Molecular interplay between phytoconstituents of Ficus Racemosa and neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are a significant global health concern, primarily affecting middle and older populations. Recently, there has been growing interest in herbal therapeutics as a potential approach to address diverse neuropathological conditions. Despite the widespread prevalence of NDs, limited phytochemical has been reported for their promising therapeutic potential with distinct underlying mechanisms. Additionally, the intricate molecular pathways influenced by herbal phytoconstituents, particularly in neurodegenerative disorders, are also not well documented. This report explores the phytoconstituents of Ficus racemosa (F. racemosa), an unfamiliar plant of the Moraceae family, for their potential interactions with pathological pathways of NDs. The influential phytoconstituents of F. racemosa, including polyphenols, glycosides, terpenoids, and furocoumarin, have been reported for targeting diverse pathological states. We proposed the most convincing molecular interplay between leading phytoconstituents and detrimental signalling cascades. However, extensive research is required to thoroughly understand the phytochemical persuaded intricate molecular pathway. The comprehensive evidence strongly suggests that F. racemosa and its natural compounds could be valuable in treating NDs. This points towards an exciting path for future research and the development of potential treatments based on a molecular level.

A trio of quinoline-isoniazid-phthalimide with promising antiplasmodial potential: Synthesis, in-vitro evaluation and heme-polymerization inhibition studies.

Quinoline-isoniazid-phthalimide triads have been synthesised to assess their antiplasmodial efficacy and cytotoxicity against chloroquine-resistant W2 strain of P. falciparum and Vero cells, respectively. Most of the synthesized compounds displayed IC50 in lower nM range and appeared to be approximately five to twelve fold more active than chloroquine. Heme-binding studies were also carried out to delineate the mode of action. The promising compounds with IC50s in range of 11-30 nM and selectivity index >2800, may act as promising template for the design of new antiplasmodials.

1H-1,2,3-triazole grafted tacrine-chalcone conjugates as potential cholinesterase inhibitors with the evaluation of their behavioral tests and oxidative stress in mice brain cells.

The present paper explicates the synthesis of 1H-1,2,3-triazole tethered tacrine-chalcone conjugates and evaluation of their AChE and BuChE inhibitory activity. In-vitroAChE inhibition assay revealed three compounds, 9h, 9i, and 11f, being more potent than the standard drug tacrine and further evaluated against butyrylcholinesterase. The present study was extended to investigate the anti-amnestic effect of promising compoundson scopolamine-induced behavioral and neurochemical changes in mice. Inclined plane model and Elevated plus-maze model were performed to assess general limb motor activity and anxiety-like behavior, respectively, in mice pre-treated with scopolamine. Oxidative stress parameters reduced glutathione contents (GSH) and lipid peroxidation products (TBARS) in the brain homogenates as estimated using ex-vivo studies. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were performed for the potent compounds to decipher the mechanism of observed activities.

Design and synthesis of 4-Aminoquinoline-isoindoline-dione-isoniazid triads as potential anti-mycobacterials.

A series of 4-aminoquinoline-isoindoline-dione-isoniazid triads were synthesized and assessed for their anti-mycobacterial activities and cytotoxicity. Most of the synthesized compounds exhibited promising activities against the mc26230 strain of M. tuberculosis with MIC in the range of 5.1-11.9 µM and were non-cytotoxic against Vero cells. The conjugates lacking either isoniazid or quinoline core in their structural framework failed to inhibit the growth of M. tuberculosis; thus, further strengthening the proposed design of triads in the present study.

Substituted 1,3-dioxoisoindoline-4-aminoquinolines coupled via amide linkers: Synthesis, antiplasmodial and cytotoxic evaluation.

Synthesis of C-5-substituted 1,3-dioxoisoindoline-4-aminoquinolines having amide group as a spacer was developed with an intent to evaluate their antiplasmodial activities. The synthesized dioxoisoindoline-aminoquinolines tethered with ß-alanine as a spacer and secondary amine as substituent displayed good anti-plasmodial activities. Compound 7j, with an optimum combination of ß-alanine and an ethyl chain length as linker along with diethylamine as the secondary amine counterpart at dioxoisoindoline proved to be most potent and non-cytotoxic with IC50 of 0.097 µM against W2 strain of P. falciparum and a selective index of >2000.

Comprehensive study on pharmacognostic, pharmacological, and toxicological features of Ficus racemosa in Alzheimer's disease using GC-MS and molecular docking analyses.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents as a widespread neurodegenerative condition impacting over 55 million individuals globally, with an annual rise of 10 million new cases. Despite its staggering prevalence, the absence of a definitive cure establishes the need for a revisit. Methods: We explore the alternative strategies, focusing on the potential therapeutic efficacy of ethanolic extracts derived from the fruit and leaf of Ficus racemosa Linn. Results: The investigation comprehensively explores pharmacognostic, phytochemical, toxicological, and pharmacological characteristics. In addition to pharmacognostic and physicochemical analyses, toxicological evaluations conducted on experimental animals demonstrated the innocuous nature of the ethanolic extracts (from both fruit and leaf) of F. racemosa, as evidenced by assessments of hemocompatibility, oxidative parameters, and vital organ histology. Phytochemical profiling via GC-MS identified 48 and 80 phytoconstituents in the fruit and leaf extracts, respectively. These constituents were screened for bioactive potential using the "Lipinski Rule of Five," resulting in the selection of 25 and 33 constituents from fruit and leaf extracts, respectively. Subsequent molecular docking studies against the AChE enzyme revealed promising interactions of the selected phytoconstituents. Furthermore, the top-scoring phytoconstituents were subjected to in silico screening to assess their interactions with ß- and γ-secretase enzymes, in addition to the AChE enzyme. The cumulative findings substantiate the therapeutic utility of the plant extracts, particularly in the context of AD. Conclusion: In conclusion, our investigation highlights the promising therapeutic potential of selected phytoconstituents derived from ethanolic extracts of F. racemosa in mitigating AD pathology by targeting key enzyme sites such as AChE, ß-, and γ-secretase.

PSMA-targeted dendrimer as an efficient anticancer drug delivery vehicle for prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States. Although early-stage treatments exhibit promising 5-year survival rates, the treatment options for advanced stage disease are constrained, with short survival benefits due to the challenges associated with effective and selective drug delivery to PCa cells. Even though targeting Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) has been extensively explored and is clinically employed for imaging and radio-ligand therapy, the clinical success of PSMA-based approaches for targeted delivery of chemotherapies remains elusive. In this study, we combine a generation 4 hydroxy polyamidoamine dendrimer (PD) with irreversible PSMA ligand (CTT1298) to develop a PSMA-targeted nanoplatform (PD-CTT1298) for selective intracellular delivery of potent chemotherapeutics to PCa. PD-CTT1298-Cy5 exhibits a PSMA IC50 in the nanomolar range and demonstrates selective uptake in PSMA (+) PCa cells via PSMA mediated internalization. When systemically administered in a prostate tumor xenograft mouse model, PD-CTT1298-Cy5 selectively targets PSMA (+) tumors with significantly less accumulation in PSMA (-) tumors or upon blocking of the PSMA receptors. Moreover, the dendrimer clears rapidly from the off-target organs limiting systemic side-effects. Further, the conjugation of an anti-cancer agent, cabozantinib to the PSMA-targeted dendrimer translates to a significantly enhanced anti-proliferative activity in vitro compared to the free drug. These findings highlight the potential of PD-CTT1298 nanoplatform as a versatile approach for selective delivery of high payloads of potent chemotherapeutics to PCa, where dose related systemic side-effects are a major concern.

Discovery of 2-deoxy glucose surfaced mixed layer dendrimer: a smart neuron targeted systemic drug delivery system for brain diseases.

The availability of non-invasive drug delivery systems capable of efficiently transporting bioactive molecules across the blood-brain barrier to specific cells at the injury site in the brain is currently limited. Delivering drugs to neurons presents an even more formidable challenge due to their lower numbers and less phagocytic nature compared to other brain cells. Additionally, the diverse types of neurons, each performing specific functions, necessitate precise targeting of those implicated in the disease. Moreover, the complex synthetic design of drug delivery systems often hinders their clinical translation. The production of nanomaterials at an industrial scale with high reproducibility and purity is particularly challenging. However, overcoming this challenge is possible by designing nanomaterials through a straightforward, facile, and easily reproducible synthetic process. Methods: In this study, we have developed a third-generation 2-deoxy-glucose functionalized mixed layer dendrimer (2DG-D) utilizing biocompatible and cost-effective materials via a highly facile convergent approach, employing copper-catalyzed click chemistry. We further evaluated the systemic neuronal targeting and biodistribution of 2DG-D, and brain delivery of a neuroprotective agent pioglitazone (Pio) in a pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) model. Results: The 2DG-D exhibits favorable characteristics including high water solubility, biocompatibility, biological stability, nanoscale size, and a substantial number of end groups suitable for drug conjugation. Upon systemic administration in a pediatric mouse model of traumatic brain injury (TBI), the 2DG-D localizes in neurons at the injured brain site, clears rapidly from off-target locations, effectively delivers Pio, ameliorates neuroinflammation, and improves behavioral outcomes. Conclusions: The promising in vivo results coupled with a convenient synthetic approach for the construction of 2DG-D makes it a potential nanoplatform for addressing brain diseases.

Design, synthesis, heme binding and density functional theory studies of isoindoline-dione-4-aminoquinolines as potential antiplasmodials.

Aim: WHO Malaria report 2017 estimated 216 million cases of malaria and 445,000 deaths worldwide, with 91% of deaths affecting the African region. Results/methodology: Microwave promoted the synthesis of cycloalkyl amine substituted isoindoline-1,3-dione-4-aminoquinolines was urbanized for evaluating their antiplasmodial activities. Compound with the optimum combination of propyl chain length and hydroxyethyl piperazine proved to be the most potent among the synthesized scaffolds against chloroquine-resistant W2 strain of Plasmodium falciparum with an IC50 value of 0.006 µM. Heme-binding along with density functional theory studies were further carried out in order to delineate the mechanism of action of the most active compound. Conclusion: The synthesized scaffold can act as a therapeutic template for further synthetic modifications toward the search for a new antimalarial agent.

Recent developments in biological aspects of chalcones: the odyssey continues.

INTRODUCTION: Chalcones are attractive to synthetic chemists because they are easy to prepare, have a large number of replaceable hydrogens, thereby having significant biological potential. Chalcones and their derivatives (carbocyclic as well as heterocyclic) exhibit a range of biological properties including anticancer, antimalarial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tubercular activities. Their promising biological profile, along with their ease of synthetic manipulations, have triggered the design and development of new chalcone derivatives as well as their conjugates with active pharmacophores affording therapeutic templates targeting various diseases. Areas covered: This review focuses on synthesized substituted chalcones as well as chalcone-based molecular conjugates that have been developed between 2015 and 2018. Furthermore, their structure-activity relationships with an emphasis on their mechanism of action and docking studies along with their future therapeutic applications. Expert opinion: A recent upsurge in scientific literature encompassing the synthesis of new chalcone-derivatives as well as its role in ameliorating the activity profiles via amalgamation with other pharmacophores has clearly established the importance of chalcones in present-day drug discovery. As a point, we, the authors, believe that new effective scaffolds can be developed from chalcones with an added advantage of being available at a low cost.

Synthesis, anti-mycobacterial and cytotoxic evaluation of substituted isoindoline-1,3-dione-4-aminoquinolines coupled via alkyl/amide linkers.

A series of secondary amine-substituted isoindoline-1,3-dione-4-aminoquinolines were prepared via microwave heating and assayed for their anti-mycobacterial activities. The compound with a butyl chain as a spacer between the two pharmacophores and piperidine as the secondary amine component on the isoindoline ring was the most potent and non-cytotoxic among the synthesized compounds, exhibiting a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC99) of 6.25 µg mL-1 against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Microwave-promoted facile access to 4-aminoquinoline-phthalimides: Synthesis and anti-plasmodial evaluation.

Microwave promoted high yielding synthesis of 4-aminoquinoline-phthalimides was developed with an aim to evaluate their anti-plasmodial potential. The scaffolds with longer spacer length (n = 6, 8) between two pharmacophores and a halogen substituent on the phthalimide ring displayed good antiplasmodial activity. Compound 5w, with an optimum combination of hexyl chain as spacer along with a tetra-bromophthalimide ring proved to be most potent and non-cytotoxic among the series exhibiting an IC50 value of 0.10 µM.

Piperazine-linked 4-aminoquinoline-chalcone/ferrocenyl-chalcone conjugates: Synthesis and antiplasmodial evaluation.

A series of piperazine-linked 4-aminoquinoline-chalcone/ferrocenyl-chalcone conjugates were prepared with a view to evaluate their activities against Plasmodium falciparum. The synthesized conjugates had in vitro IC50 values from 0.41 to 2.38 µm against chloroquine-resistant and mefloquine-sensitive W2 strain of P. falciparum. The submicromolar activities of most of the synthesized conjugates suggest that such molecular frameworks can act as therapeutic templates for the design and synthesis of new antimalarials.

Protective effect of a calcium channel blocker "diltiazem" on aluminum chloride-induced dementia in mice.

Many studies report that heavy metals such as aluminum are involved in amyloid beta aggregation and neurotoxicity. Further, high concentration of aluminum in the brain deregulates calcium signaling which contributes to synaptic dysfunction and halts neuronal communication which ultimately leads to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Recently, diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker clinically used in angina, is reported to decrease amyloid beta production by inhibiting calcium influx, decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the probable role of this drug in aluminum chloride (AlCl3)-induced experimental dementia is yet to be explored. Therefore, the present study is designed to investigate the effect of AlCl3-induced dementia in mice. Morris water maze test and elevated plus maze were utilized to evaluate learning and memory. Various biochemical estimations including brain acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE), brain total protein, thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARS) level, reduced glutathione (GSH) level, nitrate/nitrite, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. AlCl3 significantly impaired learning and memory and increased brain AChE, brain total protein, TBARS, and nitrate/nitrite and decreased brain GSH or SOD. On the other hand, treatment with diltiazem significantly reversed AlCl3-induced behavioral and biochemical deficits. The present study indicates the beneficial role of diltiazem in AlCl3-induced dementia.