Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 23, Issue 25, 2023

Epigenetic modulations by HDACs are associated with multiple disease conditions. In this context, HDACs play vital roles in the progression of diseases including several cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory diseases, and metabolic disorders. Though several HDAC inhibitors have been established as drug candidates, their usage has been restricted because of broad-spectrum inhibition, highly toxic character, and off-target adverse effects. Therefore, specific HDAC selectivity is essential to get rid of such adverse effects. Hydrazide-based compounds have already been proven to exert higher inhibitory efficacy and specific HDAC selectivity. In this article, the detailed structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the existing hydrazide-based HDAC inhibitors has been elucidated to gather crucial information that can be utilized further for the development of promising drug candidates for combating diverse diseases in the future.

Background: Breast cancer has always been a vicious disease that threatens female health. Although the existing surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and kinase-targeted drugs have achieved certain effects, there are still many shortcomings. Novel compounds used to treat breast cancer, particularly TNBC, are eagerly being discovered. Methods: More than 100 novel compounds that show anti-breast cancer growth were compiled from public databases. The compound design strategies, structure-activity relationship research, and activity evaluation methods have also been reviewed. Results: These novel anti-breast cancer compounds can be divided into mechanisms of action: kinase inhibitors, epigenetic inhibitors, dual inhibitors, degraders, metal complexes, etc. The design strategies mainly include conformational constraint, scaffold-hopping, merging key pharmacophores, etc. Structure-activity relationship studies of these new compounds mainly focus on increasing activity, improving selectivity, increasing membrane permeability, reducing toxicity, improving pharmacokinetic properties, etc. Conclusion: Through the structural optimization of kinase inhibitors, microtubule-targeted drugs, and metal complexes, it is expected to obtain more advantageous breast cancer treatment drugs. It cannot be ignored that epigenetic inhibitors, dual inhibitors and degraders may bring new breast cancer treatment strategies.

Background: Piperine is a natural compound found in black pepper that has been traditionally used for various therapeutic purposes. In the ayurvedic system of medication there is a lot of evidence which shows that the piperine is widely used for different therapeutic purpose. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the pharmacological and therapeutic potential of piperine and its derivatives in modern medicine. In order to increase the bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness of piperine and its analogs, researchers have been looking at various extraction methods and synthesis approaches. Many studies have been conducted in this area because of the promise of piperine as a natural substitute for synthetic medications. Objectives: The objective of this review article is to provide an up-to-date analysis of the literature on the synthesis of piperine analogs, including their extraction techniques and various biological activities such as antihypertensive, antidiabetic, insecticidal, antimicrobial, and antibiotic effects. Additionally, the review aims to discuss the potential of piperine in modern medicine, given its traditional use in various medicinal systems such as Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani. The article also provides a comprehensive analysis of the plant from which piperine is derived. Conclusion: This review article provides a thorough examination of piperine and the source plant. The best extraction technique for the extraction of piperine and the synthesis of its analogs with various biological activities, including antihypertensive, antidiabetic, insecticidal, antibacterial, and antibiotic properties, are covered in the article. This review aims to provide an updated analysis of the literature on the synthesis of piperine analogs.

Background: This work contains the synthesis of seven new N-heterocyclic compounds bearing imidazole, benzimidazole, pyridine, and morpholine moieties.Objectives: We aimed to synthesize N-heterocyclic compounds for a more effective drug candidate to increase the amount of acetylcholine in synapses in Alzheimer's disease. All compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FTIR and elemental analysis. Enzyme inhibition activity of all compounds against acetylcholinesterase was investigated, which is an indirect treatment for Alzheimer's. Molecular docking was applied to estimate the binding energy of these compounds to the acetylcholinesterase.Methods: All compounds were synthesized from reactions of 2 equivalents of N-heterocyclic starting material and 1 equivalent of 4,4'-bis(chloromethyl)-1,1'-biphenyl. The inhibition parameters of IC50 and Ki were calculated by the spectrophotometric method. AutoDock4 was used to define the binding pose of the compounds.Results: Ki values were found in the range of 80.03 ± 19.64 to 5014.98 ± 1139.60 nM for AChE as an enzyme inhibition strategy, which is an important parameter for the treatment of neurodegenerative such as Alzheimer's disease. In this study, molecular docking is exerted to predict the binding energy of heterocyclic compounds (especially 2, 3, and 5) against acetylcholinesterase enzyme. Their docking binding energies are in good agreement with experimental findings.Conclusion: These new syntheses are drugs that can be used as AChE inhibitors in Alzheimer's disease.