Synthesis of Curcuminoids and Evaluation of Their Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Properties.

Curcumin (1) and ten derivatives (2-11) were synthesized and evaluated as cytotoxic and antioxidant agents. The results of primary screening by Sulforhodamine B assay against five human cancer cell lines (U-251 MG, glioblastoma; PC-3, human prostatic; HCT-15, human colorectal; K562, human chronic myelogenous leukemia; and SKLU-1, non-small cell lung cancer) allowed us to calculate the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for the more active compounds against HCT-15 and K562 cell lines. Compounds 2 and 10 were the most active against both cell lines and were more active than curcumin itself. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay showed that 7 has potent activity; even stronger than curcumin, α-tocopherol, and quercetin.

Experimental evidence for curcumin and its analogs for management of diabetes mellitus and its associated complications.

Diabetes mellitus is a serious world health problem and one of the most studied diseases; a major concern about its treatment is that ß-cell mass and functionality is hard to restore. In addition, it is frequently associated with severe complications, such as diabetic nephropathy and cardiomyopathy. The anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic properties of curcumin have made it a promising molecule for the treatment of this pathology; however, its solubility and bioavailability problems are still the subject of multiple studies. To cope with those difficulties, several approaches have been evaluated, such as the development of pharmaceutical formulations and curcumin analogs. This review discusses some of the studied therapeutic targets for curcumin in diabetes as well as the structural characteristics and targets of its analogs. The shortening of the central seven-carbon chain of curcumin has given rise to compounds without glucose-lowering effects but potentially useful for the treatment of diabetes complications; whereas preserving this chain retains the glucose-lowering properties. Most of the analogs discussed here have been recently synthesized and tested in animal models of type 1 diabetes; more studies in models of type 2 diabetes are needed.

Experimental and computational studies on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by curcumin and some of its derivatives.

Recent studies have demonstrated several biological activities of curcumin with therapeutic potential against Alzheimer's disease, among them the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Aiming at identifying the chemical features relevant for this activity, the inhibition of curcumin and a set of 7 derivatives against AChE of E. electricus was measured. These derivatives presented lower activity than curcumin, allowing for the identification of possible unfavorable enzyme-inhibitor interactions. Our computational approach was to dock the molecules to the active site of AChE, followed by an analysis of hydrogen bonds and close contacts to relevant aromatic amino acid residues. To account for inhibitory activity, we sought to define the common structural features between known acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and the tested derivatives. A pharmacophore model was generated, which consisted of two hydrophobic, one aromatic and one hydrogen bond acceptor features. We conclude that the presence of two aromatic rings and the distance between them, allows curcumin and its derivatives to favorably interact with both the quaternary and peripheral sites of AChE. Hydrogen bonds can be formed with the quaternary and acyl sites, which should further stabilize the complex. The acylation of the hydroxyl groups and the reduction of the conjugated double bonds lowered the inhibitory activity, pointing to the modification of the keto-enol moiety as the best alternative for the design of more potent curcumin derivatives as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.