Synthesis,analgesic, anti‐inflammatory and ulcerogenic index activities of novel 2‐methylthio‐3‐substituted‐5,6‐dimethyl thieno [2,3‐d] pyrimidin‐4(3H)‐ones

A variety of novel 2‐methylthio‐3‐substituted amino‐5,6‐dimethyl thieno [2,3‐d] pyrimidin‐4(3H)‐ones were synthesized by reacting 3‐amino‐2‐methylthio‐5,6‐dimethyl thieno [2,3‐d] pyrimidin‐4(3H)‐one with different aldehydes and ketones. The starting material 3‐amino‐2‐methylthio‐5,6‐dimethyl thieno [2,3‐d] pyrimidin‐4(3H)‐one was synthesized from 2‐amino‐3‐carbethoxy‐4,5‐dimethyl thiophene. The compounds were investigated for their analgesic activity in albino mice, and for their anti‐inflammatory and ulcerogenic index activities in Wistar rats. The compound 2‐(1‐ethylpropylideneamino)‐2‐methylthio‐5,6‐dimethyl thieno [2,3‐d] pyrimidin‐4(3H)‐one (AS2) showed the most potent analgesic activity of the series. It also showed more potent anti‐inflammatory activity when compared to the reference standard, diclofenac sodium. The test compounds showed only mild ulcerogenic potential when compared to aspirin. Drug Dev Res 68:134–142, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Urinary L-lactate excretion is increased in renal Fanconi syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Measurement of l-lactate in body fluids is an established clinical tool to identify disorders of cellular respiration. However, there is very little known about the clinical value of urinary lactate measurements. We investigated urinary lactate excretion in children with renal Fanconi syndrome. METHODS: Freshly voided urine samples were obtained from children with Fanconi syndrome and controls both with and without renal disease. Urine lactate was estimated by conversion to pyruvate in the presence of lactate dehydrogenase and NAD. The NADH produced was measured photometrically. Urine lactate was factored for urine creatinine. RESULTS: Children with Fanconi syndrome had a significantly higher urine lactate/creatinine ratio [mean: 84 x 10(-2) mmol/mmol; 95% confidence interval (CI): 40.8-127.1 x 10(-2) mmol/mmol] than healthy controls (mean: 1.3 x 10(-2) mmol/mmol; CI: 1.1-1.5 x 10(-2) mmol/ mmol) and those with a variety of renal diseases (mean: 3.1 x 10(-2) mmol/mmol; CI: 1.8-4.5 x 10(-2) mmol/mmol). CONCLUSIONS: Urinary lactate is increased in Fanconi syndrome. The increase is likely to be due to reduced lactate co-transport in the proximal tubule. Urinary lactate/creatinine has clinical utility as a sensitive test of disordered proximal renal tubular function.     

Synthesis of aryl semicarbazones as potential anticonvulsant agents.

A series of 4-ethoxyphenyl semicarbazones (1-10) have been synthesized using an appropriate synthetic route and characterized by elemental analyses and spectral data. The anticonvulsant activity of all the synthesized compounds was evaluated against maximal electroshock induced seizures (MES) and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ) induced seizure models in mice. The neurotoxicity was assessed using the rotorod method. All the test compounds were administered at doses of 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg body weight and the anticonvulsant activity was noted at 0.5 and 4 h time intervals after the drug administration. Among the compounds tested, compounds except 3, 4 and 10 showed protection from seizures in both the animal models. Compounds 6 and 8 were found to increase gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the medulla oblongata region of the rat brain.     

Discovery of new antitubercular oxazolyl thiosemicarbazones

Twenty 4-(5-cyclobutyloxazol-2-yl)thiosemicarbazones were synthesized and evaluated for preliminary in vitro and in vivo activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (MTB) and multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Among them, (4-bromophenyl)(phenyl)methanone N-(5-cyclobutyl-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)thiosemicarbazone 6q was found to be the most active compound in vitro with minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.05 microg/mL against MTB and MDR-TB. In the in vivo animal model 6q decreased the bacterial load in lung and spleen tissues with 2.1 log 10 and 3.72 log 10 protections, respectively, at 50 mg/kg body weight dose.     

Antiparasitic compounds from Cornus florida L. with activities against Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania tarentolae

Aim of the study

The objective of this study was to identify the antiplasmodial constituents from the bark of Cornus florida L., a plant traditionally used in North America for the treatment of malaria.

Methods and materials

Dried and powdered bark was extracted with 95% ethanol. The resultant extract was subjected to in vitro antiplasmodial-guided fractionation against Plasmodium falciparum (D10 strain). Antiplasmodial IC₅₀ values were calculated for pure compounds. Compounds were also assayed against Leishmania tarentolae, and rat skeletal myoblast L6 cells to assess antileishmanial activity and cytotoxicity, respectively.

Results

Antiplasmodial-guided fractionation afforded 8 compounds: betulinic acid (1), ursolic acid (2), β-sitosterol (3), ergosta-4,6,8,22-tetraene-3-one (4), 3β-O-acetyl betulinic acid (5), 3-epideoxyflindissol (6), 3β-O-cis-coumaroyl betulinic acid (7), 3β-O-trans-coumaroyl betulinic acid (8), of which, (6) is for the first time here isolated from a natural product and (4), (7) and (8) are reported for the first time from this genus. In vitro IC₅₀ values against P. falciparum for (4) (61.0 μM) (6) (128.0 μM), (7) (10.4 μM), (8) (15.3 μM) are reported for the first time. Antileishmanial IC₅₀ values are reported here for the first time for (4) (11.5 μM), (6) (1.8 μM), (7) (8.3 μM) and (8) (2.2 μM). Cytotoxicity against L6 cells is reported for all compounds.

Conclusions

The compounds isolated in this study, while displaying moderate in vitro antiplasmodial activity, do not fully support the historical importance of C. florida as an antimalarial remedy in North America. The traditional remedy may exert its well documented effects by mechanisms unrelated to direct antiplasmodial action. While not traditionally used to treat Leishmania, this work shows that several constituents of C. florida possess promising in vitro antileishmanial activity.     

3-Chloro-2-methylphenyl-substituted semicarbazones: synthesis and anticonvulsant activity

A series of 3-chloro-2-methylphenyl substituted semicarbazones (3-33) was synthesized and evaluated for anticonvulsant and CNS activities. After intraperitoneal injection to mice or rats, the semicarbazone derivatives were examined in the maximal electroshock seizure (MES), subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ), and subcutaneous strychnine (scSTY)-induced seizure and neurotoxicity screens. The aryl urea (1) and the semicarbazide (2) showed anticonvulsant activity in the MES and scPTZ screens with acute neurotoxicity, whereas the semicarbazone derivatives showed good anticonvulsant potency in the scSTY screen with moderate activity against MES and scPTZ screens. Compound 21 exhibited anticonvulsant potency against all the three screens with lesser neurotoxicity. Some titled compounds exhibited lesser CNS depression and neurotoxicity compared to phenytoin or carbamazepine as was evident from the CNS studies.     

Synthesis and structure-activity relationship on anticonvulsant aryl semicarbazones

Seven series of various substituted aryl semicarbazones were synthesized and evaluated for anticonvulsant activity in the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ) induced seizure threshold tests. A comprehensive structure-activity relationship was derived comparing the substituents on the aryl ring and in the carbimino terminal. Generally the order of activity was 4-F > 2-Br = 3-Br = 4-Cl > 4-CH(3) > 4-Br > 3-Cl > 3-CH(3) with respect to the primary aryl group. Most of the compounds exhibited activity both in the MES and scPTZ screens. The 4-fluorophenyl substituted semicarbazones (5a-5y) emerged as the most potent compounds exhibiting anticonvulsant activity in mouse intraperitoneal (i.p.) and rat per oral (p.o.) MES, scPTZ and psychomotor seizure (6 Hz) screens.     

Synthesis and anticonvulsant and neurotoxicity evaluation of N4-phthalimido phenyl (thio) semicarbazides.

The phenyl (thio) semicarbazide derivatives of phthalimido pharmacophore were synthesized and evaluated for their anticonvulsant and neurotoxic properties. Initial anticonvulsant screening was performed using intraperitoneal (i.p.), maximal electroshock-induced seizure (MES), subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ) and subcutaneous strychnine (sc STY)-induced seizure threshold tests in mice. Compound 2c afforded protection in all the three screens. Compounds except 1d, 2a and 2d showed no neurotoxicity up to 300 mg/kg. Compounds 1a, 1b, 2c, 2d, 2g and 2i were found to show oral MES activity. The compounds exhibited CNS depression and behavioral despair side effects, lesser than the conventional antiepileptic drugs.     

Triamcinolone-loaded glutaraldehyde cross-linked chitosan microspheres: prolonged release approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

The use of glucocorticoids in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been widely employed, but, owing to their systemic side-effects and also their susceptibility to the first pass metabolism, their use is being discouraged. To circumvent this, triamcinolone (TA) were encapsulated in chitosan microspheres with glutaraldehyde as the cross-linking agent to achieve a prolonged drug release. The percentage of drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and surface morphology by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Phase transition by Differential scanning colorimetry (DSC), as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies was carried out to characterize the chitosan microspheres. In-vitro and in-vivo release studies revealed that microspheres were able to control the release of TA with a uniform release pattern up to a period of 36 days and thereafter an extended release up to 63 days. The clinical parameters were investigated for changes in paw volume, hematological parameters like Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Paced cell volume (PCV), Total leucocyte count (TLC), Hb, and Differential cell count (DCC) in Fruend's complete adjuvant induced arthritic rats. Histopathological findings as well as radiology (X-ray) further confirmed the effectiveness of TA encapsulated microspheres in mitigating the rat arthritic model.