Molecular Docking Of Selected Bioactive Compounds From Azadirachta Indica For The Inhibition Of Covid19 Protease

Objective: COVID-19 caused by novel SARS-coronavirus 2 belonging to family Coronaviridae, is a global public health emergency infecting many people all around the world, especially in India with more than 2,98,000 cases. Hence there is a need for a novel drug that counters SARS-CoV2 is the prime requirement at this time. Methods: The present study aimed to assess bioactive compounds found in Azadirachta indica as a potential inhibitor of COVID-19 Mpr °(6Y2E, 6LU7, and 2GTB) by Autodock 4.2, with the Lamarckian Genetic Algorithm. COVID-19 Mpr ° was docked with thirteen bioactive compounds, and docking was analyzed by Autodock 4.2 and Pymol. Nelfinavir and Saquinavir were used as positive standards for comparison. Results: Azadirachtanin, Azadirachtol, and Salannolide, were left out because of the violation of Lipinski’s rule. The binding energies obtained from the docking of 6Y2E with a native ligand, Azadiradione, Beta-sitosterol, Epiazadiradione, Epoxyazadiradione, Kaempferol, Meldenin, Myricetin, Nimbaflavone, Nimbinene, Nimbione, Nimbocinolide, Quercitrin, Vepnin, Saquinavir, and Nelfinavir were-7.32,-6.63,-6.69,-7.52,-5.27,-4.54,-6.07,-4.19,-5.02,-5.58,-6.23,-4.71, -3.72,-6.4,-7.14 and-4.67 kcal/mol respectively. The binding energies obtained from the docking of 6LU7 with the native ligand, Azadiradione, Nimbione, Vepnin, and Saquinavir were-6.14,-6.48,-6.79 and-6.49 kcal/mol correspondingly. The binding energies obtained from the docking of 2GTB with the native ligand, Azadiradione, Epiazadiradione, Epoxyazadiradione, Kaempferol, Meldenin, Myricetin, Nimbaflavone, Nimbione, Nimbocinolide, Quercitrin, Vepnin, Saquinavir, and Nelfinavir were-6.96,-7.13,-6.69,-5.22,-6.44,-5.06,-5.93,-6.66,-5.3,-5.63,-7.11,-6.89 and-5.42kcal/mol, respectively. Conclusion: Azadiradione, Epiazadiradione, Nimbione, and Vepnin seemed to have the greatest potential to act as COVID-19 protease inhibitors. However, further research is necessary to explore their prospective medicinal use in vitro and in vivo conditions.

Saquinavir plus methylprednisolone ameliorates experimental acute lung injury

Glucocorticoid insensitivity is an important barrier to the treatment of several inflammatory diseases, including acute lung injury (ALI). Saquinavir (SQV) is an inhibitor of the human immunodeficiency virus protease, and the therapeutic effects of SQV in ALI accompanied with glucocorticoid insensitivity have not been previously investigated. In this study, the effects of SQV on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated injury in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs), human type I alveolar epithelial cells (AT I), and alveolar macrophages were determined. In addition, the effects of SQV on an LPS-induced ALI model with or without methylprednisolone (MPS) were studied. In LPS-stimulated HPMECs, SQV treatment resulted in a decrease of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), phospho-NF-κB (p-NF-κB), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and an increase of VE-cadherin. Compared to MPS alone, MPS plus SQV attenuated the decrease of glucocorticoid receptor alpha (GRα) and IκBα in LPS-stimulated HPMECs. HMGB1, TLR4, and p-NF-κB expression were also lessened in LPS-stimulated alveolar macrophages with SQV treatment. In addition, SQV reduced the injury in human AT I with a decrease of HMGB1 and p-NF-κB, and with an increase of aquaporin 5 (AQP 5). SQV ameliorated the lung injury caused by LPS in rats with reductions in vascular permeability, myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) and histopathological scores, and with lowered HMGB1, TLR4, and p-NF-κB expression, but with enhanced VE-cadherin expression. By comparison, SQV plus MPS increased GRα and IκBα in lung tissues of rats with ALI. This study demonstrated that SQV prevented experimental ALI and improved glucocorticoid insensitivity by modulating the HMGB1/TLR4 pathway.

Effects of Co-administration with Chrysin and Naringenin on the Pharmacokinetics of Saquinavir in Rats / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of chrysin and naringenin on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of saquinavir (SQV), a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), in rats. METHODS: Fifteen rats were randomized into 3 groups of equal size, and administered orally 30 mg·kg-1 SQV with or without 40 mg·kg-1 chrysin or naringenin. The PK of SQV was assessed using non-compartmental analysis and the plasma concentrations of three groups were determined by LC-MS/MS. RESULTS: The PK parameters values of SQV, SQV+ naringenin, SQV+ chrysin are as follows:AUC0-t, 882.91, 861.32, 934.84 ng·h·mL-1; AUC0-∞, 903.97, 865.90, 947.92 ng·h·mL-1; ρmax, 177.72, 89.8, 130.72 ng·mL-1; tmax, 1, 2, 0.5 h;t1/2, 11.73, 12.61, 13.33 h; MRT0-∞, 27.09, 31.63, 26.60 h; CL/F, 21.65, 21.45, 20.62 mL·kg-1·h-1. CONCLUSION: Double peak phenomenon is observed in the plasma SQV profiles. Our study demonstrates that chrysin and naringenin can not significantly affect the SQV oral bioavailability and SQV PK profiles in rats.

Effects of co-administration with morin and acetyl-resveratrolon pharmacokinetics of saquinavir in rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To assess the impact of morin and acetyl-resveratrol on the oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of saquinavir (SQV), a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), in rats.Methods Twenty rats were randomized into four groups of equal size, including a control group, two intervention groups and a positive control group, and administered orally 30 mg·kg-1 SQV with or without 40 mg·kg-1 morin or acetyl-resveratrol or verapamil (as positive control).The plasma concentrations of saquinavir were determined using a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method, and the PK of SQV was assessed using non-compartmental analysis.Results The PK parameters values of SQV, SQV+morin, SQV+acetyl-resveratrol, SQV+verapamil were as follows: AUC0-t, 381.53 μg·h·L-1,185.53 μg·h·L-1, 360.43 μg·h·L-1, 529.95 μg·h·L-1;AUC0-∞, 409.48 μg·h·L-1, 228.52 μg·h·L-1,446.67 μg·h·L-1, 552.41 μg·h·L-1;Cmax, 110.80 μg·L-1, 86.44 μg·L-1, 139.84 μg·L-1, 423.60 μg·L-1;Tmax, 0.25 h, 0.25 h, 0.25 h, 0.50 h;T1/2, 5.72 h, 5.94 h, 6.78 h, 3.78 h;MRT0-∞, 10.30 h, 9.61 h, 12.30 h, 4.89 h;CL/F, 7.59 mL·kg-1·h-1, 13.88 mL·kg-1·h-1, 7.28 mL·kg-1·h-1, 5.52 mL·kg-1·h-1.Conclusions Multiple peak phenomenon can be observed in the plasma SQV profiles.Morin can significantly reduce the SQV oral bioavailability and affect SQV PK profiles while acetyl-resveratrol cannot significantly affect the SQV oral bioavailability and SQV PK profiles in rats.

Antiretroviral drugs saquinavir and ritonavir reduce inhibitory concentration values of itraconazole against Histoplasma capsulatum strains in vitro

Abstract Recent studies have shown that some drugs that are not routinely used to treat fungal infections have antifungal activity, such as protease inhibitor antiretroviral drugs. This study investigated the in vitro susceptibility of Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum to saquinavir and ritonavir, and its combination with the antifungal itraconazole. The susceptibility assay was performed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. All strains were inhibited by the protease inhibitor antiretroviral drugs. Saquinavir showed minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.125 to 1 μg mL−1 for both phases, and ritonavir presented minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.0312 to 4 μg mL−1and from 0.0625 to 1 μg mL−1 for filamentous and yeast phase, respectively. Concerning the antifungal itraconazole, the minimum inhibitory concentration values ranged from 0.0019 to 0.125 μg mL−1 and from 0.0039 to 0.0312 μg mL−1 for the filamentous and yeast phase, respectively. The combination of saquinavir or ritonavir with itraconazole was synergistic against H. capsulatum, with a significant reduction in the minimum inhibitory concentrations of both drugs against the strains (p < 0.05). These data show an important in vitro synergy between protease inhibitors and itraconazole against the fungus H. capsulatum.

Anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 activity of two new nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in combination with other 3 antiretroviral agents in vitro / 军事医学科学院院刊

Objective:To evaluate the anti-HIV-1 activity of two new nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), JB25 and JB26, in combination with 3 approved drugs (AZT, EFV, SQV)in vitro.Methods:The serially diluted 10 concentrations of JB25 and JB26 were combined with 7 serially diluted AZT, EFV and SQV respectively.The combination was added to 384 cell culture plates and then cocultured with HIV-1 ⅢB infected MT-2 cells for 3 days. Finally, the HIV-1 production was determined by measuring the expression of reporter genes of TZM bl cells. The data were analyzed by MacSynergy Ⅱ software.Results:The average capacity of synergism/antagonism of JB25 with AZT, EFV and SQV was 244.45/-5.05(nmol/L)~2%, 119.58/-65.93 (nmol/L)~2% and 145.83/-0.32 (nmol/L)~2% respectively;the average capacity of synergism/antagonism of JB26 with AZT, EFV and SQV was 398.90/0(nmol/L)~2%, 103.62/-0.49(nmol/L)~2% and 138.473/-0.27 (nmol/L)~2% respectively. Conclusion:Two new NNRTIs JB25 and JB26 develop synergism when combined with 3 approved drugs, respectively. MacSynergy Ⅱ software could evaluate the anti-HIV-1 activity of drug combination.

Saquinavir induces insulin resistance in rat INS-1 cells / 中国糖尿病杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of HIV-1 protease inhibitor saquinavir on insulin signaling and β-cell function in rat INS-1 cells. Methods INS-1 cells were preincubated with 0 or 10 μmol/L saquinavir for 48 h, stimulated with 100 nmol/L insulin for 2 min or 20 mmol/L glucose for 30 min. Insulin signaling parameters were analyzed by immunoprecipitation and Western blot on cell lysates. Insulin concentrations in the supernatant were measured by ELISA, and standardized by cellular DNA contents. Cell count with trypan blue stain and MTT test were determined to evaluate the effect of saquinavir on cell viability. Results Treatment with saquinavir for 48 h significantly decreased insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of IRS-1, IRS-2 and Thr~(308)-phosphorylation of Akt in INS-1 cells by 60%, 66% and 55%, decreased the rate of basal insulin secretion and glucose-stimulated insulin release by 39% and 49% compared with control cells, respectively. Conclusions Treatment with saquinavir impairs insulin signal transmission in pancreatic β cells and results in insulin resistance in β cells. This effect might influence the function of β cells.