Experimental and theoretical elucidation of structural and antioxidant properties of vanillylmandelic acid and its carboxylate anion.

Vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), an important metabolite of catecholamines that is routinely screened as tumor marker, was investigated by the various spectroscopic techniques (IR, Raman, UV-Vis, antioxidant decolorization assay and NMR). Structures optimized by the employment of five common functionals (M05-2X, M06-2X, B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, B3LYP-D3) were compared with the crystallographic data. The M05-2X functional reproduced the most reliable experimental bond lengths and angles (correlation coefficient >0.999). The importance of intramolecular hydrogen bonds for structural stability was discussed and quantified by the NBO analysis. The most prominent bands in vibrational spectrum were analyzed and compared to the experimental data. The positions of the carbon and hydrogen atoms in NMR spectra were well reproduced. The differences in UV-Vis spectrum were investigated by adding the explicit solvent and by performing NBO and QTAIM analyses. The discrepancy in the two spectra of about 50nm could be explained by the solvent effect on carboxyl group. The most probable antioxidant activity mechanism was discussed for VMA and its carboxylate anion. The Molecular Docking study with the C - reactive protein additionally proved that variety of functional groups present in VMA and its anion allowed strong hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions.

Enhanced FGF23 production in mice expressing PI3K-insensitive GSK3 is normalized by ß-blocker treatment.

Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3 is a ubiquitously expressed kinase inhibited by insulin-dependent Akt/PKB/SGK. Mice expressing Akt/PKB/SGK-resistant GSK3α/GSK3ß (gsk3(KI)) exhibit enhanced sympathetic nervous activity and phosphaturia with decreased bone density. Hormones participating in phosphate homeostasis include fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23, a bone-derived hormone that inhibits 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3; calcitriol) formation and phosphate reabsorption in the kidney and counteracts vascular calcification and aging. FGF23 secretion is stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system. We studied the role of GSK3-controlled sympathetic activity in FGF23 production and phosphate metabolism. Serum FGF23, 1,25(OH)2D3, and urinary vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) were measured by ELISA, and serum and urinary phosphate and calcium were measured by photometry in gsk3(KI) and gsk3(WT) mice, before and after 1 wk of oral treatment with the ß-blocker propranolol. Urinary VMA excretion, serum FGF23, and renal phosphate and calcium excretion were significantly higher, and serum 1,25(OH)2D3 and phosphate concentrations were lower in gsk3(KI) mice than in gsk3(WT) mice. Propranolol treatment decreased serum FGF23 and loss of renal calcium and phosphate and increased serum phosphate concentration in gsk3(KI) mice. We conclude that Akt/PKB/SGK-sensitive GSK3 inhibition participates in the regulation of FGF23 release, 1,25(OH)2D3 formation, and thus mineral metabolism, by controlling the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

Vanillin analog--vanillyl mandelic acid, a novel specific inhibitor of snake venom 5'-nucleotidase.

Snake venom 5'-nucleotidase (5'NUC) plays a very important role in envenomation strategies; however, apart from its modulation of hemostatic functions, its other pharmacological effects are not yet well characterized. Several studies have used specific inhibitors of enzyme toxins as a biochemical or pharmacological tool to characterize or establish its mechanism of action. We report here for the first time vanillin mandelic acid (VMA), an analog of vanillin, to potentially, selectively, and specifically inhibit venom 5'NUC activity among other enzymes present in venoms. VMA is much more potent in inhibiting 5'NUC activity than vanillyl acid (VA). The experimental results obtained are in good agreement with the in silico molecular docking interaction data. Both VA and VMA are competitive inhibitors as evident by the inhibition-relieving effect upon increasing the substrate concentration. VMA also dose-dependently inhibited the anticoagulant effect in Naja naja venom. In this study, we report novel non-nucleoside specific inhibitors of snake venom 5'NUC and experimentally demonstrate their involvement in the anticoagulant activity of N. naja venom. Hence, we hypothesize that VMA can be used as a molecular tool to evaluate the role of 5'NUC in snake envenomation and to develop prototypes and lead compounds with potential therapeutic applications against snake bites.

Cardiovascular effects of vanillylmandelic acid in rats.

The main catecholamine end-metabolites have been considered biologically inactive, but accumulated evidence indicates a variety of pharmacological actions after exogenous administration. We examined the dose-related haemodynamic effects of vanillylmandelic acid in the in vivo rat-model. One hundred and sixteen Wistar rats (250 ± 20 g) were studied under continuous electrocardiographic monitoring; invasive blood pressure was recorded for 60 min through a catheter in the right common carotid artery. Measurements were performed at baseline and after vanillylmandelic acid (1, 10, 100mg/kg) and homovanillic acid (10mg/kg) intra-arterial administration. To examine the underlying mechanisms, the haemodynamic effects were compared with those (a) after trimetazidine administration, which has similar structure due to a tri-methylated phenolic ring; (b) after epinephrine and isoprenaline administration following vanillylmandelic acid pretreatment; (c) after vanillylmandelic acid administration post-bilateral vagotomy. Vanillylmandelic acid, homovanillic acid and (to a lesser extent) trimetazidine decreased heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure. This effect was blunted in vagotomized animals. Comparable effects were noted in heart rate and blood pressure after adrenaline and isoprenaline infusion, with and without vanillylmandelic acid-pretreatment. In conclusion, vanillylmandelic acid administration decreases heart rate dose-dependently, mediated by increased vagal tone, without α- or ß-adrenergic-receptor blocking effects. The pharmacological properties of compounds with a mono- and tri-methylated phenolic ring merit further investigation.

Effects of fetal urinary corticosteroids, catecholamines and kallikrein on PGE2 synthesis in monolayer cultures of human amnion and chorion cells.

We have studied the effects of several compounds isolated from fetal urine on the production of PGE2 by amnion and chorion cells which were maintained in primary monolayer culture. We conclude that desoxycorticosterone and vanillylmandelic acid stimulate PGE2 synthesis by amnion, but adrenaline and kallikrein increase the biosynthesis of PGE2 by chorion. These data suggest that human fetal urine could play a major role in events of parturition.

Enhanced rectal absorption of cefmetazole and cefoxitin in the presence of epinephrine metabolites in rats and a high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for cephamycin antibiotics.

4-Hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid and 3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid were found to be potent adjuvants for the rectal absorption of water-soluble compounds in rats. Both adjuvants enhanced the absorption of two cephamycin antibiotics, cefmetazole and cefoxitin. Maximum plasma levels of the antibiotics were obtained within 30 min after rectal administration. The bioavailability of both antibiotics appeared to depend on the concentration of the adjuvant in the microenema, the dosage form used in these experiments. Instead of a microbial assay, a new chemical method involving high-performance liquid chromatography with an ion-pairing technique was developed for analyzing the cephamycin antibiotic plasma levels.