[Anti-depressant components and mechanism of Rehmanniae Radix based on UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS and network pharmacology].

This study aimed to explore the anti-depressant components of Rehmanniae Radix and its action mechanism based on network pharmacology combined with molecular docking. The main components of Rehmanniae Radix were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS), and the related targets were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction. Following the collection of depression-related targets from GeneCards, OMIM and TTD, a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was constructed using STRING. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed by Metascape. Cytoscape 3.7.2 was used to construct the networks of "components-targets-disease" and "components-targets-pathways", based on which the key targets and their corresponding components were obtained and then preliminarily verified by molecular docking. Rehmanniae Radix contained 85 components including iridoids, ionones, and phenylethanoid glycosides. The results of network analysis showed that the main anti-depressant components of Rehmanniae Radix were catalpol, melittoside, genameside C, gardoside, 6-O-p-coumaroyl ajugol, genipin-1-gentiobioside, jiocarotenoside A1, neo-rehmannioside, rehmannioside C, jionoside C, jionoside D, verbascoside, rehmannioside, cistanoside F, and leucosceptoside A, corresponding to the following 16 core anti-depression targets: AKT1, ALB, IL6, APP, MAPK1, CXCL8, VEGFA, TNF, HSP90 AA1, SIRT1, CNR1, CTNNB1, OPRM1, DRD2, ESR1, and SLC6 A4. As revealed by molecular docking, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobicity might be the main action forms. The key anti-depression targets of Rehmanniae Radix were concentrated in 24 signaling pathways, including neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, neurodegenerative disease-multiple diseases pathway, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway, serotonergic synapse, and Alzheimer's disease.

[1,2,3]Triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine derivatives incorporating (thio)urea moiety as a novel scaffold for LSD1 inhibitors.

Lysine specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) plays an essential role in maintaining a balanced methylation status at histone tails. Overexpression of LSD1 has been involved in the development of a variety of human diseases, including cancers. Herein, on the basis of our previously developed LSD1 inhibitors, two series of new [1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine derivatives incorporating (thio)urea moiety were designed and evaluated for their LSD1 inhibitory abilities, leading to a novel chemical class of LSD1 inhibitors. Among them, compound 31 was found to moderately inhibit LSD1 activity, as well as increase the expression of H3K4me2 at the cellular level. This compound also showed good selectivity against MAO-A/-B, and a panel of kinases such as CDK and BTK. Besides, the MTT assay suggested that the selected compounds could inhibit the proliferation of LSD1-overexpressed cancer cells. Although this class of compounds only showed moderate anti-LSD1 activity in the micromolar range, this work presents a novel chemotype of LSD1 inhibitors with good enzyme selectivity as well as cellular LSD1 inhibitory activity, and could provide a useful template for the development of more potent LSD1 inhibitors for cancer treatment.

Stereoselective synthesis and anti-proliferative effects on prostate cancer evaluation of 5-substituted-3,4-diphenylfuran-2-ones.

Series of 5-substituted-3,4-diphenylfuran-2-ones were stereoselectively prepared. Their potential anti-proliferative effects on prostate cancer and some of their cyclooxygenases (COXs) inhibitory activities were evaluated. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) data, acquired by substituent modification at the para-position and ortho-position of the C-3 phenyl ring and 5-substituted modification of the central furanone, showed that 3-(2-chloro-phenyl)-4-(4-methanesulfonyl-phenyl)-5-(1-methoxy-ethyl)-5H-furan-2-one (13p) was the most potent compound and could effectively reduce the proliferation of prostate cancer cells (PC3 cell IC50 = 20 µM; PC3 PCDNA cell IC50 = 5 µM; PC3 SKP2 cell IC50 = 5 µM; DU145 cell IC50 = 25 µM). The cell cycle analysis for 13p in DU145 indicated that 13p may induce G1 phase arrest.

Design, synthesis and antiproliferative activity studies of novel 1,2,3-triazole-dithiocarbamate-urea hybrids.

A series of novel 1,2,3-triazole-dithiocarbamate-urea hybrids were designed, synthesized and their antiproliferative activities against four selected human cancer cell lines were evaluated. The results showed that a number of the hybrids exhibited potent activity in selected human cancer cell lines. Among them, compounds 27 and 34 showed broad spectrum anticancer activity with IC50 values ranging from 1.62 to 20.84 µM and 0.76 to 13.55 µM, respectively. Interestingly, compounds 27 and 34, being very potent against MGC-803 cells, exhibited no significant cytotoxicity against normal human embryonic kidney cells at up to 55 µM and 70 µM, respectively. Evidences of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction were obtained for the most effective compounds 27 and 34 by means of flow cytometry and microscopic techniques.

Digoxin derivatives substituted by alkylidene at the butenolide part.

A series of digoxin derivatives containing the gamma-alkylidene butenolide moiety were synthesised by way of stereoselective vinylogous aldol reaction of the unactivated butenolide in simple conditions. The structures of compounds synthesised were characterised by infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and HR-MS. Preliminary bioassay shows that some of them have cardiac functions, especially compound 2g that induced a marked increase in myocardial contractility at 10ngml(-1) and 20ngml(-1) concentrations without digitalis toxicity.

Stereoselective synthesis of desloratadine derivatives as antagonist of histamine.

A series of desloratadine derivatives were stereoselectively synthesized and evaluated for H(1) antihistamine activity. For the evaluation of H(1) antihistamine activity, the in vitro histamine-induced contraction of the guinea-pig ileum assay (HC) was used. The synthesized desloratadine derivatives 7, 8 and 9 are structurally related to rupatadine and were generated by replacement of the 5-methyl-3-pyridine group of rupatadine with gamma-alkylidene butenolide. Their H(1) antihistamine activities have shown a high dependence on the exact nature of the substituent in the lactone ring. Optimum structures 7, 8a and 8g display potent activity inhibiting histamine-induced effects.

Facile synthesis of gamma-alkylidenebutenolides.

In this paper, a novel route to gamma-alkylidenebutenolides (gamma-AIBs) by way of stereoselective vinylogous aldol reaction of the unactivated butenolide in simple and general conditions is reported.

Synthesis of andrographolide derivatives: a new family of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors.

Andrographolide (1), the cytotoxic agent of the plant Andrographis paniculata, was subjected to semi-synthetic studies leading to a series of new derivatives, a novel family of glucosidase inhibitors. Nicotination of 3,19-hydroxyls in 15-alkylidene andrographolide derivatives (9) was favorable to alpha-glucosidase inhibition activity. Among them, 15-p-chlorobenzylidene-14-deoxy-11,12-didehydro-3,19-dinicotinateandrographolide (11c) was a very potent inhibitor against alpha-glucosidase with an IC50 value of 6 microM. However, all compounds concerned for beta-glucosidase showed no inhibition. All compounds synthesized were characterized by the analysis of NMR, IR, HRMS spectra and the stereochemistry of 2 was confirmed by X-ray analysis.