Controlled Release of Nor-ß-lapachone by PLGA Microparticles: A Strategy for Improving Cytotoxicity against Prostate Cancer Cells.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in males and it has become a major worldwide public health problem. This study characterizes the encapsulation of Nor-ß-lapachone (NßL) in poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microcapsules and evaluates the cytotoxicity of the resulting drug-loaded system against metastatic prostate cancer cells. The microcapsules presented appropriate morphological features and the presence of drug molecules in the microcapsules was confirmed by different methods. Spherical microcapsules with a size range of 1.03 ± 0.46 µm were produced with an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 19%. Classical molecular dynamics calculations provided an estimate of the typical adsorption energies of NßL on PLGA. Finally, the cytotoxic activity of NßL against PC3M human prostate cancer cells was demonstrated to be significantly enhanced when delivered by PLGA microcapsules in comparison with the free drug.

Hybrid compounds with two redox centres: modular synthesis of chalcogen-containing lapachones and studies on their antitumor activity.

Chalcogen-containing ß-lapachone derivatives were synthesized using a straightforward methodology and evaluated against several cancer cell lines (leukaemia, human colon carcinoma, prostate, human metastatic prostate, ovarian, central nervous system and breast), showing, in some cases, IC50 values below 1 µM. The cytotoxic potential of the lapachones evaluated was also assayed using non-tumor cells: human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, two murine fibroblast lines (L929 and V79 cells) and MDCK (canine kidney epithelial cells). These compounds could provide promising new lead derivatives for anticancer drug development. This manuscript reports important findings since few authors have described C-3 substituted ß-lapachone with potent antitumor activity. The methodology employed allowed the preparation of the compounds from lapachol within a few minutes in a green approach.

Nature of electrogenerated intermediates in nitro-substituted nor-ß-lapachones: the structure of radical species during successive electron transfer in multiredox centers.

Electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and theoretical studies of the reduction reactions in nor-ß-lapachone derivatives including a nitro redox center showed that reduction of the compounds involves the formation of several radical intermediates, including a biradical dianion resultant from the separate reduction of the quinone and nitro groups in the molecules. Theoretical descriptions of the corresponding Fukui functions f(αα)⁺ and f(ßß)⁺(r) and LUMO densities considering finite differences and frozen core approximations for describing the changes in electron and spin densities of the system allowed us to confirm these results. A description of the potential relationship with the obtained results and biological activity selectivity indexes suggests that both the formation of stable biradical dianion species and the stability of the semiquinone intermediates during further reduction are determining factors in the description of their biological activity.

Potent naphthoquinones against antimony-sensitive and -resistant Leishmania parasites: synthesis of novel α- and nor-α-lapachone-based 1,2,3-triazoles by copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition.

Continuing our screening program for novel anti-parasite compounds, we synthesized seven 1,4-naphthoquinones coupled to 1,2,3-triazoles, five nor-ß-lapachone-based 1,2,3-triazoles and ten α-lapachone-based 1,2,3-triazoles. These and other naphthoquinonoid compounds were evaluated for their activity against promastigote forms of antimony-sensitive and -resistant strains of Leishmania infantum (syn. Leishmania chagasi) and Leishmania amazonensis. The toxicity of these compounds to mammalian cells was also examined. The substances were more potent than an antimonial drug, with IC50 values ranging from 1.0 to 50.7 µM. Nor-α-lapachone derivatives showed the highest antileishmanial activity, with selectivity indices in the range of 10-15. These compounds emerged as important leads for further investigation as antileishmanial agents. Additionally, one of these compounds exhibited cross-resistance in Sb-resistant Leishmania and could provide a molecular tool for investigating the multidrug resistance mechanisms in Leishmania parasites.

1,3-Azoles from ortho-naphthoquinones: synthesis of aryl substituted imidazoles and oxazoles and their potent activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Twenty-three naphthoimidazoles and six naphthoxazoles were synthesised and evaluated against susceptible and rifampicin- and isoniazid-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Among all the compounds evaluated, fourteen presented MIC values in the range of 0.78 to 6.25 µg/mL against susceptible and resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. Five structures were solved by X-ray crystallographic analysis. These substances are promising antimycobacterial prototypes.

Synthesis and evaluation of quinonoid compounds against tumor cell lines.

Thirty two compounds were synthesized in moderate to high yields and showed activity against cancer cells HL-60 (leukemia), MDA-MB435 (melanoma), HCT-8 (colon) and SF295 (central nervous system), with IC(50) below 2 µM for some compounds. The ß-lapachone-based 1,2,3-triazoles showed the best cytoxicity profile and emerge as promising anticancer prototypes. Insights about the reactive oxygen species (ROS) mechanism of anticancer action for some compounds were obtained by addition of 1-bromoheptane that deplete reduced glutathione (GSH) content and by using N-acetylcysteine that protects cells against apoptotic cellular death, as well by analysis of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation, and oxidative DNA damage after treatment detected by the comet assay with the bacterial enzymes formamidopyrimidine DNA-glycosylase (FPG) and endonuclease III (ENDOIII).

The evaluation of quinonoid compounds against Trypanosoma cruzi: synthesis of imidazolic anthraquinones, nor-beta-lapachone derivatives and beta-lapachone-based 1,2,3-triazoles.

In continuing our screening program of naphthoquinone activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, the aetiological agent of Chagas' disease, new beta-lapachone-based 1,2,3-triazoles, 3-arylamino-nor-beta-lapachones, 3-alkoxy-nor-beta-lapachones and imidazole anthraquinones were synthesised and evaluated against bloodstream trypomastigote forms of the parasite. Compounds 2,2-dimethyl-3-(2,4-dibromophenylamino)-2,3-dihydro-naphtho[1,2-b]furan-4,5-dione, IC(50)/24h 24.9+/-7.4 and 4-azido-3-bromo-2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[h]chromene-5,6-dione with 23.4+/-3.8 microM showed a trypanosomicidal activity higher than benznidazole. These results demonstrate the potential of naphthoquinone derivatives as novel structures for the development of alternative drugs for Chagas' disease.

3-arylamino and 3-alkoxy-nor-beta-lapachone derivatives: synthesis and cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines.

Several 3-arylamino and 3-alkoxy-nor-beta-lapachone derivatives were synthesized in moderate to high yields and found to be highly potent against cancer cells SF295 (central nervous system), HCT8 (colon), MDA-MB435 (melanoma), and HL60 (leukemia), with IC(50) below 2 microM. The arylamino para-nitro and the 2,4-dimethoxy substituted naphthoquinones showed the best cytoxicity profile, while the ortho-nitro and the 2,4-dimethoxy substituted ones were more selective than doxorubicin and similar to the precursor lapachones, thus emerging as promising new lead compounds in anticancer drug development.

3-(2,4-Dibromo-anilino)-2,2-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-naphtho[1,2-b]furan-4,5-dione: a new substituted aryl-amino nor-ß-lapachone derivative.

The title compound, C(20)H(15)Br(2)NO(3), shows the furan ring to adopt a half-chair conformation and the two ring systems to be approximately perpendicular [dihedral angle = 71.0 (2)°]. In the crystal structure, inter-molecular C-H⋯O contacts link the mol-ecules.

Naphthoquinoidal [1,2,3]-triazole, a new structural moiety active against Trypanosoma cruzi.

[1,2,3]-Triazole derivatives of nor-beta-lapachone were synthesized and assayed against the infective bloodstream trypomastigote form of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. All the derivatives were more active than the original quinones, with IC(50)/1 day values in the range of 17 to 359 microM, the apolar phenyl substituted triazole 6 being the most active compound. These triazole derivatives of nor-beta-lapachone emerge as interesting new lead compounds in drug development for Chagas disease.