Bishnu P. Marasini

Biologically Active C-Alkylated Flavonoids from Dodonaea viscosa

A new C-alkylated flavonoid (5,7-dihydroxy-3′-(4″-acetoxy-3″-methylbutyl)-3,6,4′-trimethoxyflavone (1), along with two known C-alkylated flavonoids (5,7-dihydroxy-3′-(3-hydroxymethylbutyl)-3,6,4′-trimethoxyflavone (2), 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-3′-(3-hyroxymethylbutyl)-3,6-dimethoxyflavone (3) and two new source C-alkylated flavonoids (5,7-dihydroxy-3′-(2-hydroxy-3-methyl-3-butenyl)-3,6,4′-trimethoxyflavone (4), 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-3,6-dimethoxy-3′-isoprenyl-flavone (5) were isolated from the aerial parts of Dodonaea viscosa. The structures of all compounds were established on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effect on urease and α-chymotrypsin enzyme. All the compounds (1–5) exhibited mild inhibition against urease but remained recessive in case of α-chymotrypsin.

Biotransformation of dehydroepiandrosterone with Macrophomina phaseolina and β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity of transformed products

The biotransformation of dehydroepiandrosterone (1) with Macrophomina phaseolina was investigated. A total of eight metabolites were obtained which were characterized as androstane-3,17-dione (2), androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (3), androst-4-ene-17β-ol-3-one (4), androst-4,6-diene-17β-ol-3-one (5), androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol (6), androst-4-ene-3β-ol-6,17-dione (7), androst-4-ene-3β,7β,17β−triol (8), and androst-5-ene-3β,7α,17β-triol (9). All the transformed products were screened for enzyme inhibition, among which four were found to inhibit the β-glucuronidase enzyme, while none inhibited the α-chymotrypsin enzyme.

Chemical constituents of Stereospermum acuminatissimum and their urease and α-chymotrypsin inhibitions

Phytochemical investigation of the stem bark of Stereospermum acuminatissimum K. Schum. resulted in the isolation of 21 compounds, including two new guanine derivatives, 1,3,7-trimethylguanin-1/3-ium (1) and 3,7-dimethylguanin-1/3-ium (2), and one new phenolic long chain ester, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl hentriacontanoate (3). The known compounds were identified as sterequinones A, F, and H (4, 5, and 6), zenkequinones A-B (7-8), p-coumaric acid (9), methyl caffeate (10), caffeic acid (11), psilalic acid (12), syringaldehyde (13), norviburtinal (14), specioside (15), verminoside (16), tyrosol (17), eutigoside A (18), ellagic acid (19), atranorin (20), and ursolic acid (21). The metabolites were screened for their potential against urease and α-chymotrypsin enzymes, as urease is targeted in peptic ulcer while α-chymotrypsin is used to remove protein debris in ulcer. Compound 20 was found to be excellent urease inhibitor with IC(50) value of 18.2 ± 0.03 μM. Compounds 13 and 18-20 are reported for the first time from the genus Stereospermum. The chemotaxonomic significance of the isolated compounds was also described.

Synthesis and enzyme inhibitory activities of some new pyrazole-based heterocyclic compounds

Three tridentate N,N-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-ylmethyl)-1-hydroxy-2-aminoethane (2), N,N-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-ylmethyl)-cyclohexylamine (3) and 2-[bis(1,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-3-ylmethyl)amino]ethan-1-ol (4) are synthesized and spectroscopically characterized together with 1-hydroxymethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole (1). These have been tested in inhibitory activities against various hyperactive enzymes like urease, β-glucuronidase, phosphodiesterase, α-chymotrypsin, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 were found to be selective inhibitors of urease. Compound 4 was found to be selective inhibitor of butyrylcholinesterase. The nature of the junction between pyrazoles cycles determined the activities of these tripods. While the tripods are inactive towards urease or glucuronidase, they turn to be selective towards butyrylcholinesterase.

Bioassay-guided isolation of urease and α-chymotrypsin inhibitory constituents from the stems of Lawsonia alba Lam. (Henna).

Seven constituents were isolated from the stems of Lawsonia alba Lam., following an activity-guided isolation, which include two new constituents, namely lawsorosemarinol (1) and lawsofructose (2), one known compound 2-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-1, 4-naphthoquinone (3) and four compounds, 4-hydroxy coumarine (4), 3-(4-hyroxyphenyl)-triacontyl-(Z)-propenoate (5), 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-triacontyl-(Z)-propenoate (6) and 7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin (7) first time isolated from Lawsonia alba. Their structure elucidation was based on spectroscopic data analyses. Compounds 3 and 7 showed a moderate inhibition of urease activity, while rest of them showed less than 50% inhibition. These compounds did not show any significant inhibition against α-chymotrypsin.

Urease inhibitory constituents from Daphne retusa

The bioassay-guided fractionation of Daphne retusa Hemsl. has led to the isolation of a new aryl tetrahydronaphthalene lignan derivative named as daphnretusic acid (1), along with six new source compounds such as 5,7-dihydroxyflavone (2), 7-hydroxyflavone (3), 6-methoxyflavone (4), (+) pinoresinol (5), (+) sesamin (6), and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7). Their structures were elucidated by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 1D, 2D NMR, UV, IR, and EIMS analyses. All the fractions (n-hexane, CHCl3, AcOEt, CH3OH, and water) and pure compounds (1–7) were subjected to the assay of urease and α-chymotrypsin inhibitory activities. Chloroform and methanol soluble fractions showed moderate urease inhibition. Compound 2 exhibited significant urease inhibition with IC50 value 60.4 ± 0.72 μM, whereas compounds 1 and 3–7 remained inactive during urease inhibition and α-chymotrypsin bioassays.

Broad Spectrum Anticancer Activity of Pistagremic Acid

Background: Pistagremic acid; 3-methyl-7-(4,4,10,13,14-pentamethyl-3-2,3,4,5,6,7,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17-tetradecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthr-en-17-yl)-oct-3-enoic acid was isolated from the chloroform fraction of Pistacia integerrima. Cytotoxic evaluation against NCI-60 DTP human tumor cell line was performed. Methods: The anticancer assays for this compound were performed in accordance with the protocol of the Drug Evaluation Branch, by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Developmental Therapeutic Program (www.dtp.nci.nih.gov) to be screened for their anticancer activity in vitro. Results: It showed broad spectrum antiproliferative activity with an average GI50, and TGI, values 0.103 μM and 0.259 μM, respectively. It also showed significant LC50 value at the average 0.634 μM against all cell lines excluding K-562, RPMI-8226, NCI-H226, and NCI-H460 cell-lines. Conclusions: Pistagremic acid showed cytotoxicity for all tested cancer cell line, thus it may serve as a potential structure lead for the development of new anticancer drugs.

Synthesis, structure-activity relationships studies of benzoxazinone derivatives as α-chymotrypsin inhibitors

A series of benzoxazinones 1-28 were synthesized via reaction of anthranilic acid with various substituted benzoyl chlorides in the presence of triethylamine in chloroform. Compounds 1-18 showed a good inhibition of α-chymotrypsin with IC50±SEM values between 6.5 and 341.1μM. Preliminary structure-activity relationships studies indicated that the presence of substituents on benzene ring reduces the inhibitory potential of benzoxazinone. Also the increased inhibitory potential due to fluoro group at phenyl substituent was observed followed by chloro and bromo substituents. Compounds with strong electron donating or withdrawing groups on phenyl substituent, showed a good inhibitory potential at ortho>meta>para position. Kinetics studies showed diverse types of inhibition, except uncompetitive-type inhibition. The Ki values ranged between 4.7 and 341.2μM. Interestingly, most of these compounds were non-cytotoxic to 3T3 cell line at 30μM, except compounds 6, 14 and 15. Competitive inhibitors of chymotrypsin are like to inhibit other α-chymotrypsin-like serine proteases due to structural and functional similarities between them. The inhibitors identified during the current study deserve to be further studied for their therapeutic potential against abnormalities mediated by chymotrypsin or other serine protease.