Pharmacophore modelling-based drug repurposing approaches for monkeypox therapeutics.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic viral disease that mainly affects tropical rainforest regions of central and west Africa, with sporadic exportations to other places. Since there is no cure, treating monkeypox with an antiviral drug developed for smallpox is currently acceptable. Our study mainly focused on finding new therapeutics to target monkeypox from existing compounds or medications. It is a successful method for discovering or developing medicinal compounds with novel pharmacological or therapeutic applications. In this study, homology modelling developed the Monkeypox VarTMPK (IMNR) structure. Ligand-based pharmacophore was generated using the best docking pose of standard ticovirimat. Further, molecular docking analysis showed compounds, tetrahydroxycurcumin, procyanidin, rutin, vicenin-2, kaempferol 3-(6''-malonylglucoside) were the top five binding energy compounds against VarTMPK (1MNR). Furthermore, we carried out MD simulations for 100 ns for the six compounds, including reference based on the binding energies and interactions. MD studies revealed that as ticovirimat interacted with residues Lys17, Ser18, and Arg45, all the above five compounds interacted with the same amino acids at the active site during docking and simulation studies. Among all the compounds, ZINC4649679 (Tetrahydroxycurcumin) was shown to have the highest binding energy -9.7 kcal/mol and also observed stable protein-ligand complex during MD studies. ADMET profile estimation showed that the docked phytochemicals were safe. However, further biological assessment through a wet lab is essential to measure the efficacy and safety of the compounds.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Synthesis and pharmacological investigation of 5-substituted-3-methylsulfanyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid ethyl esters as new analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents.

PURPOSE: To synthesize a new series of 5-substituted-3-methylsulfanyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid ethyl esters for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. METHODS: The title compound synthesized by reacting the amino group of 5-amino-3-methylsulfanyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester with acid anhydrides, acid chlorides and phenyl dithiocarbamates. The synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, 1H-NMR and mass spectral data; the purity of the compounds was determined by elemental analysis. The title compounds were investigated for analgesic, anti-inflammatory and ulcerogenic behaviour. RESULTS: The compound 5-benzoylamino-3-methylsulfanyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (4c) emerged as the most active compound and exhibiting imperative analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Interestingly the test compounds showed only mild ulcerogenic potential when compared to indomethacin. CONCLUSION: The compound (4c) could serve as a lead molecule for further modification to obtain a clinically useful novel class of analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents.

A 4-aminoquinoline derivative that markedly sensitizes tumor cell killing by Akt inhibitors with a minimum cytotoxicity to non-cancer cells.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the enhancement value of chloroquine analogs when used in combination with Akt inhibitors on the MDA-MB468, MDA-MB231 and MCF7 human breast cancer cell lines. The result showed that the combination of certain chloroquine analogs and Akt inhibitors are highly effective. In particular, the chloroquine analog N'-(7-fluoro-quinolin-4-yl)-N,N-dimethyl-ethane-1,2-diamine (compound 5) was highly effective in sensitizing cancer cell killing when combined with either Akt inhibitor 8 (1-{1-[4-(7-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-g]quinoxalin-6-yl)-benzyl]-piperidin-4-yl}-1,3-dihydro-benzoimidazol-2-one) or 9 ([4-(2-chloro-4a,10a-dihydro-phenoxazin-10-yl)-butyl]-diethyl-amine hydrochloride). Importantly, the enhancement of chloroquine analogs 5 on cell killing by Akt inhibitors 8 and 9 was cancer-specific. Thus, this combinational approach is highly promising in controlling tumors with a minimum side effect. Structural analysis of effective and ineffective chloroquine analogs suggests that the 4-aminoquinoline scaffold and lateral side chain of dimethylamino functionality play an important role for the enhancement of cell killing by Akt inhibitors.

3-(3-ethylphenyl)-2-substituted hydrazino-3H-quinazolin-4-one derivatives: new class of analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents.

A new series of 3-(3-ethylphenyl)-2-substituted hydrazino-3H-quinazolin-4-ones were synthesized by reacting the amino group of 2-hydrazino-3-(3-ethylphenyl)-3H-quinazolin-4-one with a variety of aldehydes and ketones. The title compounds were investigated for analgesic, anti-inflammatory and ulcerogenic index behavior. The compound 2-(N'-3-pentylidene-hydrazino)-3-(3-ethylphenyl)-3H-quinazolin-4-one (AS2) emerged as the most active compound in exhibiting analgesic activity and the compound 2-(N'-2-pentylidene-hydrazino)-3-(3-ethylphenyl)-3H-quinazolin-4-one (AS3) emerged as the most active compound in exhibiting anti-inflammatory activity; and these compounds are moderately potent when compared with the reference standard diclofenac sodium. Interestingly, the test compounds showed only mild ulcerogenic potential when compared with aspirin.

Design and synthesis of 3-(4-ethylphenyl)-2-substituted amino-3H-quinazolin-4-ones as a novel class of analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents.

A new series of 3-(4-ethylphenyl)-2-substituted amino-3H-quinazolin-4-ones were synthesized by reacting the amino group of 2-hydrazino-3-(4-ethylphenyl)-3H-quinazolin-4-one from 4-ethyl aniline with a variety of aldehydes and ketones. The title compounds were investigated for analgesic, anti-inflammatory and ulcerogenic index activities. The compound 2-(N'-3-pentylidene-hydrazino)-3-(4-ethylphenyl)-3H-quinazolin-4-one (AS2) emerged as the most active compound of the series and was moderately more potent than the reference standard diclofenac sodium. Interestingly the test compounds showed only mild ulcerogenic potential when compared to aspirin.

Synthesis of 2-mercapto-3-substituted-5,6-dimethylthieno[2,3-d] pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones as new analgesic, anti-inflammatory agents.

A new series of 2-mercapto-3-substituted-5,6-dimethylthieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones were synthesised by reacting 3-amino-2-mercapto-5,6-dimethylthieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one with different aldehydes and ketones. The starting material 3-amino-2-mercapto-5,6-dimethylthieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one was synthesised from 2-amino-3-carbethoxy-4,5-dimethyl thiophene by a novel innovative route. The title compounds were investigated for analgesic, anti-inflammatory and ulcerogenic index activities. While the test compounds exhibited significant activity, among these compound AS1 showed more potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities and the compound AS3 showed equipotent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities when compared to the reference standard diclofenac sodium.

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of some 3-phenyl-2-substituted-3H-quinazolin-4-one as analgesic, anti-inflammatory agents.

A variety of novel 3-phenyl-2-substituted-3H-quinazolin-4-ones were synthesized by reacting the amino group of 2-hydrazino-3-phenyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one with different aldehydes and ketones. The starting material 2-hydrazino-3-phenyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one was synthesized from aniline. The title compounds were investigated for analgesic, anti-inflammatory and ulcerogenic index activities. While the test compounds exhibited significant activity, compounds, 2-(N'-2-butylidene-hydrazino)-3-phenyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one (AS1), 2-(N'-3-pentylidene-hydrazino)-3-phenyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one (AS2) and 2-(N'-2-pentylidene-hydrazino)-3-phenyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one (AS3), exhibited moderate analgesic activity. The compound 2-(N'-2-pentylidene-hydrazino)-3-phenyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one (AS3) showed more potent anti-inflammatory activity when compared to the reference standard diclofenac sodium. Interestingly, the test compounds showed only mild ulcerogenic side effect when compared to aspirin.