Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 7, Issue 4, 2011

Adiponectin, an adipose-derived protein, shows insulin-sensitizing, anti-diabetic and anti-atherogenic activities, which implies that the protein represents a potential target to improve lifestyle-related diseases like type 2 diabetes. Based on our hypothesis that agents that cause adipocyte differentiation could also act as adiponectin secretion enhancers, we screened butanol extracts of 96 fungus culture extracts for their di Read More

Due to the importance of intestinal transport in pharmacological studies and the emerging role of intestinal signalling activity in the gut-liver axis, we have developed a new method to investigate intestinal transport and liver signalling using cell and serum free mesenteric perfusion system in the rat. The method regarding bile acid active absorption was validated, then, the portal venous content was examined for fibroblast gr Read More

A set of hydroxamate derivatives of folic acid and methotrexate (MTX) was synthesized and evaluated for the inhibitory activity against histone deacetylase (HDAC) and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), two enzymes overexpressed in metastasizing tumors. The synthesized compounds were further screened for their antiproliferative activity in two human cancer cell lines, A549 (non-small cell lung carcinoma) and PC-3 (prosta Read More

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is microscopically characterized by cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, myofibrillar disarray, and fibrosis. During the evolvement of the hypertrophic disease, myocardium suffers a heterogeneous remodeling which includes enhancement of extracellular matrix. The most commonly used pharmacological agents are β- blockers and verapamil, a calcium antagonist, which are the mainstay of thera Read More

It has been demonstrated that taspine derivatives act as anticancer agents, thus we designed and synthesized a novel class of symmetrical biphenyl derivatives. We evaluated the cytotoxicity and antitumor activity of biphenyls against five human tumor and normal cell lines. The results indicated that the majority of the compounds exhibited anticancer activity equivalent to or greater than the positive control. Compounds Read More

Several novel quinazolone alkaloids derivatives were synthesized. Some of the target compounds were determined against human prostate cancer DU145 and pancreatic cancer Miacapa2 cells in vitro. The entire compounds had been identified by 1HNMR, 13CNMR, IR, MS and EA.

Trans activation response (TAR) region is an RNA target of considerable importance in controlling the replication cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). At a transcriptional level, HIV-1 is regulated by means of the interaction between Tat protein and TAR RNA. The TAR-Tat complex is an attractive target for developing novel antiviral drugs. Herein, the recognition modes of 8 structurally different ligands, Read More

This discovered and optimized several novel HIV-1 fusion inhibitors and further evaluated the inhibitory activities of these compounds in vitro. Here, we have reported the computer-aided design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of small molecule fusion inhibitors targeting HIV-1 gp41. Based on the structure of inhibitor (NB2), we carried out de novo design and screened out a series of novel structure molecules b Read More

Some phenols, like propofol, thymol and related compounds, have been shown to act on the GABAA receptor. Several compounds with GABAergic activity have displayed neuroprotective effects attributed mainly to the potentiation of GABAA-mediated inhibition of synaptic transmission. It has also been found that compounds containing a phenolic OH group can scavenge reactive oxygen species, as in the case of propofol, amo Read More

A simple, highly efficient and environmentally friendly microwave accelerated one-pot synthesis of a series of differently substituted bis-azetidinones have been synthesized expeditiously in good yields from 1,2-diaminoethane and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of zeolite. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, NMR, and mass spectra. The design and calculated molecular pro Read More