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1.
Life (Basel) ; 14(1)2024 Jan 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38255746

ABSTRACT

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and deadly primary malignant brain tumor. Current therapies are insufficient, and survival for individuals diagnosed with GBM is limited to a few months. New GBM treatments are urgent. Polymeric nanoparticles (PNs) can increase the circulation time of a drug in the brain capillaries. Polymersomes (PMs) are PNs that have been described as having attractive characteristics, mainly due to their stability, prolonged circulation period, biodegradability, their ability to sustain the release of drugs, and the possibility of surface functionalization. In this work, a poly(ethylene glycol)-ε-caprolactone (PEG-PCL) copolymer was synthesized and PMs were prepared and loaded with an hydrolytic instable compound, previously synthesized by our research team, the 3,6-bis(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-ß-glucopyranosyl)xanthone (XGAc), with promising cytotoxicity on glioblastoma cells (U-373 MG) but also on healthy cerebral endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3). The prepared PMs were spherical particles with uniform morphology and similar sizes (mean diameter of 200 nm) and were stable in aqueous suspension. The encapsulation of XGAc in PMs (80% encapsulation efficacy) protected the healthy endothelial cells from the cytotoxic effects of this compound, while maintaining cytotoxicity for the glioblastoma cell line U-373 MG. Our studies also showed that the prepared PMs can efficiently release XGAc at intratumoral pHs.

2.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37494753

ABSTRACT

The binding affinity to human serum albumin (HSA) of a series of fourteen synthetic cathinones, new psychoactive substances widely abused, was investigated by high-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC). Zonal elution experiments were conducted to measure the retention times of each synthetic cathinone on an HSA column, which enabled the calculation of the percentage of the drug bound. For some synthetic cathinones, enantioselectivity on HSA was found. To gather information on the HSA binding sites and better understand the chiral recognition mechanisms, enantioresolution of selected cathinones was carried out at a milligram scale through liquid chromatography (LC) with carbamate polysaccharide-based columns. This work was followed by zonal displacement chromatography using known competitors with specific binding sites on HSA, namely (S)-ibuprofen and warfarin. Competition was observed between the tested drugs and both competitors (except for pentedrone with warfarin), which is consistent with an allosteric competition involving a non-cooperative binding mechanism.


Subject(s)
Serum Albumin, Human , Warfarin , Humans , Serum Albumin, Human/metabolism , Warfarin/chemistry , Serum Albumin/chemistry , Synthetic Cathinone , Chromatography, Affinity/methods , Protein Binding
3.
J Chromatogr A ; 1675: 463156, 2022 Jul 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35623191

ABSTRACT

Liquid chromatography is the most applied methodology for enantioseparation in preparative and semi-preparative scale; however, flash chromatography is seldom the first choice. This work proposes a new sustainable method to achieve pure enantiomers in mg scale. Herein, the functionalization of silica for flash chromatography columns with a suitable chiral selector, for subsequent quantitative enantioseparation of chiral compounds, is described. Accordingly, the Whelk-O®1 chiral selector was bonded to flash silica and packed into a reused solid phase extraction cartridge. For the evaluation of the enantioselective performance of the flash column, the enantiomers of a chiral derivative of xanthone were quantitatively enantioseparated with an average recovery of 70% and an enantiomer ratio (e.r.) of 99% and 97% for each enantiomer. Evaluation with the anti-inflammatory drug naproxen was also performed, resulting in an average recovery of 95% and 89% and 95% e.r. for each enantiomer. The flash column showed high stability and load ability, versatility, and good reproducibility.


Subject(s)
Silicon Dioxide , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Chromatography, Liquid , Reproducibility of Results , Silicon Dioxide/chemistry , Stereoisomerism
4.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel) ; 14(11)2021 Nov 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34832923

ABSTRACT

Antimicrobial peptides are one of the lines of defense produced by several hosts in response to bacterial infections. Inspired by them and recent discoveries of xanthones as bacterial efflux pump inhibitors, chiral amides with a xanthone scaffold were planned to be potential antimicrobial adjuvants. The chiral derivatives of xanthones were obtained by peptide coupling reactions between suitable xanthones with enantiomerically pure building blocks, yielding derivatives with high enantiomeric purity. Among 18 compounds investigated for their antimicrobial activity against reference strains of bacteria and fungi, antibacterial activity for the tested strains was not found. Selected compounds were also evaluated for their potential to inhibit bacterial efflux pumps. Compound (R,R)-8 inhibited efflux pumps in the Gram-positive model tested and three compounds, (S,S)-8, (R)-17 and (R,S)-18, displayed the same activity in the Gram-negative strain used. Studies were performed on the inhibition of biofilm formation and quorum-sensing, to which the enantiomeric pair 8 displayed activity for the latter. To gain a better understanding of how the active compounds bind to the efflux pumps, docking studies were performed. Hit compounds were proposed for each activity, and it was shown that enantioselectivity was noticeable and must be considered, as enantiomers displayed differences in activity.

5.
Antibiotics (Basel) ; 10(2)2021 Feb 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33673152

ABSTRACT

Systemic mycoses are one major cause of morbidity/mortality among immunocompromised/debilitated individuals. Studying the mechanism of action is a strategy to develop safer/potent antifungals, warning resistance emergence. The major goal of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of action of three (Z)-5-amino-N'-aryl-1-methyl-1H-imidazole-4-carbohydrazonamides (2h, 2k, 2l) that had previously demonstrated strong antifungal activity against Candida krusei and C. albicans ATCC strains. Activity was confirmed against clinical isolates, susceptible or resistant to fluconazole by broth microdilution assay. Ergosterol content (HPLC-DAD), mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity (MTT), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (flow cytometry), germ tube inhibition and drug interaction were evaluated. None of the compounds inhibited ergosterol synthesis. Ascorbic acid reduced the antifungal effect of compounds and significantly decreased ROS production. The metabolic viability of C. krusei was significantly reduced for values of 2MIC. Compounds 2h and 2k caused a significant increase in ROS production for MIC values while for 2l a significant increase was only observed for concentrations above MIC. ROS production seems to be involved in antifungal activity and the higher activity against C. krusei versus C. albicans may be related to their unequal sensitivity to different ROS. No synergism with fluconazole or amphotericin was observed, but the association of 2h with fluconazole might be valuable due to the significant inhibition of the dimorphic transition, a C. albicans virulence mechanism.

6.
mSphere ; 6(1)2021 01 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33504656

ABSTRACT

Many cyanobacteria produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), composed mainly of heteropolysaccharides, that play a variety of physiological roles, being crucial for cell protection, motility, and biofilm formation. However, due to their complexity, the EPS biosynthetic pathways as well as their assembly and export mechanisms are still far from being fully understood. Here, we show that the absence of a putative EPS-related protein, KpsM (Slr0977), has a pleiotropic effect on Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 physiology, with a strong impact on the export of EPS and carbon fluxes. The kpsM mutant exhibits a significant reduction of released polysaccharides and a smaller decrease of capsular polysaccharides, but it accumulates more polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) than the wild type. In addition, this strain shows a light/cell density-dependent clumping phenotype and exhibits an altered protein secretion capacity. Furthermore, the most important structural component of pili, the protein PilA, was found to have a modified glycosylation pattern in the mutant compared to the wild type. Proteomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed significant changes in the mechanisms of energy production and conversion, namely, photosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and carbon metabolism, in response to the inactivation of slr0977 Overall, this work shows for the first time that cells with impaired EPS secretion undergo transcriptomic and proteomic adjustments, highlighting the importance of EPS as a major carbon sink in cyanobacteria. The accumulation of PHB in cells of the mutant, without affecting significantly its fitness/growth rate, points to its possible use as a chassis for the production of compounds of interest.IMPORTANCE Most cyanobacteria produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that fulfill different biological roles depending on the strain/environmental conditions. The interest in the cyanobacterial EPS synthesis/export pathways has been increasing, not only to optimize EPS production but also to efficiently redirect carbon flux toward the production of other compounds, allowing the implementation of industrial systems based on cyanobacterial cell factories. Here, we show that a Synechocystis kpsM (slr0977) mutant secretes less EPS than the wild type, accumulating more carbon intracellularly, as polyhydroxybutyrate. Further characterization showed a light/cell density-dependent clumping phenotype, altered protein secretion, and modified glycosylation of PilA. The proteome and transcriptome of the mutant revealed significant changes, namely, in photosynthesis and carbon metabolism. Altogether, this work provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of kpsM disruption on Synechocystis physiology, highlighting the importance of EPS as a carbon sink and showing how cells adapt when their secretion is impaired, and the redirection of the carbon fluxes.


Subject(s)
Bacterial Proteins/physiology , Carbon Cycle/physiology , Extracellular Polymeric Substance Matrix/metabolism , Synechocystis/metabolism , Carotenoids/metabolism , Glycolysis , Hydroxybutyrates/metabolism , Proteomics , Transcriptome
7.
Molecules ; 26(2)2021 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33467544

ABSTRACT

This work reviews the contributions of the corresponding author (M.M.M.P.) and her research group to Medicinal Chemistry concerning the isolation from plant and marine sources of xanthone derivatives as well as their synthesis, biological/pharmacological activities, formulation and analytical applications. Although her group activity has been spread over several chemical families with relevance in Medicinal Chemistry, the main focus of the investigation and research has been in the xanthone family. Xanthone derivatives have a variety of activities with great potential for therapeutic applications due to their versatile framework. The group has contributed with several libraries of xanthones derivatives, with a variety of activities such as antitumor, anticoagulant, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and multidrug resistance reversal effects. Besides therapeutic applications, our group has also developed xanthone derivatives with analytical applications as chiral selectors for liquid chromatography and for maritime application as antifouling agents for marine paints. Chemically, it has been challenging to afford green chemistry methods and achieve enantiomeric purity of chiral derivatives. In this review, the structures of the most significant compounds will be presented.


Subject(s)
Biological Products/chemistry , Biological Products/pharmacology , Small Molecule Libraries/chemistry , Xanthones/chemistry , Xanthones/pharmacology , Animals , Biological Products/isolation & purification , Chemistry, Pharmaceutical , Humans , Small Molecule Libraries/isolation & purification , Small Molecule Libraries/pharmacology , Xanthones/isolation & purification
8.
Molecules ; 25(12)2020 Jun 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32560201

ABSTRACT

Antioxidants have long been used in the cosmetic industry to prevent skin photoaging, which is mediated by oxidative stress, making the search for new antioxidant compounds highly desirable in this field. Naturally occurring xanthones are polyphenolic compounds that can be found in microorganisms, fungi, lichens, and some higher plants. This class of polyphenols has a privileged scaffold that grants them several biological activities. We have previously identified simple oxygenated xanthones as promising antioxidants and disclosed as hit, 1,2-dihydroxyxanthone (1). Herein, we synthesized and studied the potential of xanthones with different polyoxygenated patterns as skin antiphotoaging ingredients. In the DPPH antioxidant assay, two newly synthesized derivatives showed IC50 values in the same range as ascorbic acid. The synthesized xanthones were discovered to be excellent tyrosinase inhibitors and weak to moderate collagenase and elastase inhibitors but no activity was revealed against hyaluronidase. Their metal-chelating effect (FeCl3 and CuCl2) as well as their stability at different pH values were characterized to understand their potential to be used as future cosmetic active agents. Among the synthesized polyoxygenated xanthones, 1,2-dihydroxyxanthone (1) was reinforced as the most promising, exhibiting a dual ability to protect the skin against UV damage by combining antioxidant/metal-chelating properties with UV-filter capacity and revealed to be more stable in the pH range that is close to the pH of the skin. Lastly, the phototoxicity of 1,2-dihydroxyxanthone (1) was evaluated in a human keratinocyte cell line and no phototoxicity was observed in the concentration range tested.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants , Keratinocytes/metabolism , Skin Aging/drug effects , Skin/metabolism , Sunscreening Agents , Xanthones , Antioxidants/adverse effects , Antioxidants/chemistry , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Humans , Keratinocytes/pathology , Skin/pathology , Skin Aging/radiation effects , Sunscreening Agents/adverse effects , Sunscreening Agents/chemistry , Sunscreening Agents/pharmacology , Ultraviolet Rays/adverse effects , Xanthones/adverse effects , Xanthones/chemistry , Xanthones/pharmacology
9.
Chirality ; 32(1): 81-97, 2020 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31725938

ABSTRACT

Recently, we reported the development of new chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for liquid chromatography (LC) based on chiral derivatives of xanthones (CDXs). Based on the most promising CDX selectors, 12 new CSPs were successfully prepared starting from suitable functionalized small molecules including xanthone and benzophenone derivatives. The chiral selectors comprising one, two, three, or four chiral moieties were covalently bonded to a chromatographic support and further packed into LC stainless-steel columns (150 × 2.1 mm I.D.). The enantioselective performance of the new CSPs was evaluated by LC using different classes of chiral compounds. Specificity for enantioseparation of some CDXs was observed in the evaluation of the new CSPs. Besides, assessment of chiral recognition mechanisms was performed by computational studies using molecular docking approach, which are in accordance with the chromatographic parameters. X-Ray analysis was used to establish a chiral selector 3D structure.

10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31374422

ABSTRACT

Currently, consumption of illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals has increased significantly. Many of these substances are chiral and can be available as racemates or enantiomerically pure. Determination of the enantiomeric fraction (EF) in wastewater is useful for: i) distinguishing between the consumption of prescribed and illicit drugs; ii) identification of possible local of illegal synthesis; iii) illegal discharge of sewage and estimation of illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals consumption by a community (wastewater-based epidemiology). This work describes the development of an indirect method by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for enantiomeric quantification of chiral substances namely psychoactive drugs and ß-blockers based on the formation of diastereomers using (R)-(-)-α-methoxy-α-(trifluoromethyl)phenylacetyl chloride ((R)-MTPA-Cl) as chiral derivatization reagent. The developed method presented linearity (R2 > 0.99) for 20 compounds, 9 diastereomer pairs and paroxetine (PAR) and sertraline (SER). Recovery ranged from 80.7 to 114.5% (RSD < 9.1%) and accuracy between 84.6 and 118% (RSD < 9.9%). The limits of detection (LOD) varied from 0.03 and 26.0 ngL-1 and limits of quantification (LOQ) from 0.15 and 104 ngL-1. Results showed the occurrence of amphetamine (AMP), illicit drugs as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and methamphetamine (MAMP), alprenolol (ALP), norfluoxetine (NFLX), (SER), metoprolol (MET) and propranolol (PHO) at concentrations ranging from 21.7 ngL-1 (MDMA) to 622 ngL-1 (PHO). Measured concentrations were used to estimate the drug loads of the target chiral substances in a specific population. The EF was determined providing valuable information about the consumption and origin of the target drugs.


Subject(s)
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists/chemistry , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods , Psychotropic Drugs/chemistry , Adrenergic beta-Antagonists/isolation & purification , Amphetamine/chemistry , Amphetamine/isolation & purification , Limit of Detection , Methamphetamine/chemistry , Methamphetamine/isolation & purification , Psychotropic Drugs/isolation & purification , Sewage/chemistry , Stereoisomerism , Wastewater/chemistry , Water Pollutants, Chemical/chemistry , Water Pollutants, Chemical/isolation & purification
11.
Mar Drugs ; 17(6)2019 Jun 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31242631

ABSTRACT

Previously unreported meroterpene, acremine S (1), and benzopyran derivative, acremine T (2), were isolated, together with lumichrome (3), ergosterol (4) and ergosterol 5,8-endoperoxide, from cultures of the marine sponge-associated fungus Acremonium persicinum KUF1007. The structure of the previously unreported compounds was established based on an extensive analysis of 1D and 2D NMR spectra as well as HRMS data. The absolute configurations of the stereogenic centers of 1 were established, unambiguously, based on NOESY correlations and comparison of calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compounds 1-3 were tested for their in vitro acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activities.


Subject(s)
Acremonium/chemistry , Benzofurans/chemistry , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/chemistry , Porifera/microbiology , Terpenes/chemistry , Animals , Circular Dichroism/methods , Ergosterol/chemistry , Flavins/chemistry , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/methods , Microbial Sensitivity Tests/methods
12.
J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci ; 1100-1101: 158-164, 2018 Nov 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30336346

ABSTRACT

The enantioresolution of pentedrone and methylone was carried out at a multi-milligram scale by liquid chromatography on a Chiralpak AS® stationary phase. The excellent enantioresolution using this column allowed to collect highly pure enantiomeric fractions, achieving enantiomeric ratios higher than 98%. An overall recovery of 72% was achieved for pentedrone enantiomers and 80% for methylone. Furthermore, the absolute configuration of the enantiomers of both cathinones was determined for the first time by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy, with the aid of theoretical calculations, as (+)­(S) and (-)­(R)-pentedrone, and (-)­(S) and (+)­(R)­methylone.


Subject(s)
Methamphetamine/analogs & derivatives , Methylamines/analysis , Methylamines/chemistry , Pentanones/analysis , Pentanones/chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Circular Dichroism , Methamphetamine/analysis , Methamphetamine/chemistry , Models, Molecular , Stereoisomerism
13.
Eur J Med Chem ; 156: 711-721, 2018 Aug 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30041135

ABSTRACT

Prenylation of several bioactive scaffolds is a very interesting strategy used in Medicinal Chemistry in order to improve biological/pharmacological effects. A small library of prenylchalcones was synthesized and evaluated for the ability to inhibit the MDM2-p53 interaction using a yeast-based assay. The capacity of all synthesized prenylchalcones and their non-prenylated precursors to inhibit the growth of human colon tumor HCT116 cells was also evaluated. The obtained results led to the identification of a hit compound, prenylchalcone 2e, which behaved as potential inhibitor of the MDM2-p53 interaction in yeast, and showed improved cytotoxicity against human tumor cells expressing wild-type p53, including liver hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2, breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7, and malignant melanoma A375 cells. In colon cancer cells, it was also shown that the growth inhibitory effect of prenylchalcone 2e was associated with the induction of cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and increased protein expression levels of p53 transcriptional targets. Moreover, computational docking studies were performed in order to predict docking poses and residues involved in the MDM2-p53 potential interaction.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Chalcone/chemistry , Chalcone/pharmacology , Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2/metabolism , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cell Cycle Checkpoints/drug effects , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , HCT116 Cells , Humans , Models, Molecular , Molecular Docking Simulation , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasms/metabolism , Neoplasms/pathology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2/antagonists & inhibitors , Small Molecule Libraries/chemistry , Small Molecule Libraries/pharmacology , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/antagonists & inhibitors
14.
Molecules ; 23(1)2018 Jan 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29324676

ABSTRACT

A systematic study of enantioresolution of a library of xanthonic derivatives, prepared "in-house", was successfully carried out with four commercially available macrocyclic glycopeptide-based columns, namely ChirobioticTM T, ChirobioticTM R, ChirobioticTM V and ChirobioticTM TAG. Evaluation was conducted in multimodal elution conditions: normal-phase, polar organic, polar ionic and reversed-phase. The effects of the mobile phase composition, the percentage of organic modifier, the pH of the mobile phase, the nature and concentration of different mobile phase additives on the chromatographic parameters are discussed. ChirobioticTM T and ChirobioticTM V, under normal-phase and reversed-phase modes, respectively, presented the best chromatographic parameters. Considering the importance of understanding the chiral recognition mechanisms associated with the chromatographic enantioresolution, and the scarce data available for macrocyclic glycopeptide-based columns, computational studies by molecular docking were also carried out.


Subject(s)
Chromatography/methods , Molecular Docking Simulation , Xanthones/chemistry , Glycopeptides/chemistry , Molecular Conformation , Molecular Structure
15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29175698

ABSTRACT

For the last several years, searching of new xanthone derivatives (XDs) with potential pharmacological activities has remained one of the main areas of interest of our group. The optimization of biological activity and drug-like properties of hits and leads is crucial at early stage of the drug discovery pipeline. Lipophilicity is one of the most important drug-like properties having a great impact in both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics processes. In this work, we describe the lipophilicity of a small library of bioactive XDs, previously synthesized by our group, using different methods: computational, vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (VALLME-HPLC), reversed-phase high-performance thin layer chromatography (RP-HPTLC), reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and biomembrane model by the partition between micelles and aqueous phase. The different results obtained by the used methods were compared and discussed. The methodologies and data gathered in this study will expand the investigation of lipophilicity of XDs, an important class of compounds in medicinal chemistry.


Subject(s)
Drug Discovery/methods , Xanthones/analysis , Xanthones/chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Chromatography, Reverse-Phase/methods , Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
16.
J Anal Toxicol ; 42(3): 192-206, 2018 Apr 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29244080

ABSTRACT

The quantification of drugs of abuse in keratinized matrices is becoming of special relevance for monitoring consumption and for post-mortem investigations. We aimed to implement an analytical method for the simultaneous detection of morphine (MORF), 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), methadone (MET), 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP) and 2-ethyl-5-methyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EMDP) in nails. After decontamination, the nail samples (30 mg) were submitted to an alkaline digestion followed by a two-step liquid-liquid and SPE extraction using mixed-mode cation exchange cartridges. The analytes were eluted with 5% NH4OH/methanol. After derivatization with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide, the analytes were quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The method was optimized and fully validated only for MET, EDDP and EMDP, since for MOR and 6-MAM it was not possible to obtain adequate recovery rates after extraction, although detection of MOR was still possible. The method was selective, accurate and precise. Regression analysis demonstrated linearity over a concentration range of 20.8-333.3 ng/mg for MET and 10.4-166.7 ng/mg for EDDP and EMDP. Limits of detection and quantification values ranged from 3.3 to 6.0 ng/mg and 10.4 to 20.8 ng/mg, respectively, and recovery rates ranged from 82% to 98%. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by analyzing nail and urine samples obtained from heroin consumers under substitution therapy with MET.


Subject(s)
Analgesics, Opioid/metabolism , Drug Monitoring/methods , Heroin Dependence/rehabilitation , Methadone/metabolism , Nails/metabolism , Opiate Substitution Treatment/methods , Substance Abuse Detection/methods , Adult , Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use , Analgesics, Opioid/urine , Biotransformation , Chromatography, Ion Exchange , Drug Monitoring/standards , Female , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry , Heroin Dependence/diagnosis , Heroin Dependence/metabolism , Heroin Dependence/urine , Humans , Limit of Detection , Linear Models , Male , Methadone/therapeutic use , Methadone/urine , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Reproducibility of Results , Solid Phase Extraction , Substance Abuse Detection/standards
17.
Chem Res Toxicol ; 30(8): 1609-1621, 2017 08 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28708940

ABSTRACT

"Krokodil" is the street name for a homemade injectable drug that has been used as a cheap substitute for heroin. Codeine is the opioid starting material for krokodil synthesis, and desomorphine is claimed to be the main opioid of krokodil and the main component responsible for its addictive and psychoactive characteristics. However, due to its peculiar manufacture, using cheap raw materials, krokodil is composed of a large and complex mixture of different substances. In order to shed some light upon the chemical complexity of krokodil, its profiling was conducted by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a photodiode array detector (RP-HPLC-DAD) and by liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-IT-Orbitrap-MS). Besides desomorphine, codeine, and morphine, profiting from the high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data, an endeavor to study the morphinans content in krokodil was set for the first time. Considering codeine as the only morphinan precursor and the possible chemical transformations that can occur during krokodil synthesis, the morphinan chemical space was designed, and 95 compounds were defined. By making use of the morphinan chemical space in krokodil, the exact masses featured by HRMS, and the morphinan mass fragmentations patterns, a targeted identification approach was designed and implemented.The proposed 95 morphinans were searched using the full scan chromatogram of krokodil, and findings were validated by mass fragmentation of the correspondent precursor ions (MS2 spectra). Following this effort, a total of 54 morphinans were detected, highlighting the fact that these additional morphinans may contribute to the psychotropic effects of krokodil.


Subject(s)
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Codeine/analogs & derivatives , Morphinans/analysis , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , Chromatography, Reverse-Phase , Codeine/analysis , Codeine/chemical synthesis , Morphine/analysis
18.
Chirality ; 29(8): 430-442, 2017 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28608589

ABSTRACT

Six chiral derivatives of xanthones (CDXs) were covalently bonded to silica, yielding the corresponding xanthonic chiral stationary phases (XCSPs). The new XCSPs were packed into stainless-steel columns with 150 x 4.6 mm i.d. Moreover, the greening of the chromatographic analysis by reducing the internal diameter (150 x 2.1 mm i.d.) of the liquid chromatography (LC) columns was also investigated. The enantioselective capability of these phases was evaluated by LC using different chemical classes of chiral compounds, including several types of drugs. A library of CDXs was evaluated in order to explore the principle of reciprocity as well as the chiral self-recognition phenomenon. The separation of enantiomeric mixtures of CDXs was investigated under multimodal elution conditions. The XCSPs provided high specificity for the enantiomeric mixtures of CDXs evaluated mainly under normal-phase elution conditions. Furthermore, two XCSPs were prepared with both enantiomers of the same xanthonic selector in order to confirm the inversion order elution.


Subject(s)
Stereoisomerism , Xanthones/chemistry , Chromatography, Liquid/methods
19.
Hum Psychopharmacol ; 32(3)2017 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28657190

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: "Krokodil" is the street name for an impure homemade drug mixture used as a cheap substitute for heroin, containing desomorphine as the main opioid. Abscesses, gangrene, thrombophlebitis, limb ulceration and amputations, jaw osteonecrosis, skin discoloration, ulcers, skin infections, and bleeding are some of the typical reported signs in humans. This study aimed to understand the toxicity of krokodil using Wistar male rats as experimental model. METHODS: Animals were divided into seven groups and exposed subcutaneously to NaCl 0.9% (control), krokodil mixture free of psychotropic substances (blank krokodil), pharmaceutical grade desomorphine 1 mg/kg, and four different concentrations of krokodil (containing 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg of desomorphine) synthesized accordingly to a "domestic" protocol followed by people who inject krokodil (PWIK). Daily injections for five consecutive days were performed, and animals were sacrificed 24 hr after the last administration. Biochemical and histological analysis were carried out. RESULTS: It was shown that the continuous use of krokodil may cause injury at the injection area, with formation of necrotic zones. The biochemical results evidenced alterations on cardiac and renal biomarkers of toxicity, namely, creatine kinase, creatine kinase-MB, and uric acid. Significant alteration in levels of reduced and oxidized glutathione on kidney and heart suggested that oxidative stress may be involved in krokodil-mediated toxicity. Cardiac congestion was the most relevant finding of continuous krokodil administration. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute notably to comprehension of the local and systemic toxicological impact of this complex drug mixture on major organs and will hopefully be useful for the development of appropriate treatment strategies towards the human toxicological effects of krokodil.


Subject(s)
Analgesics, Opioid/toxicity , Codeine/analogs & derivatives , Heart/drug effects , Illicit Drugs/toxicity , Kidney/drug effects , Skin Diseases/chemically induced , Analgesics, Opioid/administration & dosage , Animals , Codeine/administration & dosage , Codeine/toxicity , Humans , Injections, Subcutaneous , Kidney/pathology , Liver/drug effects , Liver/pathology , Lung/drug effects , Lung/pathology , Male , Necrosis/chemically induced , Necrosis/pathology , Organ Size/drug effects , Organ Size/physiology , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Oxidative Stress/physiology , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Skin Diseases/pathology , Tissue Distribution/drug effects , Tissue Distribution/physiology
20.
Mar Drugs ; 14(7)2016 Jul 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27447650

ABSTRACT

Two new cyclotetrapeptides, sartoryglabramides A (5) and B (6), and a new analog of fellutanine A (8) were isolated, together with six known compounds including ergosta-4, 6, 8 (14), 22-tetraen-3-one, ergosterol 5, 8-endoperoxide, helvolic acid, aszonalenin (1), (3R)-3-(1H-indol-3-ylmethyl)-3,4-dihydro-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5-dione (2), takakiamide (3), (11aR)-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine-5,11(10H,11aH)-dione (4), and fellutanine A (7), from the ethyl acetate extract of the culture of the marine sponge-associated fungus Neosartorya glabra KUFA 0702. The structures of the new compounds were established based on extensive 1D and 2D spectral analysis. X-ray analysis was also used to confirm the relative configuration of the amino acid constituents of sartoryglabramide A (5), and the absolute stereochemistry of the amino acid constituents of sartoryglabramide A (5) and sartoryglabramides B (6) was determined by chiral HPLC analysis of their hydrolysates by co-injection with the d- and l- amino acids standards. Compounds 1-8 were tested for their antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922) and Gram-negative (Staphyllococus aureus ATCC 25923) bacteria, as well as for their antifungal activity against filamentous (Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC 46645), dermatophyte (Trichophyton rubrum ATCC FF5) and yeast (Candida albicans ATCC 10231). None of the tested compounds exhibited either antibacterial (MIC > 256 µg/mL) or antifungal activities (MIC > 512 µg/mL).


Subject(s)
Diketopiperazines/chemistry , Fungi/chemistry , Neosartorya/chemistry , Oligopeptides/chemistry , Porifera/chemistry , Amino Acids/chemistry , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Antifungal Agents/chemistry , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Bacteria/drug effects , Benzodiazepines/chemistry , Benzodiazepines/pharmacology , Candida albicans/drug effects , Diketopiperazines/pharmacology , Ergosterol/chemistry , Ergosterol/pharmacology , Fusidic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Fusidic Acid/chemistry , Fusidic Acid/pharmacology , Indole Alkaloids/chemistry , Indole Alkaloids/pharmacology , Microbial Sensitivity Tests/methods , Oligopeptides/pharmacology , Stereoisomerism
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