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BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been the most commonly used class of medications worldwide for the last three decades. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to design and synthesize a novel series of methoxyphenyl thiazole carboxamide derivatives and evaluate their cyclooxygenase (COX) suppressant and cytotoxic properties. METHODS: The synthesized compounds were characterized using 1H, 13C-NMR, IR, and HRMS spectrum analysis and were evaluated for their selectivity towards COX-1 and COX-2 using an in vitro COX inhibition assay kit. Besides, their cytotoxicity was evaluated using the Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Moreover, molecular docking studies were conducted to identify the possible binding patterns of these compounds within both COX-1 and COX-2 isozymes, utilizing human X-ray crystal structures. The density functional theory (DFT) analysis was used to evaluate compound chemical reactivity, which was determined by calculating the frontier orbital energy of both HOMO and LUMO orbitals, as well as the HOMO-LUMO energy gap. Finally, the QiKProp module was used for ADME-T analysis. RESULTS: The results revealed that all synthesized molecules have potent inhibitory activities against COX enzymes. The percentage of inhibitory activities at 5 µM concentration against the COX2 enzyme was in the range of 53.9-81.5%, while the percentage against the COX-1 enzyme was 14.7-74.8%. That means almost all of our compounds have selective inhibition activities against the COX-2 enzyme, and the most selective compound was 2f, with selectivity ratio (SR) value of 3.67 at 5 µM concentration, which has a bulky group of trimethoxy on the phenyl ring that could not bind well with the COX-1 enzyme. Compound 2h was the most potent, with an inhibitory activity percentage at 5 µM concentration of 81.5 and 58.2% against COX-2 and COX-1, respectively. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated against three cancer cell lines: Huh7, MCF-7, and HCT116, and negligible or very weak activities were observed for all of these compounds except compound 2f, which showed moderate activities with IC50 values of 17.47 and 14.57 µM against Huh7 and HCT116 cancer cell lines, respectively. Analysis of the molecular docking suggests 2d, 2e, 2f, and 2i molecules were bound to COX-2 isozyme favorably over COX-1 enzyme, and their interaction behaviors within COX-1 and COX-2 isozymes were comparable to celecoxib, as an ideal selective COX-2 drug, which explained their high potency and COX-2 selectivity. The molecular docking scores and expected affinity using the MM-GBSA approach were consistent with the recorded biological activity. The calculated global reactivity descriptors, such as HOMO and LUMO energies and the HOMO-LUMO gaps, confirmed the key structural features required to achieve favorable binding interactions and thus improve affinity. The in silico ADME-T studies asserted the druggability of molecules and have the potential to become lead molecules in the drug discovery process. CONCLUSION: In general, the series of the synthesized compounds had a strong effect on both enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) and the trimethoxy compound 2f was more selective than the other compounds.
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OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the possible controlled release profile of multilamellar liposomal bupivacaine formulations with non-liposomal forms in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) under in vitro conditions. METHODS: Liposome formulations were prepared using a dry-film hydration method. Then, an artificial CSF-buffered solution was prepared. Bupivacaine base with liposomal bupivacaine base, bupivacaine HCl with liposomal bupivacaine HCl and bupivacaine HCl were added in a Franz diffusion cell. These solutions were kept in a hot water bath for 24 h. The samples were taken at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h (1st series of experiment). Solutions of bupivacaine base with liposomal bupivacaine base and bupivacaine HCl with liposomal bupivacaine HCl were centrifuged to obtain liposomal bupivacaine base and liposomal bupivacaine HCl. Afterwards, liposomal bupivacaine base and liposomal bupivacaine HCl were added in a Franz diffusion cell. After keeping these solutions in a hot water bath for 24 h as well, the samples were taken at the same time intervals (2(nd) series of experiment). All samples (54 from the 1st experiment and 36 from the 2(nd) experiment) were analysed with high-performance liquid chromatography and ultra-performance liquid chromatography and their chromatograms were obtained. RESULTS: After obtaining calibration curves for bupivacaine base and HCl, release patterns of these formulations were plotted. A markedly controlled slow-release pattern was observed for multilamellar liposomal bupivacaine than for non-liposomal bupivacaine in artificial CSF. CONCLUSION: Demonstration of controlled slow-release profile for mutilamellar liposomal bupivacaine in artificial CSF in vitro might support intrathecal use of liposomal bupivacaine in vivo in animal studies.
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BACKGROUND: Inflammation and immune activation have a crucial role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase, a tryptophan catabolising enzyme, is up-regulated with various inflammatory stimuli. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of tryptophan degradation with immune and inflammatory markers in coronary artery disease. METHODS: 57 subjects undergoing coronary angiography were recruited. 18 subjects with normal coronary arteries according to Gensini scoring were selected as a control group and the rest of subjects were included in patient group. Serum tryptophan and kynurenine levels were determined with HPLC-UV method, and kynurenine/tryptophan ratio was evaluated as IDO activity. Serum neopterin and myeloperoxidase activity were measured by ELISA method. RESULTS: While the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio and neopterin levels were similar in both groups, the patient group had higher myeloperoxidase and hs-CRP levels than controls (p = 0.02, p = 0.002, respectively). The kynurenine/tryptophan ratio was correlated with neopterin in both groups (r = 0.389, p = 0.025; r = 0.683, p = 0.002, respectively) and with hs-CRP in patients (r = 0.637, p = 0.001). Also, neopterin levels were correlated with hs-CRP in patients (r = 0.755, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results are in line with a role of inflammation in coronary artery disease. The study provides evidence that IDO activity is related with immune and inflammatory states. Also, the study was performed in a limited hospital-based population. Further studies are warranted in the larger groups.
