Medicinal Chemistry - Online First

Cabozantinib, a Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI), is widely used in Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) therapy but often causes serious side effects such as myelosuppression, immunosuppression, and angiopathy. This study aims to identify key protein targets responsible for the therapeutic efficacy and adverse reactions of cabozantinib and to explore structural modifications to reduce toxicity while preserving efficacy.

A non-randomized computational approach was employed, screening 400 potential protein targets using SwissTargetPrediction and ChemBL databases. Molecular docking and Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) analysis were performed to assess interactions between cabozantinib and identified targets, focusing on structural elements contributing to toxicity.

Three primary proteins were identified as responsible for the anti-tumor effects of cabozantinib, while three others were linked to its side effects. Docking analysis revealed that the methoxyphenyl group in cabozantinib formed undesirable hydrogen bonds with toxicity-related proteins. Modulating these off-target interactions by minimizing hydrogen bonding in this region could significantly reduce adverse effects.

These findings provide structural insights into cabozantinib’s dual effects and suggest optimization strategies for TKI design, offering a pathway toward safer and more effective RCC treatments.

Dopamine (1) is a commonly used vasopressor, primarily employed to treat various types of shock, congestive heart failure, and acute renal failure. Dopamine dimer (2) is an impurity generated during the production process of dopamine raw materials or the metabolism of dopamine drugs themselves.

This article presents an effective method for synthesizing dopamine dimer through the condensation of methyl 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl acetate (4) and 3,4-dimethoxyphenylethyl amine (5), followed by reduction and demethylation.

The product was synthesized from easily accessible raw materials, achieving a total yield of 48% over five steps.

This synthesis method is simple and beneficial for pharmaceutical companies to adopt and implement.

We continue to struggle with the prevention and treatment of the influenza virus. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, caused by the H1N1 strain of influenza A, resulted in numerous fatalities. The threat of influenza remains a significant concern for global health, and the development of novel drugs targeting these viruses is highly desirable.

The objective of this study is to explore the inhibitory potential of terpenoid compounds against the Nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza A virus, which is a highly effective drug target due to its ability to facilitate the transcription and replication of viral RNA.

In silico research was performed to identify potential inhibitors of NP. Molecular docking studies were conducted to assess the binding of terpenoid compounds to the active site residues of the target protein. The most promising hits were then subjected to molecular dynamics simulations to examine the stability of the protein-ligand complexes. Additionally, ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity) studies and Lipinski's rule of five were employed to evaluate the drug safety and druglikeness of the compounds.

Docking studies revealed that the terpenoid compounds bind strongly to the active site residues of the NP protein. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated the stability of the protein-ligand complexes for the best-hit compounds. ADMET studies and Lipinski's filter indicated that the compounds exhibit desirable drug safety and drug-likeness profiles.

This work may contribute significantly to drug discovery and the development of therapeutic agents against the influenza A virus. The identification of terpenoid compounds that bind strongly to the NP protein and exhibit favorable drug-like properties through in silico studies provides a promising foundation for further research and the development of potential inhibitors targeting this critical viral protein.