Elongation of the side chain by linear alkyl groups increases the potency of salacinol, a potent α-glucosidase inhibitor from the Ayurvedic traditional medicine "Salacia," against human intestinal maltase.

Four chain-extended analogs (12a-12d) and two related de-O-sulfonated analogs (13a and 13c) by introducing alkyl groups (a: R = C3H7, b R = C6H13, c: R = C8H17, d: R = C10H21) to the side chains of salacinol (1), a natural α-glucosidase inhibitor from Ayurvedic traditional medicine "Salacia", were synthesized. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of all the synthesized analogs were evaluated in vitro. Against human intestinal maltase, the inhibitory activities of 12a and 13a with seven-carbon side chain were equal to that of 1. In contrast, analogs (12b-12d, and 13c) exhibited higher level of inhibitory activity against the same enzyme than 1 and had equal or higher potency than those of the clinically used anti-diabetics, voglibose, acarbose, and miglitol. Thus, elongation of the side chains of 1 was effective for specifically increasing the inhibitory activity against human intestinal maltase.

Synthesis of all-cis 2,5-imino-2,5-dideoxy-fucitol and its evaluation as a potent fucosidase and galactosidase inhibitor.

We here describe a simple and efficient synthetic method for a non-hydrolysable precursor of a GDP-fucose analogue: The synthesis of the racemic aminofuranofucitol 3 from sorbic alcohol by nitroso-Diels-Alder reaction. This 'all-cis-pyrrolidine', with all substituents occupying a cis position, has been determined as a potent inhibitor of α-L-fucosidase and a moderate inhibitor of α- and ß-D-galactosidase. The good recognition of this fucose moiety analogue by specific enzymes is thus confirmed. The C-anomeric bond in this particular structure is in the ß-position and makes this compound an interesting candidate for further chemical modifications. Influence of the methyl and hydroxymethyl groups on the inhibition potency is discussed.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel biotin-iminoalditol conjugates.

Biotin-iminosugar conjugates of different configuration such as D-gluco, D-galacto, L-ido as well as a furanoid representative in the D-manno configuration have been synthesised and exhibit powerful inhibition of beta-glucosidase from Agrobacterium sp. with K(i) values in the range of the respective parent compounds. Such molecular probes have potential for activity-based protein profiling taking advantage of the biotin-(strept)avidin interaction.

Facile synthesis of de-O-sulfated salacinols: revision of the structure of neosalacinol, a potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitor.

Facile synthesis of de-O-sulfated salacinols (3) was developed by employing the coupling reaction of an epoxide, 1,2-anhydro-3,4-di-O-benzyl-D-erythritol (9) with 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-1,4-dideoxy-1,4-epithio-D-arabinitol (10) as the key reaction. The reported structure of a potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitor named neosalacinol (8), isolated recently from Ayurvedic medicine Salacia oblonga, was proved incorrect, and revised to be de-O-sulfated salacinol formate (3c) by comparison of the spectroscopic properties with those of the authentic specimen synthesized. Discrepancies and confusion in the literature concerning the NMR spectroscopic properties of salacinol (1) have also been clarified.

New synthetic routes to chain-extended selenium, sulfur, and nitrogen analogues of the naturally occurring glucosidase inhibitor salacinol and their inhibitory activities against recombinant human maltase glucoamylase.

Six heteroanalogues (X = S, Se, NH) of the naturally occurring glucosidase inhibitor salacinol, containing polyhydroxylated, acyclic chains of 6-carbons, were synthesized for structure-activity studies with different glycosidase enzymes. The target zwitterionic compounds were synthesized by means of nucleophilic attack of the PMB-protected 1,4-anhydro-4-seleno-, 1,4-anhydro-4-thio-, and 1,4-anhydro-4-imino-D-arabinitols at the least hindered carbon atom of 1,3-cyclic sulfates. These 1,3-cyclic sulfates were derived from D-glucose and D-galactose, and significantly, they utilized butane diacetal as the protecting groups for the trans 2,3-diequatorial positions. Deprotection of the coupled products proceeded smoothly, unlike in previous attempts with different protecting groups, and afforded the target selenonium, sulfonium, and ammonium sulfates with different stereochemistry at the stereogenic centers. The four new heterosubstituted compounds (X = Se, NH) inhibited recombinant human maltase glucoamylase (MGA), one of the key intestinal enzymes involved in the breakdown of glucose oligosaccharides in the small intestine. The two selenium derivatives each had Ki values of 0.10 microM, giving the most active compounds to date in this general series of zwitterionic glycosidase inhibitors. The two nitrogen compounds also inhibited MGA but were less active, with Ki values of 0.8 and 35 microM. The compounds in which X = S showed Ki values of 0.25 and 0.17 microM. Comparison of these data with those reported previously for related compounds reinforces the requirements for an effective inhibitor of MGA. With respect to chain extension, the configurations at C-2' and C-4' are critical for activity, the configuration at C-3', bearing the sulfate moiety, being unimportant. It would also appear that the configuration at C-5' is important but the relationship is dependent on the heteroatom.

Synthesis of nitrogen analogues of salacinol and their evaluation as glycosidase inhibitors.

The syntheses of two nitrogen analogues (11 and 12) of the naturally occurring sulfonium ion, salacinol (7) are described. The latter compound is one of the active principles in the aqueous extracts of Salacia reticulata that are traditionally used in Sri Lanka and India for the treatment of diabetes. The synthetic strategy relies on the nucleophilic attack of a 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D- or L-arabinitol at the least hindered carbon of 2,4-O-benzylidene D- or L-erythritol-1,3-cyclic sulfate. The nitrogen analogues bear a permanent positive charge and serve as mimics of the sulfonium ion. We reasoned that these ammonium derivatives should function in a manner similar to that of known glycosidase inhibitors of the alkaloid class such as castanospermine (4) and deoxynojirimycin (5). Enzyme inhibition assays indicate that salacinol (7) is a weak (K(i) = 1.7 mM) inhibitor of glucoamylase, whereas compounds 11 and 12 inhibit glucoamylase with K(i) values in the range approximately 10-fold higher. The nitrogen analogues 11 and 12 showed no significant inhibitory effect of either barley alpha-amylase (AMY1) or porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase (PPA) at concentrations of 5 mM. In contrast, salacinol (7) inhibited AMY1 and PPA in the micromolar range, with K(i) values of 15 +/- 1 and 10 +/- 2 microM, respectively.

A new class of glycosidase inhibitor: synthesis of salacinol and its stereoisomers.

Salacinol (4) is one of the active principles in the aqueous extracts of Salacia reticulata that are traditionally used in Sri Lanka and India for the treatment of diabetes. The syntheses of salacinol (4), the enantiomer of salacinol (5), and a diastereomer (7) are described. The synthetic strategy relies on the selective nucleophilic attack of 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-1,4-anhydro-4-thio-D- or L-arabinitol at C-1 of 2,4-O-benzylidene D- or L-erythritol-1,3-cyclic sulfate. The work serves to resolve the ambiguity about the exact structure of salacinol and establishes conclusively the structure of the natural product.