Multitarget-Directed Ligands Combining Cholinesterase and Monoamine Oxidase Inhibition with Histamine H3 R Antagonism for Neurodegenerative Diseases.

The therapy of complex neurodegenerative diseases requires the development of multitarget-directed drugs (MTDs). Novel indole derivatives with inhibitory activity towards acetyl/butyrylcholinesterases and monoamine oxidases A/B as well as the histamine H3 receptor (H3R) were obtained by optimization of the neuroprotectant ASS234 by incorporating generally accepted H3R pharmacophore motifs. These small-molecule hits demonstrated balanced activities at the targets, mostly in the nanomolar concentration range. Additional in vitro studies showed antioxidative neuroprotective effects as well as the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. With this promising in vitro profile, contilisant (at 1 mg kg-1 i.p.) also significantly improved lipopolysaccharide-induced cognitive deficits.

Structural characterization of highly glucosylated crocins and regulation of their biosynthesis during flower development in Crocus.

Crocin biosynthesis in Crocus has been proposed to proceed through a zeaxanthin cleavage pathway catalyzed by carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2 (CCD2), and followed by glucosylation reactions catalyzed by CsGT2 (UGT74AD1). In Crocus ancyrensis flowers, crocins with eight (crocin-1), seven (crocin-2), and six glucose (crocin-3) moieties accumulated both in stigma and tepals. We have characterized the structure of these highly glucosylated crocins and follow up their accumulation by high-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector along the development of both tissues, and coupled to the isolation and analysis of the expression of eighteen genes (PSY-I, PSY-II, PDS-(I-V), ISO-ZDS, ZDS, CtrISO, LYC-I and II, BCH, CaCCD2, UGT74AD2-5) related with the apocarotenoid metabolism in C. ancyrensis tepals and stigmas. Structure elucidation of crocin-1 and crocin-2 was done by the combined use of 1D and 2D [(1)H, (1)H] (gCOSY and TOCSY and ROESY) and [(1)H-(13)C] NMR experiments, revealing that for crocin-1 was all-trans-crocetin O-[ß-D- Glucopyranosyl)-(1→4)-(ß-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→2)]-O-[ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)]-ß-D-glucopyranosyl diester, while crocin-2 showed an identical structure except for the absence of one glucose residue in one end of the molecule. Crocins accumulation was not synchronically regulated in stigma and tepals, although in both cases crocins accumulation parallels tissue development, decreasing at anthesis. The expression of the carotenogenic genes PSY, ZDS-V, BCH, and LCY-II was correlated with crocins accumulation. In addition, CaCCD2 and only one of the four glucosyltransferase encoding genes, UGT74AD2, were highly expressed, and the expression was correlated with high levels of crocins accumulation in stigma and tepals.

Structural and spectral assignment of a new diterpenoid isolated from Ballota undulata and a complete (1)H and (13)C NMR data assignment for three other structurally related compounds.

The structure of 3beta-hydroxyballotinone, a new labdane diterpenoid isolated from Ballota undulata, has been established by NMR spectroscopic studies. In addition, complete and unambiguous assignments of the (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of three other already known labdanes (ballotinone, ballonigrin and ballonigrinone) isolated from the same source have been achieved. The assignments are based on 2D shift-correlated (1)H--(1)H COSY, (1)H--(13)C gHSQC [(1)J(C,H)] and (1)H--(13)C gHMBC [(n)J(C,H) (n = 2 and 3)], and NOE experiments.

Bioactive diterpenes from Orthosiphon labiatus and Salvia africana-lutea.

The known (+)-trans-ozic acid (1) and two new labdane diterpenoids (2 and 3) have been isolated from an ethanol extract of Orthosiphon labiatus. The structures of 2 and 3 were established mainly by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic means. The ethanolic extract of Salvia africana-lutea afforded the known abietane diterpenoids carnosol (4), rosmadial (5), and carnosic acid (characterized as its derivative 6). Compounds 3 and 6 exhibited MICs of 157 and 28 microM, respectively, against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, while 2 and 6 showed cytotoxic activity with IC50 82 and 69 microM, respectively, against a breast (MCF-7) human cancer cell line.

1H and 13C NMR spectral assignments and conformational analysis of 14 19-nor-neoclerodane diterpenoids.

Unambiguous and complete assignments of 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts for 14 19-nor-neoclerodane diterpenoids, nine of them isolated from natural sources and five other synthetic derivatives, are presented. The assignments are based on 2D shift-correlated (1H,1H-COSY, 1H,13C-gHSQC and 1H,13C-gHMBC) and NOE experiments. The conformations of rings A and B of these compounds are supported by the 3J(H,H) values and they agree with the low-energy conformations obtained by semi-empirical calculations. Moreover, the data obtained in this work for 2-acetoxyteucvidin and a semisynthetic 18-aldehyde derivative indicate that the configuration at C-2 of the former and at C-10 of the latter must be reversed with respect to those reported previously.

NMR and x-ray conformational study of artemisiifolin and three other related germacranolides.

From an acetone extract of Staehelina dubia, large quantities of the previously known germacranolide artemisiifolin were isolated. The conformations of the 10-membered germacra-1(10)E,4Z-diene ring system of this compound and those of its derivatives 11,13-dihydroartemisiifolin, isabelin and 6alpha-hydroxy-15-oxogermacra-1(10)E,4Z,11(13)-trien-12,8alpha-olide were studied by NMR spectroscopic methods. Low-energy conformations were obtained by quantum mechanical calculations. An x-ray diffraction analysis of artemisiifolin established that, in the crystalline state, it possesses a unique conformation that corresponds to the majority one existing in acetone-d6 solution.