Synthesis, antimalarial activity in vitro, and docking studies of novel neolignan derivatives

Abstract

The absence of effective vaccines against malaria and the difficulties associated with controlling mosquito vectors have left chemotherapy as the primary control measure against malaria. However, the emergence and spread of parasite resistance to conventional antimalarial drugs result in a worrisome scenario making the search for new drugs a priority. In the present study, the activities of nine neolignan derivatives were evaluated as follows: (i) against blood forms of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum (clone W2), using the tritiated hypoxanthine incorporation and anti-HRPII assays; (ii) for cytotoxic activity against cultured human hepatoma cells (HepG2); and (iii) for intermolecular interaction with the P. falciparum cysteine protease of falcipain-2 (F2) by molecular docking. The neolignan derivatives 9 and 10 showed activity against the blood form of the chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum clone W2 and were not cytotoxic against cultured human hepatoma cells. A molecular docking study of these two neolignans with FP2 revealed several intermolecular interactions that should guide the design of future analogs.

Research progress in the biological activities of 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid (TMCA) derivatives

“…As an analogue of neolignane, ester S51 ( Fig. 11) was identified and measured the antimalarial activity in vitro [70]. The result revealed that S51 exhibited moderate antimalarial activity against blood forms of chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum with both the IC 50 values for 3 H-hypoxantine and HRPII were 127.9 mM.…”

Expression of cysteine proteinases and cystatins in parasites and use of cysteine proteinase inhibitors in parasitic diseases. Part III: Protozoa (2): Plasmodium spp.

“…9 and 10) showed significant in vitro activity with no cytotoxicity effects. For the molecular docking results, the investigators demonstrated that both derivatives effectively occupied cavities S1 and S2 in FP-2 [146] . Coumarin containing pyrazoline derivatives were also synthesized.…”