Design and Organocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Indolyl-Pyrroloindoles Bearing Both Axial and Central Chirality.

An axially chiral indolyl-pyrroloindole scaffold, a new member of axially chiral indole-based scaffolds, has been designed, and the catalytic asymmetric construction of this scaffold has been established by the strategy of organocatalytic asymmetric (2 + 3) cycloaddition of 3,3'-bisindoles with isoindolinone-based propargylic alcohols. By this approach, a series of indolyl-pyrroloindole derivatives bearing both axial chirality and central chirality were synthesized in high yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to 95% yield, 91:9 dr, 99% ee). This reaction not only realizes the first catalytic asymmetric (2 + n) cycloaddition of 3,3'-bisindoles as 1,2-dinucleophiles but also provides a new strategy for atroposelective construction of axially chiral indole-based scaffolds bearing five-five-membered rings, thus solving the challenges in constructing this class of axially chiral indole-based scaffolds.

New model predicting gastroesophageal varices and variceal hemorrhage in patients with chronic liver disease.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The predictors for gastroesophageal varices (GOV) and hemorrhage development have not been well studied in different liver diseases or different population. This study aimed to evaluate whether a new algorithm focusing on chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients is also applicable to other chronic liver diseases (CLDs) in Chinese population. PATIENTS OR MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 659 CHB patients and 386 patients with other CLDs. A total of 439 CHB patients were included in training set, the other 220 CHB patients and other patients with CLDs were included in validation set. A new algorithm for diagnosing GOV was established and its sensitivity and specificity for predicting the varices was verified. RESULTS: Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the rough surface of the liver (p<0.001), splenic thickness (p<0.001), and liver stiffness (p=0.006) were independent predictors of GOV. The new algorithm was considered to be a reliable diagnostic model to evaluate the presence of varices. The AUROC was 0.94 (p<0.001) in CHB validation set and 0.90 (<0.001) in non-CHB validation set. When the cut-off value was chosen as -1.048, the sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing GOV in CHB population were 89.1% and 82.5%, respectively. Importantly, the new algorithm accurately predicted the variceal hemorrhage not only in CHB patients, but also in patients with other CLDs. CONCLUSION: The new algorithm is regarded as a reliable model to prognosticate varices and variceal hemorrhage, and stratified not only the high-risk CHB patients, but also in patients with other CLDs for developing GOV and variceal bleeding.

A manganese-salen complex as dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

A manganese Schiff base complex with N,N'-1,2-phenylenediamine-bis(salicyladimine) was synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. This complex was administered intragastrically to alloxan-diabetic mice 3 weeks. In vivo tests showed that the complex significantly lowered serum glucose levels in alloxan-diabetic mice at doses of 77 mg V kg-1. Meanwhile, this complex was investigated as dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The compound exhibit moderate inhibition against DPP-IV and possessed an IC50 value of 30 µM. Lineweaver-Burk transformation of the inhibition kinetics data demonstrated that it was a noncompetitive inhibitor of DPP-IV and Ki value was 136.3 µM. Moreover, molecular modeling studies suggested that the complex could fit well within the active-site cleft of DPP-IV. An acute toxicity study showed that animals treated intragastically with complex 1 at a dose of 5.0 g/kg did not show any significantly abnormal signs. These preliminary results suggest that the manganese Schiff base complex can induce a hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-diabetic mice.