N-p-coumaroyloctopamine ameliorates hepatic glucose metabolism and oxidative stress involved in a PI3K/AKT/GSK3ß pathway.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is regarded as a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia. Long-term hyperglycemia may result in oxidative stress, damage pancreatic ß-cell function and induce insulin resistance. Herein we explored the anti-hypoglycemic effects and mechanisms of action of N-p-coumaroyloctopamine (N-p-CO) in vitro and in vivo. N-p-CO exhibited high antioxidant activity, as indicated by the increased activity of SOD, GSH and GSH-Px in HL-7702 cells induced by both high glucose (HG) and palmitic acid (PA). N-p-CO treatment significantly augmented glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in HG/PA-treated HL-7702 cells. Moreover, administration of N-p-CO in diabetic mice induced by both high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) not only significantly increased the antioxidant levels of GSH-PX, SOD and GSH, but also dramatically alleviated hyperglycemia and hepatic glucose metabolism in a dose-dependent manner. More importantly, N-p-CO upregulated the expressions of PI3K, AKT and GSK3ß proteins in both HG/PA-induced HL-7702 cells and HFD/STZ-induced mice. These findings clearly suggest that N-p-CO exerts anti-hypoglycemic and anti-oxidant effects, most probably via the regulation of a PI3K/AKT/GSK3ß signaling pathway. Thus, N-p-CO may have high potentials as a new candidate for the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Mitochondria-Selective Dicationic Small-Molecule Ligand Targeting G-Quadruplex Structures for Human Colorectal Cancer Therapy.

Mitochondria are important drug targets for anticancer and other disease therapies. Certain human mitochondrial DNA sequences capable of forming G-quadruplex structures (G4s) are emerging drug targets of small molecules. Despite some mitochondria-selective ligands being reported for drug delivery against cancers, the ligand design is mostly limited to the triphenylphosphonium scaffold. The ligand designed with lipophilic small-sized scaffolds bearing multipositive charges targeting the unique feature of high mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) is lacking and most mitochondria-selective ligands are not G4-targeting. Herein, we report a new small-sized dicationic lipophilic ligand to target MMP and mitochondrial DNA G4s to enhance drug delivery for anticancer. The ligand showed marked alteration of mitochondrial gene expression and substantial induction of ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage, cellular senescence, and apoptosis. The ligand also exhibited high anticancer activity against HCT116 cancer cells (IC50, 3.4 µM) and high antitumor efficacy in the HCT116 tumor xenograft mouse model (∼70% tumor weight reduction).

Discovery of novel cannabidiol derivatives with augmented antibacterial agents against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Drug-resistant bacterium infections are a severe threat to public health and novel antimicrobial agents combating drug-resistant bacteria are an unmet medical need. Although cannabidiol (CBD) has been reported to show antibacterial effects, whether its antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be improved remains unclear. Herein, a series of novel CBD derivatives were designed and synthesized using various chemical approaches including amidation, Friedel-Crafts alkylation, and Negishi cross-coupling reaction for the modifications at the C-7, C-2', C-4', and C-6' positions of CBD skeleton. Derivative 21f showed augmented antibacterial activity against MRSA with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 4 µM without cytotoxic effect in microglia BV2 cells. Further mechanistic studies suggested that 21f inhibited the formation of biofilms, induced excess reactive oxygen species, and reduced bacterial metabolism, which collectively led to the acceleration of bacterial death. Findings from this study expand the understanding of CBD derivatives as promising antibacterial agents, which provides useful information for the development of cannabinoid-based antibacterial agents.

Novel Matrine Derivatives as Potential Larvicidal Agents against Aedes albopictus: Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Mechanistic Analysis.

A large number of studies have shown that matrine (MA) possesses various pharmacological activities and is one of the few natural, plant-derived pesticides with the highest prospects for promotion and application. Fifty-eight MA derivatives were prepared, including 10 intermediates and 48 target compounds in 3 series, to develop novel mosquitocidal agents. Compounds 4b, 4e, 4f, 4m, 4n, 6e, 6k, 6m, and 6o showed good larvicidal activity against Aedes albopictus, which is both a highly aggressive mosquito and an important viral vector that can transmit a wide range of pathogens. Dipping methods and a bottle bioassay were used for insecticidal activity evaluation. The LC50 values of 4e, 4m, and 6m reached 147.65, 140.08, and 205.79 µg/mL, respectively, whereas the LC50 value of MA was 659.34 µg/mL. Structure-activity relationship analysis demonstrated that larvicidal activity could be improved by the unsaturated heterocyclic groups introduced into the carboxyl group after opening the D ring. The MA derivatives with oxidized N-1 lost their mosquitocidal activities, indicating that the bareness of N-1 is crucial to maintain their anti-mosquito activity. However, the activity was not greatly influenced by introducing a cyan group at C-6 or a benzene sulfonyl group at N-16. Additionally, compounds 4e and 4m exhibited good inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase with inhibitory rates of 59.12% and 54.30%, respectively, at a concentration of 250 µg/mL, whereas the inhibitory rate of MA was 9.88%. Therefore, the structural modification and mosquitocidal activity of MA and its derivatives obtained here pave the way for those seeking strong mosquitocidal agents of plant origin.

Novel Sophoridine Derivatives as Potential Larvicidal Agents against Aedes albopictus: Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition, and Morphological Study.

Two series of novel sophoridine derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their anti-mosquito activity. SOP-2g, SOP-2q, and SOP-2r exhibited potential larvicidal activity against Aedes albopictus larva with LC50 values of 330.98, 430.53, and 411.09 ppm, respectively. Analysis of structure-activity relationships indicated that the oxime ester group was beneficial for improving the larvicidal biological activity, whereas the long-chain aliphatic group and fused-ring group were introduced. Furthermore, the larvicidal mechanism was also investigated based on the inhibition assay of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and the morphological observation of dead larva treated with derivatives. Results indicated that the AChE inhibitory activity of the preferred three derivatives were 63.16%, 46.67%, and 35.11%, respectively, at 250 ppm concentration. Additionally, morphological evidence demonstrated that SOP-2q and SOP-2r induced changes in the larva's intestinal cavity, caudal gill, and tail, thereby displaying larvicidal action against Ae. albopictus together with AChE inhibition. Therefore, this study implied that sophoridine and its novel derivatives could be used to control the population of mosquito larva, which may also be effective alkaloids to reduce the mosquito population density.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Fusidic Acid Derivatives as Two-in-One Agent with Potent Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Activity.

Fusidic acid (FA), a narrow-spectrum antibiotics, is highly sensitive to various Gram-positive cocci associated with skin infections. It has outstanding antibacterial effects against certain Gram-positive bacteria whilst no cross-resistance with other antibiotics. Two series of FA derivatives were synthesized and their antibacterial activities were tested. A new aromatic side-chain analog, FA-15 exhibited good antibacterial activity with MIC values in the range of 0.781-1.563 µM against three strains of Staphylococcus spp. Furthermore, through the assessment by the kinetic assay, similar characteristics of bacteriostasis by FA and its aromatic derivatives were observed. In addition, anti-inflammatory activities of FA and its aromatic derivatives were evaluated by using a 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced mouse ear edema model. The results also indicated that FA and its aromatic derivatives effectively reduced TPA-induced ear edema in a dose-dependent manner. Following, multiform computerized simulation, including homology modeling, molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulation and QSAR was conducted to clarify the mechanism and regularity of activities. Overall, the present work gave vital clues about structural modifications and has profound significance in deeply scouting for bioactive potentials of FA and its derivatives.

Novel Natural Glycyrrhetinic Acid-Derived Super Metal Gel and Its Highly Selective Dyes Removal.

Hydrogels play important roles in function materials, especially in wastewater treatment, that could solve the problems of microbial infections and dye pollutions. Herein, a natural glycyrrhetinic acid-derived gel was successfully constructed by forming hierarchical assemblies of the glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives (GA-O-09) with Cu2+. Interestingly, the GA-O-09/Cu2+ gel exhibited Cu2+-triggered shrinkage, which was helpful for spontaneous self-demolding through the shrinkage process with a precise amount of Cu2+. Moreover, the gel showed excellent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) at 2.5 µg/mL and 5.0 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the resultant GA-O-09/Cu2+ gel showed an excellent performance in dyes removal; the adsorption capacity at equilibrium (qe) could reach 82.91 mg/g according to a pseudo-second-order model, and it was better than most reported dye adsorbent materials. The experimental result suggested that the electrostatic interactions of the hydrogel with the cationic dyes and the hydrogel swelling were responsible for the possible dye removal mechanism of GA-O-09/Cu2+ gel. Therefore, our study holds the promise of a better future, for such a hydrogel could be used as an antibacterial and dye removal material.

Novel 18ß-glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives as a Two-in-One agent with potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity.

18ß-glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is a well-known natural compound of oleanane-type triterpene and is found possessing antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Nonetheless, its relatively low bioactivity restricts its potential in pharmaceutical applications. To maximize the potential use of this natural herbal compound as antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents, the rational modification of GA to enhance its pharmacological activity with low toxicity and to understand the mechanism of action is critically essential. We reported herein the design and synthesis of a series of new GA derivatives. The antimicrobial activities of these new compounds were evaluated by inhibition zone test and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. In addition, the anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by LPS induced BV2 cells inflammation model and 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced ear inflammation mice model. It was found that the derivatives functionalized with a di-substituted phenyl group at the 2-position of GA generally displayed high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (MIC down to 2.5 µM) and potent anti-inflammatory effects (inhibition of NO production up to 55%, comparable to dexamethasone). The in vitro and in vivo results also showed that GA-O-02 and GA-O-06 exert their anti-inflammatory activities through downregulation of NO, pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, MCP-1 and MIP-1α) and upregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10). The anti-inflammatory mechanism may involve the inhibition of NF-κB, MAPKs and PI3K/Akt related inflammatory signaling pathways and activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. The results demonstrated that GA-O-02 and GA-O-06 possess great application potential as potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents.

Producing high-quality cultivation substrates for cucumber production by in-situ composting of corn straw blocks amended with biochar and earthworm casts.

In-situ composting is an efficient method for the dispose of crop residues. However, the high organic carbon content and low water-holding capacity of corn (Zea mays L.) straw can easily result in a slow composting process with high nutrient loss. In this study, compressed corn straw blocks was a control (S), straw mixed with earthworm casts (SE), straw mixed with biochar (SB), straw mixed with earthworm casts and biochar (SEB) were treatments to determine their effects on in-situ composting performance. In general, compared with S, the thermophilic period was extended by 14, 13 and 3 days in SE, SB and SEB, respectively, reduced nutrient loss, the water holding porosity of SE and SEB increased by 28.67% and 24.03%. Besides, the bacterial Shannon and Pielou's indices of SEB increased by 9.42% and 9.33%, respectively, and the relative abundance of Acinetobacter was increased in SB and SEB. Amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism were the most abundant metabolic processes in composts. SEB showed not only the highest cucumber yields, but also the highest OQI. The OQI of the CCSBs was significantly and positively correlated with cucumber yields (P < 0.001). These results indicated that the combination of earthworm casts and biochar was more effective than each single additive during in-situ composting of corn straw blocks, and emphasized that the overall quality of CCSBs played pivotal roles in determining the agronomic performance of CCSBs. In addition, the in-situ composting of corn straw blocks could be used to produce high-quality cultivation substrates.

Ligand and structure-based approaches for the exploration of structure-activity relationships of fusidic acid derivatives as antibacterial agents.

Introduction: Fusidic acid (FA) has been widely applied in the clinical prevention and treatment of bacterial infections. Nonetheless, its clinical application has been limited due to its narrow antimicrobial spectrum and some side effects. Purpose: Therefore, it is necessary to explore the structure-activity relationships of FA derivatives as antibacterial agents to develop novel ones possessing a broad antimicrobial spectrum. Methods and result: First, a pharmacophore model was established on the nineteen FA derivatives with remarkable antibacterial activities reported in previous studies. The common structural characteristics of the pharmacophore emerging from the FA derivatives were determined as those of six hydrophobic centers, two atom centers of the hydrogen bond acceptor, and a negative electron center around the C-21 field. Then, seven FA derivatives have been designed according to the reported structure-activity relationships and the pharmacophore characteristics. The designed FA derivatives were mapped on the pharmacophore model, and the Qfit values of all FA derivatives were over 50 and FA-8 possessed the highest value of 82.66. The molecular docking studies of the partial target compounds were conducted with the elongation factor G (EF-G) of S. aureus. Furthermore, the designed FA derivatives have been prepared and their antibacterial activities were evaluated by the inhibition zone test and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test. The derivative FA-7 with a chlorine group as the substituent group at C-25 of FA displayed the best antibacterial property with an MIC of 3.125 µM. Subsequently, 3D-QSAR was carried on all the derivatives by using the CoMSIA mode of SYBYL-X 2.0. Conclusion: Hence, a computer-aided drug design model was developed for FA, which can be further used to optimize FA derivatives as highly potent antibacterial agents.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of pentacyclic triterpenoid derivatives as potential novel antibacterial agents.

A series of ursolic acid (UA), oleanolic acid (OA) and 18ß-glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) derivatives were synthesized by introducing a range of substituted aromatic side-chains at the C-2 position after the hydroxyl group at C-3 position was oxidized. Their antibacterial activities were evaluated in vitro against a panel of four Staphylococcus spp. The results revealed that the introduction of aromatic side-chains at the C-2 position of GA led to the discovery of potent triterpenoid derivatives for inhibition of both drug sensitive and resistant S. aureus, while the other two series derivatives of UA and OA showed no significant antibacterial activity even at high concentrations. In particular, GA derivative 33 showed good potency against all four Staphylococcus spp. (MIC = 1.25-5 µmol/L) with acceptable pharmacokinetics properties and low cytotoxicity in vitro. Molecular docking was also performed using S. aureus DNA gyrase to rationalize the observed antibacterial activity. This series of GA derivatives has strong potential for the development of a new type of triterpenoid antibacterial agent.

Oleanolic acid indole derivatives as novel α-glucosidase inhibitors: Synthesis, biological evaluation, and mechanistic analysis.

Research efforts have been directed to the development of oleanolic acid (OA) based α-glucosidase inhibitors and various OA derivatives showed improved anti-α-glucosidase activity. However, the inhibitory effects of indole infused OA derivatives on α-glucosidase is unknown. Herein, we synthesized a series of indole-OA (2a-2o) and -OA methyl ester (3a-3 l) derivatives with various electron withdrawing groups inducted to indole benzene ring and evaluated their anti-α-glucosidase activity. Indole OA derivatives (2a-2o) exhibited superior α-glucosidase inhibitory effects as compared to OA methyl ester derivatives (3a-3l) and OA (with IC50 values of 4.02 µM-5.30 µM v.s. over 10 µM and 5.52 µM, respectively). In addition, mechanistic studies using biochemical (kinetic assay), biophysical (circular dichroism), and computational (docking) methods revealed that OA-indole derivatives (2a and 2f) are mixed type of α-glucosidase inhibitors and their inhibitory effects were attributed to their capacity of forming the ligand-enzyme complex with α-glucosidase enzyme. Findings from this study support that OA indole derivatives are promising α-glucosidase inhibitors as a potential management of diabetes mellitus.

Gasification filter cake reduces the emissions of ammonia and enriches the concentration of phosphorous in Caragana microphylla residue compost.

Nutrient loss is a major problem during agricultural waste composting. This study investigated the impact of gasification filter cake (GFC) addition on gaseous emissions and nutrient loss during composting of chicken manure mixed with Caraganna microphylla straw. The GFC was added to the composting mix at dry weight rates of 0% (GFC0), 6.25% (GFC6.25), 12.5% (GFC12.5), 25% (GFC25) and 50% (GFC50). Overall, GFC12.5 and GFC25 efficiently enhanced organic matter decomposition, reduced N loss and enriched P and K concentrations during composting, as compared to GFC0. However, GFC6.25 did not show a significant effect on organic matter decomposition, while GFC50 had no effect on N loss. As a result, an overall enhancement of nutrient contents was observed in the final composts of GFC12.5 and GFC25. These results suggest that the addition of GFC at moderate-rates (i.e. 12.5% and 25%) can enhance nutrient retention and thereby result in a nutrient-rich compost.