Chemoselective Preparation of New Families of Phenolic-Organoselenium Hybrids-A Biological Assessment.

Being aware of the enormous biological potential of organoselenium and polyphenolic compounds, we have accomplished the preparation of novel hybrids, combining both pharmacophores in order to obtain new antioxidant and antiproliferative agents. Three different families have been accessed in a straightforward and chemoselective fashion: carbohydrate-containing N-acylisoselenoureas, N-arylisoselenocarbamates and N-arylselenocarbamates. The nature of the organoselenium framework, number and position of phenolic hydroxyl groups and substituents on the aromatic scaffolds afforded valuable structure-activity relationships for the biological assays accomplished: antioxidant properties (antiradical activity, DNA-protective effects, Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) mimicry) and antiproliferative activity. Regarding the antioxidant activity, selenocarbamates 24-27 behaved as excellent mimetics of GPx in the substoichiometric elimination of H2O2 as a Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) model. Isoselenocarbamates and particularly their selenocarbamate isomers exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against non-small lung cell lines (A549, SW1573) in the low micromolar range, with similar potency to that shown by the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin (cis-diaminodichloroplatin, CDDP) and occasionally with more potency than etoposide (VP-16).

Isolation and identification of minor secoiridoids and phenolic components from thermally treated olive oil by-products.

The application of an industrial process based on the hydrothermal treatment of 160 °C/60 min of alperujo, a by-product of olive oil extraction, allows the formation of a liquid phase containing a high concentration of phenolic and secoiridoid compounds. Ethyl acetate was used to extract these phenolic compounds from the aqueous matrix. In this study, the isolation with polyamide and XAD resin allowed detection of the presence of phenolic compounds in minor concentrations. These minor phenols were several oleuropein derivatives that had not been identified in these phenolic extracts previously. The polar compounds, acteosides, secoiridoids, and flavonoids, that remain in the aqueous fraction after extraction with ethyl acetate were identified. We report the presence of known compounds and also detected a novel molecule in alperujo with a molecular weight of 408 whose structure was characterized for first time. This new secoiridoid glucoside was identified as 1-ß-D-glucopyranosyl acyclodihydroelenolic acid.

Isolation and Characterization of a Secoiridoid Derivative from Two-Phase Olive Waste (Alperujo).

A secoiridoid derivative was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of two-phase olive waste (alperujo). The structure of this compound was fully characterized as s-trans-(E)-3-(1-oxobut-2-en-2-yl)glutaric acid. The spectroscopic data, including one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, infrared analysis, and ultraviolet spectrum, were showed. The origin of this compound has not been previously studied, although it most likely results from the breakdown of the oleuropein (or ligstroside) secoiridoid skeleton via oxidation and decarboxylation of the dialdehydic form of elenolic acid, with this transformation being enhanced by extraction of phenolics with ethyl acetate. In addition, the bactericidal activity of (E)-3-(1-oxobut-2-en-2-yl)glutaric acid and extracts containing it was evaluated against two phytopatoghenic microorganisms Pseudomonas syringae and Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Synthesis and antioxidant activity of O-alkyl selenocarbamates, selenoureas and selenohydantoins.

The preparation of three different families of lipophilic organoselenium compounds (aryl- and sugar-derived selenoureas, O-alkyl selenocarbamates and selenohydantoins) has been carried out in order to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant profile, analyzing the influence of the selenium-containing functional group, and the substituents on the activity. Title compounds have therefore been studied for the first time as free radical, hydrogen peroxide, alkyl peroxides and nitric oxide scavengers using colorimetric methods; furthermore, their glutathione peroxidase-like activity has also been analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. Free radical scavenging activity has been evaluated using the DPPH method; the strongest free radical scavengers were found to be both, aryl- and sugar-derived selenoureas, with EC50 values ranging 19-46 µM. Concerning anti-H2O2 activity, measured by the horseradish peroxidase-mediated oxidation of phenol red, the best results were achieved for aryl selenohydantoins, showing a 61-76% inhibition at 0.5 mM concentration. Organoselenium compounds were also found to be capable of inhibiting the chain reaction involving lipid peroxidation (ferric thiocyanate method); thus, when tested at 0.74 mM, sugar selenocarbamates exhibited 49-71% inhibition of alkyl peroxides-mediated degradation of linoleic acid. Nitric oxide scavenging was studied by transforming sodium nitroprusside into nitrite ion, which in turn was transformed into an easily UV-detectable azocompound; aryl selenocarbamates exhibited 64-80% inhibition at 0.71 mM concentration. It has also been demonstrated that selenoxo compounds can behave as excellent glutathione peroxidase mimics; thus a 0.05 molar equiv. of the title compounds catalyzed efficiently the H2O2-mediated oxidation of dithiothreitol into the corresponding cyclic disulfide, mimicking removal of H2O2 exerted by glutathione peroxidase; t(1/2) values were found to be quite low for aryl- and sugar-derived selenoureas (2.0-12.7 min).