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BackgroundCancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Natural products have been regarded as important sources of potential chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we evaluated the anti-proliferative activity of Argemone gracilenta’s methanol extract and its fractions. We identified those compounds of the most active fractions that displayed anti-proliferative activity.MethodsThe anti-proliferative activity on different cancerous cell lines (M12.C3F6, RAW 264.7, HeLa) was evaluated in vitro using the MTT colorimetric method. Identification of the active compounds present in the fractions with the highest activity was achieved by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses.ResultsBoth argemonine and berberine alkaloids, isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction, displayed high anti-proliferative activity with IC50 values of 2.8, 2.5, 12.1, and 2.7, 2.4, 79.5 μg/mL on M12.C3F6, RAW 264.7, and HeLa cancerous cell lines, respectively. No activity was shown on the normal L-929 cell line. From the hexane fraction, a mixture of fatty acids and fatty acid esters of 16 or more carbon atoms with anti-proliferative activity was identified, showing a range of IC50 values of 16.8-24.9, 34.1-35.4, and 67.6-91.8 μg/mL on M12.C3F6, RAW 264.7, and HeLa cancerous cell lines, respectively. On the normal L-929 cell line, this mixture showed a range of IC50 values of 85.1 to 100 μg/mL.ConclusionThis is the first study that relates argemonine, berberine, and a mixture of fatty acids and fatty acid esters with the anti-proliferative activity displayed by Argemone gracilenta.

Triazoles occupy an important position in medicinal chemistry because of their various biological activities. The structural features of 1,2,3triazoles enable them to act as a bioisostere of different functional groups such as amide, ester, carboxylic acid, and heterocycle, being capable of forming hydrogen bonds and π−π interactions or coordinate metal ions with biological targets. In this work, the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives via copper(I)-catalyzed azide−alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) is reported. Overexpression of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (17β-HSD1) is often found in breast cancer cells. Molecular similarity and docking analysis were used to evaluate the potential inhibitory activity of 1,2,3-triazoles synthesized over 17β-HSD1 for the treatment of mammary tumors. Our in silico analysis shows that compounds 4c, 4d, 4f, 4g, and 4j are good molecular scaffold candidates as 17β-HSD1 inhibitors.

Background: Despite advances for cancer treatment, it still remains a major worldwide public health problem. Compounds derived from natural sources are important alternatives to combat this mortal disease. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid with a wide variety of pharmacological properties, including antiproliferative activity. Previously, we have found that fatty acids also show antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines. Background: Despite advances for cancer treatment, it still remains a major worldwide public health problem. Compounds derived from natural sources are important alternatives to combat this mortal disease. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid with a wide variety of pharmacological properties, including antiproliferative activity. Previously, we have found that fatty acids also show antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines. Objective: To combine berberine and fatty acids, or carboxylic acids, in order to improve their antiproliferative properties. Objective: To combine berberine and fatty acids, or carboxylic acids, in order to improve their antiproliferative properties. Methods: We synthetized six new hybrid derivatives through a simple methylenedioxy group-cleavage method followed by the reaction with fatty acids, or carboxylic acids. The structure of the compounds was elucidated by IR, NMR and HRMS. The in vitro antiproliferative activity against four human cancer cell lines (HeLa, A-549, PC-3 and LS-180) and one normal cell line (ARPE-19), was evaluated by the MTT method. Chemical structures were drawn using SPARTAN '08 software and the conformational analysis was carried out with a molecular mechanic level of theory and the SYBIL force field. All molecular structures were subjected to geometrical optimization at the semi-empirical method PM3. Molecular descriptors were calculated using DRAGON 5.4 and SPARTAN ´08 programs. Methods: We synthetized six new hybrid derivatives through a simple methylenedioxy group-cleavage method followed by the reaction with fatty acids, or carboxylic acids. The structure of the compounds was elucidated by IR, NMR and HRMS. The in vitro antiproliferative activity against four human cancer cell lines (HeLa, A-549, PC-3 and LS-180) and one normal cell line (ARPE-19), was evaluated by the MTT method. Chemical structures were drawn using SPARTAN '08 software and the conformational analysis was carried out with a molecular mechanic level of theory and the SYBIL force field. All molecular structures were subjected to geometrical optimization at the semi-empirical method PM3. Molecular descriptors were calculated using DRAGON 5.4 and SPARTAN ´08 programs. Results: The geranic acid and berberine hybrid compound (6) improved the antiproliferative activity shown by natural berberine, even more than the 16- to 18-carbon atoms fatty acids. Compound 6 showed IC50 values of 2.40 ± 0.60, 1.5 ± 0.24, 5.85 ± 1.07 and 5.44 ± 0.24 μM, against HeLa, A-549, PC-3 and LS-180 human cancer cell lines, respectively. Using this information, we performed a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) of the hybrid molecules and found that the molecular descriptors associated with the antiproliferative activity are: hydrophobic constant associated with substituents (!(!) = 6.5), molecular volume descriptor (!"#!"#$%& ≈ 700 Å!), !!"#", number of rotatable bonds (!"#) and number of 6-membered rings (!"06). Results: The geranic acid and berberine hybrid compound (6) improved the antiproliferative activity shown by natural berberine, even more than the 16- to 18-carbon atoms fatty acids. Compound 6 showed IC50 values of 2.40 ± 0.60, 1.5 ± 0.24, 5.85 ± 1.07 and 5.44 ± 0.24 μM, against HeLa, A-549, PC-3 and LS-180 human cancer cell lines, respectively. Using this information, we performed a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) of the hybrid molecules and found that the molecular descriptors associated with the antiproliferative activity are: hydrophobic constant associated with substituents (!(!) = 6.5), molecular volume descriptor (!"#!"#$%& ≈ 700 Å!), !!"#", number of rotatable bonds (!"#) and number of 6-membered rings (!"06). Conclusion: The methylendioxy and methoxyl groups in berberine are important for the antiproliferative activity shown by its derivatives. Better results in antiproliferative activity were obtained in compound 6 with the prenyl moiety. The QSAR indicates that the molecular descriptors which associated positively with the antiproliferative activity are: hydrophobic constant associated with substituents (! ! = 6.5), molecular volume descriptor (!"#!"#$%& ≈700 Å3) and !!"#". This research gave the basis for the design and preparation of new, easily afforded molecules derived from berberine and carboxylic acids, with improved antiproliferative activity. Conclusion: The methylendioxy and methoxyl groups in berberine are important for the antiproliferative activity shown by its derivatives. Better results in antiproliferative activity were obtained in compound 6 with the prenyl moiety. The QSAR indicates that the molecular descriptors which associated positively with the antiproliferative activity are: hydrophobic constant associated with substituents (! ! = 6.5), molecular volume descriptor (!"#!"#$%& ≈700 Å3) and !!"#". This research gave the basis for the design and preparation of new, easily afforded molecules derived from berberine and carboxylic acids, with improved antiproliferative activity.

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A series of bis- N -substituted tetrandrine derivatives carrying different aromatic substituents attached to both nitrogen atoms of the natural alkaloid were studied with double-stranded model DNAs (dsDNAs) to examine the binding properties and mechanism. Variable-temperature molecular recognition studies using UV–vis and fluorescence techniques revealed the thermodynamic parameters, Δ H , Δ S , and Δ G , showing that the tetrandrine derivatives exhibit high affinity toward dsDNA ( K ≈ 10 5 –10 7 M –1 ), particularly the bis(methyl)anthraquinone (BAqT) and bis(ethyl)indole compounds (BInT). Viscometry experiments, ethidium displacement assays, and molecular modeling studies enabled elucidation of the possible binding mode, indicating that the compounds exhibit a synergic interaction mode involving intercalation of one of the N -aryl substituents and interaction of the molecular skeleton in the major groove of the dsDNA. Cytotoxicity tests of the derivatives with tumor and nontumor cell lines demonstrated low cytotoxicity of these compounds, with the exception of the bis(methyl)pyrene (BPyrT) derivative, which is significantly more cytotoxic than the remaining derivatives, with IC 50 values against the LS-180, A-549, and ARPE-19 cell lines that are similar to natural tetrandrine. Finally, complementary electrochemical characterization studies unveiled good electrochemical stability of the compounds.

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We present the synthesis and characterization of organic Salphen compounds containing bromine substituents at the para/ortho‐para positions, in their symmetric and non‐symmetric versions, and describe the X‐ray structure and full characterization for the new unsymmetrical varieties. We report for the first time antiproliferative activity in metal‐free brominated Salphen compounds, by evaluations in four human cancer cell lines, cervix (HeLa), prostate (PC‐3), lung (A549) and colon (LS 180) and one non‐cancerous counterpart (ARPE‐19). We assessed in vitro cell viability against controls using the MTT assay ((3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide)) and determined the concentration required for 50 % growth inhibition (IC50), together with their selectivity vs. non‐cancerous cells. We found promising results against prostate (9.6 μM) and colon (13.5 μM) adenocarcinoma cells. We also found a tradeoff between selectivity (up to 3‐fold vs. ARPE‐19) and inhibition, depending upon the symmetry and bromine‐substitution of the molecules, showing up to 20‐fold higher selectivity vs. doxorubicin controls.