Synthesis and Characterization of Naproxen Intercalated Zinc Oxide Stacked Nanosheets for Enhanced Hepatoprotective Potential.

Liver diseases pose a significant global health burden, with limited therapeutic options for chronic cases. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials have emerged as promising candidates for hepatoprotection due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative properties. However, their potential remains hampered by insufficient drug loading and controlled release. The current study explores the intercalation of Naproxen (Nx), a potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug, within ZnO stacked nanosheets (SNSs) to address these limitations. Herein, an easy and solution-based synthesis of novel Nx intercalated ZnO SNSs was established. The obtained Nx intercalated ZnO SNSs were encapsulated with poly(vinyl acetate) (PVA) to make them biocompatible. The synthesized biocomposite was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), which confirm the successful synthesis and intercalation of Nx within the ZnO SNSs. The obtained outcomes showed that the configuration of ZnO nanosheets was altered when Nx was introduced, resulting in a more organized stacking pattern. An in vivo investigation of mice liver cells unveiled that the Nx intercalated ZnO SNss had increased hepatoprotective properties. The study's results provide valuable insights into using Nx intercalated ZnO SNss for targeted drug delivery and improved treatment effectiveness, particularly for liver-related illnesses.

Labunicolamine: A Rare Penillic Acid Congener from the Nematode Cyst-Associated Fungus Laburnicola nematophila.

A chemical investigation of a methanol extract derived from a solid-state rice culture of the nematode-cyst associated fungus Laburnicola nematophila K01 led to the isolation and characterization of a previously undescribed penillic acid analogue named laburnicolamine (1). The chemical structure was elucidated through comprehensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses in methanol-d4 and DMSO-d6, alongside with HR-ESI-MS spectrometry. The absolute configuration of 1 was concluded through the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and time-dependent density functional theory-ECD (TDDFT-ECD) computations compared to its acquired spectrum. Biological assays revealed that compound 1 exhibited no significant cytotoxic, antimicrobial, or nematicidal activity.

Aluminium phosphide (Al12P12) nanocage as a potential sensor for volatile organic compounds: A DFT study.

The efficacy of aluminium phosphide (Al12P12) nanocage toward sensing methanol (MeOH) and ethanol (EtOH) volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was herein thoroughly elucidated utilizing various density functional theory (DFT) computations. In this perspective, MeOH⋯ and EtOH⋯Al12P12 complexes were investigated within all plausible configurations. According to the energetic features, the EtOH⋯Al12P12 complexes exhibited larger negative values of adsorption and interaction energies with values up to -27.23 and -32.84 kcal mol-1, respectively, in comparison to the MeOH⋯Al12P12 complexes. Based on the symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) results, the electrostatic forces were pinpointed as the predominant component beyond the adsorption process within the preferable MeOH⋯ and EtOH⋯Al12P12 complexes. The findings of the noncovalent interaction (NCI) index and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) outlined the closed-shell nature of the interactions within the studied complexes. Substantial variations were found in the molecular orbitals distribution patterns of MeOH/EtOH molecules and Al12P12 nanocage, outlining the occurrence of the adsorption process within the complexes under investigation. Thermodynamic parameters were denoted with negative values, demonstrating the spontaneous exothermic nature of the most favorable complexes. New energy states were observed within the extracted density of states plots, confirming the impact of adsorbing MeOH and EtOH molecules on the electronic properties of the Al12P12 nanocage. The appearance of additional peaks in Infrared Radiation (IR) and Raman spectra revealed the apparent effect of the adsorption process on the features of the utilized sensor. The emerging results declared the potential uses of Al12P12 nanocage as a promising candidate for sensing VOCs, particularly MeOH and EtOH.

Molecular networking-guided investigation of the secondary metabolome of four Morus species and their in vivo neuroprotective potential for the mitigation of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a fatal age-related neurodegenerative condition with a multifactorial etiology contributing to 70% of dementia globally. The search for a multi-target agent to hit different targets involved in the pathogenesis of AD is crucial. In the present study, the neuroprotective effects of four Morus extracts were assessed in LPS-induced AD in mice. Among the studied species, M. macroura exhibited a profound effect on alleviating the loss of cognitive function, improved the learning ability, restored the acetylcholine esterase (AChE) levels to normal, and significantly reduced the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) brain content in LPS-treated mice. To investigate the secondary metabolome of the studied Morus species, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS/MS), aided with feature-based molecular networking, was employed. Among the annotated features, aryl benzofurans and prenylated flavonoids were suggested as being responsible for the observed neuroprotective effect. Furthermore, some of the detected metabolites were proposed as new natural products such as moranoline di-O-hexoside (1), isomers of trimethoxy-dihydrochalcone-O-dihexoside (59 & 76), (hydroxy-dimethoxyphenyl)butenone-O-hexoside (82), and O-methylpreglabridin-O-sulphate (105). In conclusion, our findings advocate the potential usage of M. macroura leaves for the management of AD, yet after considering further clinical trials.

σ-Hole Site-Based Interactions within Hypervalent Pnicogen, Halogen, and Aerogen-Bearing Molecules with Lewis Bases: A Comparative Study.

σ-Hole site-based interactions in the trigonal bipyramidal geometrical structure of hypervalent pnicogen, halogen, and aerogen-bearing molecules with pyridine and NCH Lewis bases (LBs) were comparatively examined. In this respect, the ZF5···, XF3O2···, and AeF2O3···LB complexes (where Z = As, Sb; X = Br, I; Ae = Kr, Xe; and LB = pyridine and NCH) were investigated. The electrostatic potential (EP) analysis affirmations outlined the occurrence of σ-holes on the systems under consideration with disparate magnitudes that increased according to the following order: AeF2O3 < XF3O2 < ZF5. In line with EP outcomes, the proficiency of σ-hole site-based interactions increased as the atomic size of the central atom increased with a higher favorability for the pyridine-based complexes over NCH-based ones. The interaction energy showed the most favorable negative values of -35.97, -44.53, and -56.06 kcal/mol for the XeF2O3···, IF3O2···, and SbF5···pyridine complexes, respectively. The preferentiality pattern of the studied interactions could be explained as a consequence of (i) the dramatic rearrangement of ZF5 molecules from the trigonal bipyramid geometry to the square pyramidal one, (ii) the significant and tiny deformation energy in the case of the interaction of XF3O2 molecules with pyridine and NCH, respectively, and (iii) the absence of geometrical deformation within the AeF2O3···pyridine and ···NCH complexes other than the XeF2O3···pyridine one. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules and noncovalent interaction index findings reveal the partially covalent nature of most of the investigated interactions. Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory affirmations declared that the electrostatic component was the driving force beyond the occurrence of the considered interactions. The obtained findings will help in improving our understanding of the effect of geometrical deformation on intermolecular interactions.

Designing Thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione Core-Based, A2-D-A1-D-A2-Type Acceptor Molecules for Promising Photovoltaic Parameters in Organic Photovoltaic Cells.

Nonfullerene-based organic solar cells can be utilized as favorable photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices due to their enhanced life span and efficiency. In this research, seven new molecules were designed to improve the working efficiency of organic solar cells by utilizing a terminal acceptor modification approach. The perceived A2-D-A1-D-A2 configuration-based molecules possess a lower band gap ranging from 1.95 to 2.21 eV compared to the pre-existing reference molecule (RW), which has a band gap of 2.23 eV. The modified molecules also exhibit higher λmax values ranging from 672 to 768 nm in the gaseous and 715-839 nm in solvent phases, respectively, as compared to the (RW) molecule, which has λmax values at 673 and 719 nm in gas and chloroform medium, respectively. The ground state geometries, molecular planarity parameter, and span of deviation from the plane were analyzed to study the planarity of all of the molecules. The natural transition orbitals, the density of state, molecular electrostatic potential, noncovalent interactions, frontier molecular orbitals, and transition density matrix analysis of all studied molecules were executed to validate the optoelectronic properties of these molecules. Improved charge mobilities and dipole moments were observed, as newly designed molecules possessed lower internal reorganization energies. The open circuit voltage (Voc) of W4, W5, W6, and W7 among newly designed molecules was improved as compared to the reference molecule. These results elaborate on the superiority of these novel-designed molecules over the pre-existing (RW) molecule as potential blocks for better organic solar cell applications.

Insights on cyclophosphamide metabolism and anticancer mechanism of action: A computational study.

The oxazaphosphorine cyclophosphamide (CP) is a DNA-alkylating agent commonly used in cancer chemotherapy. This anticancer agent is administered as a prodrug activated by a liver cytochrome P450-catalyzed 4-hydroxylation reaction that yields the active, cytotoxic metabolite. The primary metabolite, 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide, equilibrates with the ring-open aldophosphamide that undergoes ß-elimination to yield the therapeutically active DNA cross-linking phosphoramide mustard and the byproduct acrolein. The present paper presents a DFT investigation of the different metabolic phases and an insight into the mechanism by which CP exerts its cytotoxic action. A detailed computational analysis of the energy profiles describing all the involved transformations and the mechanism of DNA alkylation is given with the aim to contribute to an increase of knowledge that, after more than 60 years of unsuccessful attempts, can lead to the design and development of a new generation of oxazaphosphorines.

Multi-cavity molecular descriptor interconnections: Enhanced protocol for prediction of serum albumin drug binding.

The role of human serum albumin (HSA) in the transport of molecules predicates its involvement in the determination of drug distribution and metabolism. Optimization of ADME properties are analogous to HSA binding thus this is imperative to the drug discovery process. Currently, various in silico predictive tools exist to complement the drug discovery process, however, the prediction of possible ligand-binding sites on HSA has posed several challenges. Herein, we present a strong and deeper-than-surface case for the prediction of HSA-ligand binding sites using multi-cavity molecular descriptors by exploiting all experimentally available and crystallized HSA-bound drugs. Unlike previously proposed models found in literature, we established an in-depth correlation between the physicochemical properties of available crystallized HSA-bound drugs and different HSA binding site characteristics to precisely predict the binding sites of investigational molecules. Molecular descriptors such as the number of hydrogen bond donors (nHD), number of heteroatoms (nHet), topological polar surface area (TPSA), molecular weight (MW), and distribution coefficient (LogD) were correlated against HSA binding site characteristics, including hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, enclosure, exposure, contact, site volume, and donor/acceptor ratio. Molecular descriptors nHD, TPSA, LogD, nHet, and MW were found to possess the most inherent capacities providing baseline information for the prediction of serum albumin binding site. We believe that these associations may form the bedrock for establishing a solid correlation between the physicochemical properties and Albumin binding site architecture. Information presented in this report would serve as critical in provisions of rational drug designing as well as drug delivery, bioavailability, and pharmacokinetics.

Cytotoxic and antimicrobial mycophenolic acid derivatives from an endophytic fungus Penicillium sp. MNP-HS-2 associated with Macrozamia communis.

Macrozamia communis and its associated endophytic fungi are untapped sources of bioactive metabolites with great potential for medicinal exploitation. Chemical investigation of the mycelial extract derived from an endophytic fungus Penicillium sp. MNP-HS-2 associated with M. communis fruit afforded four mycophenolic acid derivatives recognized as previously undescribed natural products (1-4), together with nine known metabolites (5-13). Chemical structures of isolated compounds were determined based on extensive spectroscopic analyses, including 1D/2D NMR and HRESIMS. The absolute stereochemistry of alternatain E (1) was unambiguously established by comparing its experimental and calculated time-dependent density functional theory electronic circular dichroism spectra (TDDFT-ECD). All isolated compounds were assessed for their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities, where mycophenolic acid methyl ester (7), displayed significant cytotoxic activity against seven different cell lines with IC50 values in the low micromolar to nanomolar range. Mycophenolene A (3) exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 2.1 µg/mL).

Exploring the Electronic, Optical, and Charge Transfer Properties of A-D-A-Type IDTV-ThIC-Based Molecules To Enhance Photovoltaic Performance of Organic Solar Cells.

Improving the charge mobility and optoelectronic properties of indacenodithiophene-based small molecule acceptors is a key challenge to improving overall efficiency. In this current research, seven newly designed molecules (DT1-DT7) comprising the indacenodithiophene-based core are presented to tune energy levels, enhance charge mobility, and improve the photovoltaic performance of IDTV-ThIC molecules via density functional theory. All the molecules were designed by end-capped modification by substituting terminal acceptors of IDTV-ThIC with strong electron-withdrawing moieties. Among all the examined structures, DT1 has proved itself a superior molecule in multiple aspects, including higher λmax in chloroform (787 nm) and gaseous phase (727 nm), narrow band gap (2.16 eV), higher electron affinity (3.31 eV), least excitation energy (1.57 eV), and improved charge mobility due to low reorganization energy and higher excited state lifetime (2.37 ns) when compared to the reference (IDTV-ThIC) and other molecules. DT5 also showed remarkable improvement in different parameters, such as the lowest exciton binding energy (0.41 eV), leading to easier charge moveability. The improved open-circuit voltage of DT4 and DT5 makes them proficient molecules exhibiting the charge transfer phenomenon. The enlightened outcomes of these molecules can pave a new route to develop efficient organic solar cell devices using these molecules, especially DT1, DT4, and DT5.

Hole interactions of aerogen oxides with Lewis bases: an insight into σ-hole and lone-pair-hole interactions.

σ-Hole and lone-pair (lp)-hole interactions of aerogen oxides with Lewis bases (LB) were comparatively inspected in terms of quantum mechanics calculations. The ZOn ⋯ LB complexes (where Z = Kr and Xe, n = 1, 2, 3 and 4, and LB = NH3 and NCH) showed favourable negative interaction energies. The complexation features were explained in light of σ-hole and lp-hole interactions within optimum distances lower than the sum of the respective van der Waals radii. The emerging findings outlined that σ-hole interaction energies generally enhanced according to the following order: KrO4 ⋯ < KrO⋯ < KrO3⋯ < KrO2⋯LB and XeO4⋯ < XeO⋯ < XeO2⋯ < XeO3⋯LB complexes with values ranging from -2.23 to -12.84 kcal mol-1. Lp-hole interactions with values up to -5.91 kcal mol-1 were shown. Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory findings revealed the significant contributions of electrostatic forces accounting for 50-65% of the total attractive forces within most of the ZOn⋯LB complexes. The obtained observations would be useful for the understanding of hole interactions, particularly for the aerogen oxides, with application in supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering.

Approach toward Low Energy Loss in Symmetrical Nonfullerene Acceptor Molecules Inspired by Insertion of Different π-Spacers for Developing Efficient Organic Solar Cells.

In this quantum approach, by adding bridge/π-spacer fragments between the donor and acceptor parts of a newly constructed DF-PCIC (A-D-A type) molecule, it is the aim to improve the photovoltaic characteristics of organic solar cells (OSCs). After π-spacer insertion into the reference molecule (DF-R), six new molecules (DF-M1 to DF-M6) were designed. The optoelectronic attributes of newly inspected molecules were theoretically calculated using MPW1PW91/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. All newly proposed molecules possessed a lower band gap (Eg), a higher value of absorption, lower reorganization energy, greater dipole moment, and lower energies of excitations than the DF-R molecule. The frontier molecular orbital study proclaimed that the DF-M1 molecule has the lowest band gap of 1.62 eV in comparison to the 2.41 eV value of DF-R. Absorption properties represented that DF-M1 and DF-M2 molecules show the highest absorption values of up to 1006 and 1004 nm, respectively, in the near-infrared region. Regarding the reorganization energy, DF-M2 has the lowest value of λe (0.0683896 eV) and the lowest value of λh (0.1566471 eV). DF-M2 and DF-M5 manifested greater dipole moments with the values of 5.514665 and 7.143434 D, respectively. The open circuit voltage (VOC) of all the acceptors was calculated with J61, a donor complex. DF-M4 and DF-M6 molecules showed higher values of VOC and fill factor than the DF-R molecule. Based on the given results, it was supposed that all the newly presented molecules might prove themselves to be better than the reference and thus might be of great interest to experimentalists. Thus, they are suggested to be used to develop proficient OSC devices with improved photovoltaic prospects in the near future.

High-Efficiency and Low-Energy-Loss Organic Solar Cells Enabled by Tuning the End Group Modification of the Terthiophene-Based Acceptor Molecules to Enhance Photovoltaic Properties.

In the current study, six nonfullerene small acceptor molecules were designed by end-group modification of terminal acceptors. Density functional theory calculations of all designed molecules were performed, and optoelectronic properties were computed by employing different functionals. Every constructed molecule has a significant bathochromic shift in the maximum absorption value (λmax) except AM6. AM1-AM4 molecules represented a narrow band gap (Eg) and low excitation energy values. The AM1-AM4 and AM6 molecules have higher electron mobility. Comparing AM2 to the reference molecule reveals that AM2 has higher hole mobilities. Compared to the reference molecule, all compounds have excellent light harvesting efficiency values compared to AM1 and AM2. The natural transition orbital investigation showed that AM5 and AM6 had significant electronic transitions. The open-circuit voltage (Voc) values of the computed molecules were calculated by combining the designed acceptor molecules with PTB7-Th. In light of the findings, it is concluded that the designed molecules can be further developed for organic solar cells (OSCs) with superior photovoltaic abilities.

Density functional theory study of the corrosion inhibition performance of 6-mercaptopurine and 6-thioguanine expired drugs toward the aluminium (111) surface.

The potentiality of the 6-mercaptopurine (MP) and 6-thioguanine (TG) expired drugs toward the corrosion inhibition of the aluminium (Al) (111) surface was widely investigated using a series of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A competition between the anti-corrosive features of the studied drugs in the gas and aqueous phases was conducted on both neutral and protonated forms by means of quantum mechanical descriptors. The results of the electrostatic potential analysis demonstrated the prominent nucleophilic nature of the sulfur and nitrogen atoms over the structures of the examined drugs. The frontier molecular orbital theory findings outlined the higher preferability of TG over MP as a corrosion inhibitor. Upon determining the most beneficial configurations of the MP/TG⋯Al (111) complexes, first-principles molecular dynamics simulations were executed. Interestingly, the competence of the TG drug in the corrosion inhibition process of Al (111) was more extensive than that of the MP one, which was confirmed by the interaction energy values of -1.79 and -1.64 eV, respectively. Upon obtaining the relaxed complexes, the effect of the presence of water solvent on the adsorption process was studied. These findings provide a foundation for developing green anti-corrosive inhibitors for the aluminium surface.

A DFT study for improving the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells by designing symmetric non-fullerene acceptors by quantum chemical modification on pre-existed LC81 molecule.

Minimizing the energy loss and improving the open circuit voltage of organic solar cells is still a primary concern for scientists working in this field. With the aim to enhance the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells by minimizing energy loss and improving open circuit voltage, seven new acceptor molecules (LC1-LC7) are presented in this work. These molecules are designed by modifying the terminal acceptors of pre-existed "LC81" molecule based on an indacinodithiophene (IDT) fused core. The end-group modification approach is very fruitful in ameliorating the efficacy and optoelectric behavior of OSCs. The newly developed molecules presented remarkable improvements in performance-related parameters and optoelectronic properties. Among all designed molecules, LC7 exhibited the highest absorption maxima (λmax = 869 nm) with the lowest band-gap (1.79 eV), lowest excitation energy (Ex = 1.42 eV), lowest binding energy, and highest excited state lifetime (0.41 ns). The newly designed molecules LC2, LC3, and LC4 exhibited remarkably improved Voc that was 1.84 eV, 1.82 eV, and 1.79 eV accordingly, compared to the LC81 molecule with Voc of 1.74 eV LC2 molecule showed significant improvement in fill factor compared to the previously presented LC81 molecule. LC2, LC6, and LC7 showed a remarkable reduction in energy loss by showing Eloss values of 0.26 eV, 0.18 eV, and 0.25 eV than LC81 molecule (0.37 eV). These findings validate the supremacy of these developed molecules (especially LC2) as potential components of future OSCs.

Effect of tailoring π-linkers with extended conjugation on the SJ-IC molecule for achieving high VOC and improved charge mobility towards enhanced photovoltaic applications.

The problem of low efficiency of organic solar cells can be solved by improving the charge mobility and open circuit voltage of these cells. The current research aims to present the role of π-linkers, having extended conjugation, between the donor and acceptor moieties of indacenodithiophene core-based A-π-D-π-A type SJ-IC molecule to improve the photovoltaic performance of pre-existing SJ-IC. Several crucial photovoltaic parameters of SJ-IC and seven newly proposed molecules were studied using density functional theory. Surprisingly, this theoretical framework manifested that the tailoring of SJ-IC by replacing its π-linker with linkers having extended π-conjugation gives a redshift in maximum absorption coefficient in the range of 731.69-1112.86 nm in a solvent. In addition, newly designed molecules exhibited significantly narrower bandgaps (ranging from 1.33 eV to 1.93 eV) than SJ-IC having a bandgap of 2.01 eV. Similarly, newly designed molecules show significantly less excitation energy in gaseous and solvent phases than SJ-IC. Furthermore, the reorganization energies of DL1-DL7 are much lower than that of SJ-IC, indicating high charge mobility in these molecules. DL6 and DL7 have shown considerably improved open circuit voltage (VOC), reaching 1.49 eV and 1.48 eV, respectively. Thus, the modification strategy employed herein has been fruitful with productive effects, including better tuning of the energy levels, lower bandgaps, broader absorption, improved charge mobility, and increased VOC. Based on these results, it can be suggested that these newly presented molecules can be considered for practical applications in the future.

Sigma-Hole and Lone-Pair-Hole Site-Based Interactions of Seesaw Tetravalent Chalcogen-Bearing Molecules with Lewis Bases.

For the first time, sigma (σ)- and lone-pair (lp)-hole site-based interactions of SF4 and SeF4 molecules in seesaw geometry with NH3 and FH Lewis bases were herein comparatively investigated. The obtained findings from the electrostatic potential analysis outlined the emergence of sundry holes on the molecular entity of the SF4 and SeF4 molecules, dubbed the σ- and lp-holes. The energetic viewpoint announced splendid negative binding energy values for σ-hole site-based interactions succeeded by lp-hole analogues, which were found to be -9.21 and -0.50 kcal/mol, respectively, for SeF4···NH3 complex as a case study. Conspicuously, a proper concurrence between the strength of chalcogen σ-hole site-based interactions and the chalcogen's atomic size was obtained, whereas a reverse pattern was proclaimed for the lp-hole counterparts. Further, a higher preference for the YF4···NH3 complexes with elevated negative binding energy was promulgated over the YF4···FH ones, indicating the eminent role of Lewis basicity. The indications of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules generally asserted the closed-shell nature of all the considered interactions. The observation of symmetry-adapted perturbation theory revealed the substantial contributing role of the electrostatic forces beyond the occurrence of σ-hole site-based interactions. In comparison, the dispersion forces were specified to govern the lp-hole counterparts. Such emerging findings would be a gate for the fruitful forthcoming applications of chalcogen bonding interactions in crystal engineering and biological systems.

Exploring natural products as multi-target-directed drugs for Parkinson's disease: an in-silico approach integrating QSAR, pharmacophore modeling, and molecular dynamics simulations.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. Current treatments provide limited symptomatic relief without halting disease progression. A multi-targeting approach has shown potential benefits in treating neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we employed in silico approaches to explore the COCONUT natural products database and identify novel drug candidates with multi-target potential against relevant Parkinson's disease targets. QSAR models were developed to screen for potential bioactive molecules, followed by a hybrid virtual screening approach involving pharmacophore modeling and molecular docking against MAO-B, AA2AR, and NMDAR. ADME evaluation was performed to assess drug-like properties. Our findings revealed 22 candidates that exhibited the desired pharmacophoric features. Particularly, two compounds: CNP0121426 and CNP0242698 exhibited remarkable binding affinities, with energies lower than -10 kcal/mol and promising interaction profiles with the chosen targets. Furthermore, all the ligands displayed desirable pharmacokinetic properties for brain-targeted drugs. Lastly, molecular dynamics simulations were conducted on the lead candidates, belonging to the dihydrochalcone and curcuminoid class, to evaluate their stability over a 100 ns timeframe and compare their dynamics with reference complexes. Our findings revealed the curcuminoid CNP0242698 to have an overall better stability with the three targets compared to the dihydrochalcone, despite the high ligand RMSD, the curcuminoid CNP0242698 showed better protein stability, implying ligand exploration of different orientations. Similarly, AA2AR exhibited higher stability with CNP0242698 compared to the reference complex, despite the high initial ligand RMSD due to the bulkier active site. In NMDAR, CNP0242698 displayed good stability and less fluctuations implying a more restricted conformation within the smaller active site of NMDAR. These results may serve as lead compounds for the development and optimization of natural products as multi-target disease-modifying natural remedies for Parkinson's disease patients. However, experimental assays remain necessary to validate these findings.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Therapeutic Path to Triple Knockout: Investigating the Pan-inhibitory Mechanisms of AKT, CDK9, and TNKS2 by a novel 2-Phenylquinazolinone derivative in Cancer Therapy- An In-Silico Investigation.

BACKGROUND: Blocking the oncogenic Wnt//ß-catenin pathway has of late been investigated as a viable therapeutic approach in the treatment of cancer. This involves the multi-targeting of certain members of the tankyrase-kinase family; tankyrase 2 (TNKS2), protein kinase B (AKT), and cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), which propagate the oncogenic Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway. METHODS: During a recent investigation, the pharmacological activity of 2-(4-aminophenyl)-7-chloro-3H-quinazolin-4-one was repurposed to serve as a 'triple-target' inhibitor of TNKS2, AKT and CDK9. Yet, the molecular mechanism that surrounds its multi-targeting activity remains unanswered. As such, this study aims to explore the pan-inhibitory mechanism of 2-(4-aminophenyl)-7-chloro-3H-quinazolin-4-one towards AKT, CDK9, and TNKS2, using in silico techniques. RESULTS: Results revealed favourable binding affinities of -34.17 kcal/mol, -28.74 kcal/mol, and -27.30 kcal/mol for 2-(4-aminophenyl)-7-chloro-3H-quinazolin-4-one towards TNKS2, CDK9, and AKT, respectively. Pan-inhibitory binding of 2-(4-aminophenyl)-7-chloro-3H-quinazolin-4-one is illustrated by close interaction with specific residues on tankyrase-kinase. Structurally, 2-(4-aminophenyl)-7-chloro-3H-quinazolin-4-one had an impact on the flexibility, solvent-accessible surface area, and stability of all three proteins, which was illustrated by numerous modifications observed in the unbound as well as the bound states of the structures, which evidenced the disruption of their biological function. Prediction of the pharmacokinetics and physicochemical properties of 2-(4-aminophenyl)-7-chloro-3H-quinazolin-4-one further established its inhibitory potential, evidenced by the favourable absorption, metabolism, excretion, and minimal toxicity properties. CONCLUSION: The following structural insights provide a starting point for understanding the pan-inhibitory activity of 2-(4-aminophenyl)-7-chloro-3H-quinazolin-4-one. Determining the criticality of the interactions that exist between the pyrimidine ring and catalytic residues could offer insight into the structure-based design of innovative tankyrase-kinase inhibitors with enhanced therapeutic effects.

Pyronaridine as a Bromodomain-Containing Protein 4-N-Terminal Bromodomain (BRD4-BD1) Inhibitor: In Silico Database Mining, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

BRD4 (bromodomain-containing protein 4) is an epigenetic reader that realizes histone proteins and promotes the transcription of genes linked to cancer progression and non-cancer diseases such as acute heart failure and severe inflammation. The highly conserved N-terminal bromodomain (BD1) recognizes acylated lysine residues to organize the expression of genes. As such, BD1 is essential for disrupting BRD4 interactions and is a promising target for cancer treatment. To identify new BD1 inhibitors, a SuperDRUG2 database that contains more than 4600 pharmaceutical compounds was screened using in silico techniques. The efficiency of the AutoDock Vina1.1.2 software to anticipate inhibitor-BRD4-BD1 binding poses was first evaluated based on the co-crystallized R6S ligand in complex with BRD4-BD1. From database screening, the most promising BRD4-BD1 inhibitors were subsequently submitted to molecular dynamics (MD) simulations integrated with an MM-GBSA approach. MM-GBSA computations indicated promising BD1 binding with a benzonaphthyridine derivative, pyronaridine (SD003509), with an energy prediction (ΔGbinding) of -42.7 kcal/mol in comparison with -41.5 kcal/mol for a positive control inhibitor (R6S). Pharmacokinetic properties predicted oral bioavailability for both ligands, while post-dynamic analyses of the BRD4-BD1 binding pocket demonstrated greater stability for pyronaridine. These results confirm that in silico studies can provide insight into novel protein-ligand regulators, specifically that pyronaridine is a potential cancer drug candidate.