Sustainable Synthesis of Guanidine Derivatives and Computational Assessment of their Antidiabetic Efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) represents a significant and pressing worldwide health concern, necessitating the quest for enhanced antidiabetic pharmaceuticals. Guanidine derivatives, notably metformin and buformin, have emerged as pivotal therapeutic agents for T2DM management. AIMS: The present study introduces an efficient one-pot synthesis method for the production of symmetrical guanidine compounds. METHODS: This synthesis involves the reaction of isothiocyanates with secondary amines, employing an environmentally friendly and recyclable reagent, tetrabutylphosphonium tribromide (TBPTB). RESULTS: A comprehensive assessment of the biological activity of the synthesized guanidine compounds, specifically in the context of T2DM, has been rigorously conducted. CONCLUSION: Additionally, computational analyses have unveiled their substantial potential as promising antidiabetic agents. Results highlight the relevance of these compounds in the ongoing pursuit of novel therapeutic solutions for T2DM.

Environmentally benign synthesis of unsymmetrical ureas and their evaluation as potential HIV-1 protease inhibitors via a computational approach.

The present work reports the cost-effective, high yielding and environmentally acceptable preparation of unsymmetrical ureas from thiocarbamate salts using sodium percarbonate as an oxidant. Efficacy of the unsymmetrical ureas as potential human immune deficiency virus (HIV-1) protease inhibitors has been evaluated via in silico approach. The results revealed interactions of the urea compounds at the active site of the enzyme with favorable binding affinities causing possible mutations hindering the functioning of the enzyme. Further computational assessment of IC50 using known references satisfactorily authenticated the inhibitory action of the selected compounds against HIV-1 protease. Added to the easy synthesis of the ureas following an environmentally benign protocol, this work may be a valuable addition to the ongoing search for drugs with better efficacy profiles and reduced toxicity against HIV.

Glycome Profiling and Bioprospecting Potential of the Himalayan Buddhist Handmade Paper of Tawang Region of Arunachal Pradesh.

The paper and pulp industry (PPI) is one of the largest industries that contribute to the growing economy of the world. While wood remains the primary raw material of the PPIs, the demand for paper has also grown alongside the expanding global population, leading to deforestation and ecological imbalance. Wood-based paper production is associated with enormous utilization of water resources and the release of different wastes and untreated sludge that degrades the quality of the environment and makes it unsafe for living creatures. In line with this, the indigenous handmade paper making from the bark of Daphne papyracea, Wall. ex G. Don by the Monpa tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, India is considered as a potential alternative to non-wood fiber. This study discusses the species distribution modeling of D. papyracea, community-based production of the paper, and glycome profiling of the paper by plant cell wall glycan-directed monoclonal antibodies. The algorithms used for ecological and geographical modeling indicated the maximum predictive distribution of the plant toward the western parts of Arunachal Pradesh. It was also found that the suitable distribution of D. papyracea was largely affected by the precipitation and temperature variables. Plant cell walls are primarily made up of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, and glycoproteins. Non-cellulosic cell wall glycans contribute significantly to various physical properties such as density, crystallinity, and tensile strength of plant cell walls. Therefore, a detailed analysis of non-cellulosic cell wall glycan through glycome profiling and glycosyl residue composition analysis is important for the polymeric composition and commercial processing of D. papyracea paper. ELISA-based glycome profiling results demonstrated that major classes of cell wall glycans such as xylan, arabinogalactans, and rhamnogalacturonan-I were present on D. papyracea paper. The presence of these polymers in the Himalayan Buddhist handmade paper of Arunachal Pradesh is correlated with its high tensile strength. The results of this study imply that non-cellulosic cell wall glycans are required for the production of high-quality paper. To summarize, immediate action is required to strengthen the centuries-old practice of handmade paper, which can be achieved through education, workshops, technical know-how, and effective marketing aid to entrepreneurs.

Immunoinformatics mapping of potential epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins.

All approved coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in current use are safe, effective, and reduce the risk of severe illness. Although data on the immunological presentation of patients with COVID-19 is limited, increasing experimental evidence supports the significant contribution of B and T cells towards the resolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Despite the availability of several COVID-19 vaccines with high efficacy, more effective vaccines are still needed to protect against the new variants of SARS-CoV-2. Employing a comprehensive immunoinformatic prediction algorithm and leveraging the genetic closeness with SARS-CoV, we have predicted potential immune epitopes in the structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2. The S and N proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoVs are main targets of antibody detection and have motivated us to design four multi-epitope vaccines which were based on our predicted B- and T-cell epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins. The cardinal epitopes selected for the vaccine constructs are predicted to possess antigenic, non-allergenic, and cytokine-inducing properties. Additionally, some of the predicted epitopes have been experimentally validated in published papers. Furthermore, we used the C-ImmSim server to predict effective immune responses induced by the epitope-based vaccines. Taken together, the immune epitopes predicted in this study provide a platform for future experimental validations which may facilitate the development of effective vaccine candidates and epitope-based serological diagnostic assays.

Green Synthesis of Bromo Organic Molecules and Investigations on Their Antibacterial Properties: An Experimental and Computational Approach.

A simple, environmentally benign methodology has been developed to synthesize some bromoorganic compounds which have potential as antimicrobial agents. The required compounds were obtained through microwave (MW) irradiation, on-water reactions and using cetyltrimethylammonium tribromide (CTMATB) as the bromine source. The high yield of the product could be achieved within short reaction times, thus representing the main attribute of the present synthetic approach. The compounds were evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. Further, in silico studies were carried out to elucidate the interactions of the compounds with the bacterial proteins.

A Novel One-pot Synthesis of Isothiocyanates and Cyanamides from Dithiocarbamate Salts Using Environmentally Benign Reagent Tetrapropylammonium Tribromide.

A highly efficient and simple protocol for the synthesis of isothiocyanates and cyanamides from their respective amines in the presence of a mild, efficient, and non-toxic reagent tetrapropylammonium tribromide is described. High environmental acceptability of the reagents, cost effectiveness and high yields are the important attributes of this methodology.

The thiocarbonyl 'S' is softer than thiolate 'S': a catalyst-free one-pot synthesis of isothiocyanates in water.

Treatment of the preformed or the in situ generated aryl/alkyl dithiocarbamates triethylammonium salt (ArNHCSS(-).Et(3)NH(+)) with methyl acrylate in an aqueous medium gave solely arylisothiocyanate (ArNCS), whereas the in situ generated aryl dithiocarbamic acid (ArNHCSS(-).H(+)) yielded exclusively the thia-Michael adduct (ArNHCSSCH(2)CH(2)COOMe). This differential reactivity can be explained by two alternative mechanisms which is dependent both on the nature of the counter cation and on the pH of the reaction medium. Irrespective of the counter cations, the thiocarbonyl sulfur (=S) atom, having large orbital-coefficient, is softer compared to the thiol/thiolate sulfur (-SH/S(-)) in a dithiocarbamate salt and the former adds to the Michael acceptor by a 1,4-addition.