Evaluation of selected commercial pharmacotherapeutic drugs as potential pancreatic lipase inhibitors and antiproliferative compounds

Abstract

In this study, 15 commercial acidic drugs have been evaluated for pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibitory activity using an in vitro spectrophotometric method. The acidity was the basis of selection, since most PL inhibitors exhibit acidic groups and high lipophilicity. Orlistat was the robust reference agent for potency and efficacy determinations. In comparison to the cisplatin, the evaluation of the antineoplastic activities of selected drugs in a panel of colorectal cancer cell lines (HT‐29, HCT‐116, SW620, CACO‐2, and SW480) and normal periodontal ligament fibroblasts for safety examination was performed by using a sulforhodamine procuring ascorbic acid as a reference in diphenyl‐2‐picryl‐hydrazyl assay of radical scavenging properties was performed. This research revealed three highly acidic pharmacological classes with reasonable PL inhibitory activity in comparison to orlistat out of 15 selected drugs, namely sulfonylureas, fluoroquinolones, and proton pump inhibitors. Docking studies supported the hypothesis of a selection based on acidity, since it showed that the sulfonamide acid group (glyburide) is a remarkably potent interacting group with the enzyme. Failing to fulfill other structure‐activity relationship requirements (lipophilicity) led to weak activity. Since the drugs are of different chemical classes with unknown mechanisms, they showed diverse antiproliferative activity. Some drugs such as atorvastatin and gemifloxacin showed higher antiproliferative activity than cisplatin with high‐safety profiles against SW620 and SW480 cell lines, respectively, whereas lansoprazole and clopidogrel revealed comparable activity to cisplatin against HCT‐116 and SW480, respectively. Unfortunately, selected tested drugs exhibited negligible radical scavenging activity versus ascorbic acid. Hit, Lead & Candidate Discovery