Agricultural soils a trigger to nitrous oxide: a persuasive greenhouse gas and its management.

Agricultural soils form the backbone of the country's economic development. The increased population has not only reduced this treasure but also has affected the global climate at an alarming rate. Among the GHGs, emission of N2O due to agricultural activities is nowadays a global concern. Agricultural industries have increased N2O and CH4 by 17% in the atmosphere since 1990, with an average emanation rate of around 60 MT CO2 equivalents per year. Crop production accounts for approximately 50% of N2O emissions stemming from the farming community and discharges of fertilizer-induced N2O, for the time being estimated by IPCC at 1.24% of the N used ranging from 0.76% (rice) to 2.77% (maize). The concentration of atmospheric N2O has increased (60 ppb) after the industrial revolution, at the pace of 0.73 ppb year-1. Besides, soil structure, temperature, moisture, denitrifying microbial population, pH, C:N ratio, and relief are the factors which significantly enhance the N2O levels into the atmosphere. N2O as a GHG has more potential towards global warming than CO2 and has a very long residence period (115 years) in the atmosphere. N2O emission is nowadays a core issue which needs to be mitigated so as to decline the levels of its production in agricultural soils. However, priority should be given to the organic farming, management of soil chemistry, and phytoremediation to reduce the addition of N2O into the ambient air. Furthermore, deployment of N2O reductase in agricultural soils increases the efficiency of converting N2O to inert N2 which is a valuable strategy to reduce N2O production.

Design, synthesis, topoisomerase I & II inhibitory activity, antiproliferative activity, and structure-activity relationship study of pyrazoline derivatives: An ATP-competitive human topoisomerase IIα catalytic inhibitor.

A series of pyrazoline derivatives (5) were synthesized in 92-96% yields from chalcones (3) and hydrazides (4). Subsequently, topo-I and IIα-mediated relaxation and antiproliferative activity assays were evaluated for 5. Among the tested compounds, 5h had a very strong topo-I activity of 97% (Camptothecin, 74%) at concentration of 100 µM. Nevertheless, all the compounds 5a-5i showed significant topo II inhibitory activity in the range of 90-94% (Etoposide, 96%) at the same concentration. Cytotoxic potential of these compounds was tested in a panel of three human tumor cell lines, HCT15, BT474 and T47D. All the compounds showed strong activity against HCT15 cell line with IC50 at the range of 1.9-10.4 µM (Adriamycin, 23.0; Etoposide, 6.9; and Camptothecin, 7.1 µM). Moreover, compounds 5c, 5f and 5i were observed to have strong antiproliferative activity against BT474 cell lines. Since, compound 5d showed antiproliferative activity at a very low IC50 thus 5d was then selected to study on their mode of action with diverse methods of ATP competition assay, ATPase assay and DNA-topo IIα cleavable complex assay and the results revealed that it functioned as a ATP-competitive human topoisomerase IIα catalytic inhibitor. Further evaluation of endogenous topo-mediated DNA relaxation in cells has been conducted to find that, 5d inhibited endogenous topo-mediated pBR322 plasmid relaxation is more efficient (78.0 ± 4.7% at 50 µM) than Etoposide (36.0 ± 1.7% at 50 µM).

Synthesis of propiophenone derivatives as new class of antidiabetic agents reducing body weight in db/db mice.

A series of propiophenone derivatives (6-23) have been synthesized and evaluated for their in vivo antihyperglycemic activities in sucrose loaded model (SLM), sucrose challenged streptozotocin (STZ-S) induced diabetic rat model and C57BL/KsJ db/db diabetic mice model. Compound 15 and 16 were emerged as potent antihyperglycemics and lipid lowering agents. These compounds (15, 16) further validate the potency by reducing body weight and food intake in db/db mice model. Possible mechanism of action for the propiophenone derivatives was established by the evaluation in various in vitro models. Interestingly some of the compounds were efficiently inhibiting PTP-1B.

Microwave-assisted solution-phase synthesis and DART-mass spectrometric monitoring of a combinatorial library of indolin-2,3-dione schiff bases with potential antimycobacterial activity.

A combinatorial library composed of eleven hydrazides A-K and eleven indolin-1,2-dione derivatives 1-11 has been designed to formally generate sublibraries of 22 mixtures, M(1)-M(22) comprising of 121 Schiff bases, A-K(1-11). The designed library has been synthesized by the solution-phase method and microwave-assisted synthetic techniques. The formation of individual compounds of each mixture was confirmed by Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) as ionization technique connected to an Ion Trap as a mass detector. The synthesized mixtures were evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity against four Mycobacterium strains; M. intercellulari, M. xenopi, M. cheleneoi and M. smegmatis. Variable antimycobacterial activity was revealed with the investigated mixtures and maximum activity was shown by M(8), M(10), M(11), and M(15) with MIC values of 1.5, 3.1, 6.2 and 0.09 µg/mL, respectively. Application of the indexed method of analysis on these active mixtures revealed that compounds D(8), D(10) and D(11) may contribute to the activity of the tested mixtures.

Microwave-assisted one-step synthesis of fenamic acid hydrazides from the corresponding acids.

A facile and efficient method for synthesis of fenamic acid hydrazides from their acids in one-step reaction under microwave irradiation and solvent-free conditions was developed. Compared with the two-step conventional heating method, the process was simple, the reaction time was very short and the yields were almost quantitative.

Pyranocoumarins: a new class of anti-hyperglycemic and anti-dyslipidemic agents.

A series of pyranocoumarin derivatives were synthesized and evaluated in vivo for their anti-hyperglycemic as well as anti-dyslipidemic activities. Compounds 7a, 7c, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8e and 8f have shown promising anti-hyperglycemic activities in sucrose loaded model (SLM) as well as sucrose challenged streptozotocin induced diabetic rat model (STZ). Compounds 8a and 8b were showing 38.0% and 42.0% blood glucose lowering activity in db/db mice model. In vitro anti-hyperglycemic activity evaluation exhibited that compounds 8a (IC(50)=24.5 microM) and 8b (IC(50)=36.2 microM) are potential PTP-1B inhibitors thereby revealing their possible mechanism of anti-diabetic action. Compounds 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 8d, 8e and 8f have shown significant anti-dyslipidemic activity in triton induced dyslipidemia in rats.

Design and synthesis of 3,5-diarylisoxazole derivatives as novel class of anti-hyperglycemic and lipid lowering agents.

We have designed 1,3-disubstituted-5-membered heteroaromatic ring system as a common core motif from known anti-hyperglycemic agents. Designed compounds were synthesized and screened for in vivo anti-hyperglycemic activity in sucrose loaded model (SLM), sucrose-challenged streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model (STZ-S) as well as db/db mice model. Some of the synthesized compounds showed promising in vivo anti-hyperglycemic as well as moderate lipid lowering activity. Synthesized Compounds were screened in various in vitro models of type-2 diabeties such as DPP-4, PTP1B and PPARgamma to know the mechanism of their anti-hyperglycemic action. None of the synthesized compounds showed DPP-4 inhibitory as well as PPARgamma activity. These compounds have shown promising PTP-1B inhibitory activity there by revealing that compounds exhibit anti-diabetic activity by PTP1B pathway.

Novel 2-aryl-naphtho[1,2-d]oxazole derivatives as potential PTP-1B inhibitors showing antihyperglycemic activities.

A series of 2-aryl-naphtho[1,2-d]oxazole derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for PTP-1B inhibitory activity. The compounds have been screened in vivo for antidiabetic activity under sucrose loaded model (SLM), sucrose-challenged streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model (STZ-S) and db/db mice model. Compounds 8 and 12 have shown promising PTP-1B inhibitory activity, significant antidiabetic activity, moderate lipid and triglyceride lowering activity.

Novel substituted naphthalen-1-yl-methanone derivatives as anti-hyperglycemic agents.

A series of aminoalkoxy phenyl-substituted naphthalene-1-yl-methanone was synthesized and tested for its anti-hyperglycemic activity in SLM and STZ-S rat models. Some compounds (3b, 4c and 4h) of the series were showing significant anti-hyperglycemic activity in male Sprague-Dawley rats in sucrose-loaded model (SLM) as well as in streptozotocin-induced model (STZ-S). Active compounds were also evaluated for relative binding affinity against glucagon receptor.

Cleavage of oximes using a solid supported hypervalent organoiodine reagent.

A facile and efficient oxidative cleavage of oximes to form carbonyl compounds is reported using phenyl iodonium (III) diacetate (PIDA) and polymer supported polydiacetoxyiodostyrene. Regeneration of carbonyl compounds from corresponding oximes is an important reaction, since oxime derivatives constitute one of the primary methods for purification and characterization of carbonyl compounds. This process overcomes many of the disadvantages associated with other oxidative methods such as long reaction times, difficulties in isolation of products and formation of over oxidized products.