Synthesis and evaluation of new 1,5-diaryl-3-[4-(methyl-sulfonyl)phenyl]-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole derivatives as potential antidepressant agents.

In an effort to develop potent antidepressant agents, new pyrazoline derivatives 2a-s were synthesized and evaluated for their antidepressant-like activity by tail suspension test (TST) and modified forced swimming test (MFST). The effects of the compounds on spontaneous locomotor activity were also investigated using an activity cage apparatus. Among these derivatives, compounds 2b, 2d, 2f, 2o, and 2r decreased both horizontal and vertical activity number of the mice. On the other hand, compounds 2a, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, and 2n, which did not induce any significant change in the locomotor activity, significantly shortened the immobility time of mice in TST and MFST, representing the presence of the antidepressant-like effect. Additionally, the same compounds increased the swimming time of mice in MFST without any change in climbing duration, similar to the reference drug fluoxetine (10 mg/kg). In the light of previous papers examining the effects of pyrazolines on central nervous system, this study, once more, pointed out remarkable antidepressant activity potential of pyrazoline derivatives.

Synthesis and evaluation of new indole-based chalcones as potential antiinflammatory agents.

In the present work, new indole-based chalcone derivatives were obtained via the reaction of 5-substituted-1H-indole-3-carboxaldehydes/1-methylindole-3-carboxaldehyde with appropriate acetophenones. The synthesized compounds were investigated for their in vitro COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitory activity. The most effective COX inhibitors were also evaluated for their in vivo antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities in LPS induced sepsis model. Furthermore, the CCK-8 assay was carried out to determine cytotoxic effects of all compounds against NIH/3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. 3-(5-Bromo-1H-indol-3-yl)-1-(4-cyanophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (6) can be considered as a non-selective COX inhibitor (COX-1 IC50 = 8.1 ± 0.2 µg/mL, COX-2 IC50 = 9.5 ± 0.8 µg/mL), whereas 3-(5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)-1-(4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (1) inhibited only COX-1 (IC50 = 8.6 ± 0.1 µg/mL). According to in vivo studies, these compounds also displayed antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of thiazoline derivatives as new antimicrobial and anticancer agents.

N'-(3,4-Diarylthiazol-2(3H)-ylidene)-2-(arylthio)acetohydrazides were synthesized and evaluated for their antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity against NIH/3T3 cells. Compound 22 bearing 1-phenyl-1H-tetrazole and p-chlorophenyl moieties was found to be the most promising antibacterial agent against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, whereas compound 23 bearing 1-phenyl-1H-tetrazole and p-bromophenyl moieties was the most promising antifungal agent against Candida albicans. The most effective derivatives were also evaluated for their cytotoxicity against C6 glioma cells. The results indicated that compound 17 bearing 1-phenyl-1H-tetrazole and nonsubstituted phenyl moieties (IC50 = 8.3 ± 2.6 µg/mL) was more effective than cisplatin (IC50 = 13.7 ± 1.2 µg/mL) against C6 glioma cells. Compound 17 also exhibited DNA synthesis inhibitory activity on C6 cells. Furthermore, compound 17 showed low toxicity to NIH/3T3 cells (IC50 = 416.7 ± 28.9 µg/mL).

Synthesis and biological evaluation of some thiazole derivatives as new cholinesterase inhibitors.

In the present study, some thiazole derivatives were synthesized via the ring closure reaction of 1-[2-(2-oxobenzo[d]thiazol-3(2H)-yl)acetyl]thiosemicarbazide with various phenacyl bromides. The chemical structures of the compounds were elucidated by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and mass spectral data and elemental analyses. Each derivative was evaluated for its ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) using a modification of Ellman's spectrophotometric method. The compounds were also investigated for their cytotoxic properties using MTT assay. The most potent AChE inhibitor was found as compound 4e (IC(50) = 25.5 ± 2.12 µg/mL) followed by compounds 4i (IC(50) = 38.50 ± 2.12 µg/mL), 4c (IC(50) = 58.42 ± 3.14 µg/mL) and 4g (IC(50) = 68 ± 2.12 µg/mL) when compared with eserine (IC(50) = 0.025 ± 0.01 µg/mL). Effective compounds on AChE exhibited weak inhibition on BuChE (IC(50) > 80 µg/mL). MTT assay indicated that the cytotoxic dose (IC(50) = 71.67 ± 7.63 µg/mL) of compound 4e was higher than its effective dose.