Naphthoquinones as a Promising Class of Compounds for Facing the Challenge of Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disease that affects approximately 6.1 million people and is primarily caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Naphthoquinones have several biological activities explored in the literature, including neuroprotective effects. Therefore, this review shows an overview of naphthoquinones with neuroprotective effects, such as shikonin, plumbagin and vitamin K, that prevented oxidative stress, in addition to multiple mechanisms. Synthetic naphthoquinones with inhibitory activity on the P2X7 receptor were also found, leading to a neuroprotective effect on Neuro-2a cells. It was found that naphthazarin can act as inhibitors of the MAO-B enzyme. Vitamin K and synthetic naphthoquinones hybrids with tryptophan or dopamine showed inhibition of the aggregation of α-synuclein. Synthetic derivatives of juglone and naphthazarin were able to protect Neuro-2a cells against neurodegenerative effects of neurotoxins. In addition, routes for producing synthetic derivatives were also discussed. With the data presented, 1,4-naphthoquinones can be considered as a promising class in the treatment of PD and this review aims to assist the scientific community in the application of these compounds. The derivatives presented can also support further research that explores their structures as synthetic platforms, in addition to helping to understand the interaction of naphthoquinones with biological targets related to PD.

In silico and pharmacological study of N,S-acetal juglone derivatives as inhibitors of the P2X7 receptor-promoted in vitro and in vivo inflammatory response.

Purinergic receptors are transmembrane proteins responsive to extracellular nucleotides and are expressed by several cell types throughout the human body. Among all identified subtypes, the P2×7 receptor has emerged as a relevant target for the treatment of inflammatory disease. Several clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of P2×7R antagonists. However, to date, no selective antagonist has reached clinical use. In this work, we report the pharmacological evaluation of eleven N, S-acetal juglone derivatives as P2×7R inhibitors. Using in vitro assays and in vivo experimental models, we identified one derivative with promising inhibitory activity and low toxicity. Our in silico studies indicate that the 1,4-naphthoquinone moiety might be a valuable molecular scaffold for the development of novel P2×7R antagonists, as suggested by our previous studies.

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Molecular Modeling Studies of Naphthoquinone Sulfonamides and Sulfonate Ester Derivatives as P2X7 Inhibitors.

ATP acts in the extracellular environment as an important signal, activating a family of receptors called purinergic receptors. In recent years, interest in the potential therapeutics of purinergic components, including agonists and antagonists of receptors, has increased. Currently, many observations have indicated that ATP acts as an important mediator of inflammatory responses and, when found in high concentrations in the extracellular space, is related to the activation of the P2X7 purinergic receptor. In this sense, the search for new inhibitors for this receptor has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. Sulfonamide derivatives have been reported to be potent inhibitors of P2X receptors. In this study, ten naphthoquinone sulfonamide derivatives and five naphthoquinone sulfonate ester derivatives were tested for their inhibitory activity on the P2X7 receptor expressed in peritoneal macrophages. Some compounds showed promising results, displaying IC50 values lower than that of A740003. Molecular docking and dynamic studies also indicated that the active compounds bind to an allosteric site on P2X7R. The binding free energy indicates that sulfonamides have an affinity for the P2X7 receptor similar to A740003. Therefore, the compounds studied herein present potential P2X7R inhibition.

Semisynthetic triterpenes led to the generation of selective antitrypanosomal lead compounds.

Triterpenes α,ß-amyrin are naturally occurring molecules that can serve as building blocks for synthesizing new chemical entities. This study synthesized acyl, carboxyesther, NSAID, and nitrogenous derivatives and evaluated their antimicrobial activity. A cyclodextrin complexation method was developed to improve the solubility of the derivatives. Of the 17 derivatives tested, five exhibited activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, T. brucei, Leishmania infantum, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. The 9a/9b mixture showed weak activity against the parasites (IC50 24.45-40.32 µM). However, it showed no activity for the other microorganisms. Derivatives 14a/14b exhibited potent activity against T. cruzi (IC50 2.0 nM) in this tested concentration did not show activity to the other microorganisms and were not cytotoxic. Derivatives 15a/15b and 16a/16b demonstrated relevant activity against the parasites (IC50 2.24-5.44 µM), but were also cytotoxic. Derivatives 17a/17b showed low activity against the tested parasites (IC50 21.70-22.79 µM), but they were selective since they did not show activity against other microorganisms. In docking studies, in general, all derivatives showed complementarity with the CYP51 binding site of the trypanosomatid mainly by hydrophobic interactions; thus, it is not conclusive that the molecules act by inhibiting this enzyme. Our results showed that triterpenes derivatives with antitrypanosomal activity could be synthesized by an inexpensive and rapid method.

Plant natural products as source of new P2 receptors ligands.

In recent years, interest in the research of P2 receptor (P2R)-mediated responses has grown significantly due to the recognition of the involvement of these receptors in various physiological and pathological processes. Despite all the progress made in the functional characterization of P2Rs, purinergic signaling research is still limited by the lack of selective or efficient ligands for different receptor subtypes. In this sense, several molecules have been tested towards these receptors as agonists or antagonists. Historically, natural products have always been sources of new bioactive substances for diverse purposes. However, compared to synthetic molecules, the number of natural products assessed for P2R ligands is still low. In this review, we present examples of studies that demonstrated plant natural products acting directly on P2R and modulating their functionality. In some cases, we highlight that the pharmacological activity previously described for the original organism could be correlated to an agonist or antagonist activity of a specific natural product on these receptors. These examples reinforce the need for more studies to investigate the pharmacological potential of new or known natural compounds targeting P2 receptors.

Synthesis of new N,S-acetal analogs derived from juglone with cytotoxic activity against Trypanossoma cruzi.

A series of 11 new N,S-acetal juglone derivatives were synthesized and evaluated against T. cruzi epimastigote forms. These compounds were obtained in good to moderate yields using a microwave irradiation protocol. Among all compounds, two N,S-acetal analogs, showed significant trypanocidal activity. Notably, one compound 11g exhibited selectivity index 10-fold higher than the reference drug benznidazole for epimastigote. The compound 11h was more effective for amastigote forms. Both prototypes exhibited S.I. higher than the benznidazole description. Thus, both compounds proving to be useful candidate molecules to further studies in infected animals.

Searching for new drugs for Chagas diseases: triazole analogs display high in vitro activity against Trypanosoma cruzi and low toxicity toward mammalian cells.

Chagas disease is one of the most relevant endemic diseases in Latin America caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Nifurtimox and benzonidazole are the drugs used in the treatment of this disease, but they commonly are toxic and present severe side effects. New effective molecules, without collateral effects, has promoted the investigation to develop new lead compounds with to advance for clinical trials. Previously, 3-nitro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-based amines and 1,2,3-triazoles demonstrated significant trypanocidal activity against T. cruzi. In this paper, we synthesized a new series of 92 examples of 1,2,3-triazoles. Six compounds exhibited antiparasitic activity, 14, 25, 27, 31 and 40, 43 and were effective against epimastigotes of two strains of T. cruzi (Y and Dm28-C) and 25, 27 and 31 exhibited trypanocidal activity similar to benzonidazole. Notably, the compound 25 compared to benzonidazole increase the toxicity against T. cruzi, with no apparent toxicity to the cell line of mice macrophages or primary mice peritoneal macrophages. As results, we calculated selectivity indexes up to 2000 to 25 and 31 in both T. cruzi strains. Derivative 14 caused a trypanostatic effect because it did not damage external epimastigote membrane. Triazoles 40 and 43 impaired parasites viability using a pathway not dependent on ROS production.

P2X7 receptor as a novel drug delivery system to increase the entrance of hydrophilic drugs into cells during photodynamic therapy.

The second-generation photosensitizer methylene blue (MB) exhibits photochemical and photophysical properties suitable for photodynamic therapy (PDT)-based cancer treatment. However, the clinical application of MB is limited because of its high hydrophilicity, which hinders its penetration into tumor tissues. Therefore, new methods to improve the entry of MB into the cytoplasm of target cells are necessary. Because MB has a mass of 319 Da, transient pores on the plasma membrane, such as the pore induced by the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) that allows the passage of molecules up to 900 Da, could be used. Using MTT viability assays, flow cytometry experiments, and fluorescence microscopy, we evaluated the toxicity and phototoxicity of MB and potentiation effects of ATP and MB on cell death processes in the J774 cell line (via a P2X7-associated pore). We observed that treatment with 5 µM MB for 15 min promoted the rate of entry of MB into the cytoplasm to 4.7 %. However, treatment with 5 µM MB and 1 mM ATP for the same amount of time increased this rate to 90.2 %. However, this effect was inhibited by pretreatment with a P2X7 antagonist. We used peritoneal macrophages and a cell line that does not express P2X7R as controls. These cells were more resistant to PDT with MB under the same experimental conditions. Taken together, these results suggest the use of the pore associated with P2X7R as a drug delivery system to increase the passage of hydrophilic drugs into cells that express this receptor, thus facilitating PDT.

Modulation of P2 receptors on pancreatic ß-cells by agonists and antagonists: a molecular target for type 2 diabetes treatment.

Morbidity and mortality from diabetes mellitus (DM) are serious worldwide concerns. By the year 2030, the estimated number of diabetic patients will reach a staggering 439 million worldwide. Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2), which involves disturbances in both insulin secretion and resistance, is the most common form of diabetes and affects approximately 5 to 7% of the world's population. When a patient with DM2 cannot regulate his or her blood glucose levels through diet, weight loss, or exercise, oral medications, such as hypoglycemic agents (i.e., sulphonylureas, biguanides, alpha glucosidase inhibitors and thiazolidinediones), are crucial. Here, we discuss some physiological aspects of P2 receptors on pancreatic ß-cells, which express a variety of P2 receptor isoforms. These receptors enhance glucose-dependent insulin release. In addition, we speculate on the potential of purinergic compounds as novel or additional treatments for Type 2 Diabetes mellitus.

New Strategies for Acute Liver Failure: Focus on Xenotransplantation Therapy.

Acute liver failure (ALF) has a poor prognosis and, despite intensive care support, reported average survival is only 10-40%. The most common causes responsible for ALF are viral hepatitis (mainly hepatitis A and B) and acetaminophen poisoning. Hepatic transplantation is the only appropriate treatment for patients with unlikely survival with supportive care alone. Survival rates after transplantation can be as high as 80-90% at the end of the first year. However, there is a shortage of donors and is not uncommon that no appropriate donor matches with the patient in time to avoid death. Therefore, new technologies are in constant development, including blood purification therapies as plasmapheresis, hemodiafiltration, and bioartificial liver support. However, they are still of limited efficacy or at an experimental level, and new strategies are welcome. Accordingly, cell transplantation has been developed to serve as a possible bridge to spontaneous recovery or liver transplantation. Xenotransplant of adult hepatocytes offers an interesting alternative. Moreover, the development of transgenic pigs with less immunogenic cells associated with new immunosuppressor strategies has allowed the development of this area. This article reviews some of the newly developed techniques, with focus on xenotransplant of adult hepatocytes, which might have clinical benefits as future treatment for ALF.