative to the control group. All preparations reduced the number of marbles buried compared with the control group. The highest docking score was -11.01 kcal/mol for compound 8e. Conclusion: N-Benzylated-isatin (8b, 8e) and N- acetic acid ethyl ester -isatin derivatives (8c) showed more effective antidepressant activity compared with N-phenyl acetamide isatin derivatives. Docking results relatively confirm the pharmacological results.

Synthesis of novel conjugated benzofuran-triazine derivatives: Antimicrobial and in-silico molecular docking studies.

Two new developments of antibacterial agents, a series of benzofuran-triazine based compounds (8a-8h) were designed and synthesized. The derivatives were prepared through conventional chemical reactions and structurally characterized with FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR techniques. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized derivatives was assessed against gram-positive bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative bacterial strains (Salmonella entritidis and Escherichia coli). Compound 8e, with the MIC value of 125-32 µg/µl against all the examined strains of bacteria, was the most active antibacterial compound. The synthesized derivatives were also studied for docking to the binding sites of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) receptor which has a key role in drug resistance associated with bacterial infections. The synthesized compounds showed good interaction with the targets through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. According to antibacterial and docking studies, compound 8e could be introduced as a candidate for development of antibacterial compounds.

Galactosylated nanostructured lipid carriers for delivery of 5-FU to hepatocellular carcinoma.

The aim of the present study was to design a targeted delivery system of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Lactobionic acid (LB) was conjugated to stearyl amine (SA) by a chemical reaction. The nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), containing LB conjugate, lecithin, glyceryl monostearate, oil [oleic acid (OA) or Labrafac 5 or 10%], and 5-FU, were dissolved in alcohol/acetone, the oil phase was added to the aqueous phase containing Tween 80 or Solutol(®) HS15 (0.25 or 0.5%), and NLCs were prepared by an emulsification-solvent diffusion method. Physical properties and drug release were studied in NLCs. The thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay was used to study the cytotoxicity of NLCs on HepG(2) cells, and the cellular uptake of NLCs was determined by flow cytometry. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and (1)H-NMR spectra confirmed the successful conjugation of LB and SA. The optimized NLCs consisted of 0.5% Solutol HS15 and 10% OA oil. The particle size of these nanoparticles was 139.2 nm, with a zeta potential of -18 mV, loading efficiency of 34.2%, release efficiency after 2 hours of the release test was 72.6%, and crystallinity was 0.63%. The galactosylated NLCs of 5-FU were cytotoxic on the HepG(2) cell line in a half concentration of 5-FU and seems promising in reducing 5-FU dose in HCC.

Design and synthesis of some novel triazine-tyrosine hybrids as potential agents for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Background and purpose: One of the most noteworthy methods to slow down multiple sclerosis (MS) progress is a decrease of lymphocyte cells via S1P1 receptor modulating. Here, a series of S1P1 receptor modulators were designed and investigated for their ability to decrease lymphocytes in a rat model. Experimental approach: Molecular docking was performed to compare the binding mode of desired compounds 5a-f with fingolimod to the active site of the S1P1 receptor, theoretically. To prepare desired compounds, 5a-f, cyanuric chloride was reacted with different amines, a-f, which then converted to 4a-f compounds through reaction with N-boc-Tyr-OMe ester. Finally, deprotection of the carboxyl and amino groups was carried out to obtain 5a-f as final products. Lymphocyte counting in the rat model was carried out using flow cytometry to evaluate the efficacy of the suggested compounds. Findings / Results: All compounds exhibited lower binding energy than fingolimod. Compound 5e with ΔG= -8.10 kcal/mol was the best compound. The structure of the compounds was confirmed spectroscopically. The in vivo study proved that compounds 5b and 5a decreased the lymphocytes level at 0.3 and 3 mg/kg, respectively. Conclusion and implications: The desired compounds were well fitted in the receptor active site following molecular docking studies. The results of lymphocyte count revealed that compounds 5a and 5b with propyl and ethyl substitutes showed the maximum activity in vivo. Finally, the results of the present project can be used for forthcoming investigations towards the design and synthesis of novel potential agents for MS treatment.

Some novel hybrid quinazoline-based heterocycles as potent cytotoxic agents.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In this study, some new cytotoxic hybrid structures were synthesized by combining pyrazolinone and imidazolinone rings with quinazoline pharmacophores. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The benzoxazinone, pyrazolo-quinazoline fused ring, and imidazolinone anchored quinazoline derivatives were synthesized by simple ring-opening, ring expansion, and ring closure strategies from oxazolones. The molecular docking studies of the final derivatives were accomplished on the epidermal growth factor receptor enzyme. The cytotoxic effect of the final compounds on the MCF-7 cell line was evaluated by MTT assay. FINDINGS/RESULTS: The docking results confirmed the optimized electrostatic, H-bonding, and hydrophobic interactions of structures with the key residues of the active site (ΔGbin< -9Kcal/mol). The derivatives have been obtained in good yield and purity, and their structures were confirmed by different methods (FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and CHNS analysis). The IC50s of all final derivatives against the MCF-7 cell line were lower than 10 µM, and between all, the IXa from pyrazolo-quinazolinone class (IC50: 6.43 µM) with chlorine substitute was the most potent. Furthermore, all derivatives showed negligible cytotoxicity on HUVEC normal cell line which would be a great achievement for a novel cytotoxic agent. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Based on the obtained results, pyrazolo[1,5-c] quinazolin-2-one series were more cytotoxic than imidazolinone methyl quinazoline-4(3H)-ones against MCF-7 cells. Chlorine substitute in the para position of the aromatic ring improved the cytotoxicity effect in both classes. It could be related to the polarizability of a chlorine atom and making better intermolecular interactions. Further pre-clinical evaluations are required for the promising synthesized cytotoxic compounds.