Diogo Teixeira Carvalho

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of New Eugenol Mannich Bases as Promising Antifungal Agents

New Mannich base‐type eugenol derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anticandidal activity using a broth microdilution assay. Among the synthesized compounds, 4‐allyl‐2‐methoxy‐6‐(morpholin‐4‐ylmethyl) phenyl benzoate (7) and 4‐{5‐allyl‐2‐[(4‐chlorobenzoyl)oxy]‐3‐methoxybenzyl}morpholin‐4‐ium chloride (8) were found to be the most effective antifungal compounds with low IC50 values, some of them well below those of reference drug fluconazole. The most significant IC50 values were those of 7 against C. glabrata (1.23 μm), C. albicans and C. krusei (both 0.63 μm). Additionally, the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic effects on human mononuclear cells. As result, the cytotoxic activity of eugenol in eukaryotic cells decreased with the introduction of the morpholinyl group. Given these findings, we point out compounds 7 and 8 as the most promising derivatives because they showed potency values greater than those of eugenol and fluconazole and they also presented high selectivity indexes.

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of antifungal and cytotoxic activities of eugenol glycosides

AbstractSix eugenol glycosides were prepared in order to assess their antifungal activity against Candida species. They were synthesized by glycosylation of eugenol with the appropriate glycosyl bromides followed by deacetylation with sodium methoxide in methanol and were evaluated in vitro for their antifungal activity through a Mueller–Hinton broth microdilution method. The peracetyl glycoside (derivative 4) was the most promising one since it was able to inhibit growth of C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. glabrata with IC50 values much lower than that of the prototype eugenol. Derivative 4 showed to be 160.0 and 3.4 times more potent than eugenol and fluconazole, respectively, against C. glabrata with low cytotoxity (selectivity index of 45). Moreover, it was possible to verify the positive effect of gluco configuration and lipophilicity on antifungal activity, since glucose peracetyl derivatives were more active than the free sugars of galacto configuration.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of 6-triazolo-6-deoxy eugenol glucosides.

A new series of 1,2,3-triazole eugenol glucosides were synthesized. The new compound structures were confirmed by MS, (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR. All of the synthesized compounds were screened for antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity. Five compounds exerted significant activity against the Gram-negative bacteria Salmonella typhimurium with low IC50 values (49.73-68.53 μΜ), and seven compounds were active against the Gram-positive bacteria Micrococcus luteus (42.89-210.94 μM). In vitro cytotoxicity on mouse spleen cells was also evaluated. One compound bearing a phenyl substituent at the triazole ring showed good activity against Salmonella typhimurium (49.73 μM) and low toxicity to normal cells (CC50=157.83 μM). Thus, the compounds herein can be considered for further modification for improving their antibacterial activity or obtaining novel antibacterial drug candidates.

New Eugenol Glucoside-based Derivative Shows Fungistatic and Fungicidal Activity against Opportunistic Candida glabrata.

A new series of glucosides modified in their saccharide units were synthesized, evaluated against Candida sp., and compared to prototype 1, an eugenol tetracetyl glucoside previously synthesized and shown to be active against Candida glabrata. Among the new glucosides, benzyl derivative 5 was the most promising, showing fungistatic activity at IC50 18.1 μm against Candida glabrata (threefold higher than fluconazole) and fungicidal activity with a low IC90 value of 36.2 μm. Moreover, the cytotoxic activity of compound 5 (CC50: 580.9 μm), tested in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, suggests its potential as an agent to treat Candida glabrata infections, with a selectivity index of 32. The new eugenol glucoside 5 may be considered as a novel structural pattern in the development of new anti‐Candida drugs.

Síntese e avaliação preliminar da atividade antibacteriana e antifúngica de derivados N-acilidrazônicos

We describe the synthesis and evaluation of N-acylhydrazone compounds bearing different electron-donating groups in one of its aromatic rings, obtained using a four-step synthetic route. IC50 values against pathogenic fungi and bacteria were determined by serial microdilution. Compounds showed low activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By contrast, a derivative with a meta-oriented electron-donating group showed significant activity (IC50) against Candida albicans (17 µM), C. krusei (34 µM) and C. tropicalis (17 µM). Results suggest this is a promising lead-compound for synthesis of potent antifungal agents.

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of leishmanicidal activity of 7-hydroxy-4-phenylcoumarin derivatives

Eight coumarin derivatives (2–8) were synthesized from 7-hydroxy-4-phenylcoumarin 1 and were evaluated for their in vitro leishmanicidal activity against promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis, as well their toxicity in murine macrophages. Compounds 4 and 7 showed the most significant results against promastigote forms of L. amazonensis. They were at least three-fold more active than 1 and Compound 4 was as effective as Amphotericin B. Compound 4, a 7-O-prenylated derivative, and 7, a tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl derivative, presented IC50 values of 21.35 and 10.03 µM against promastigote and IC50 values of 58.10 and 34.93 µM, respectively against amastigote forms. Furthermore, they do not cause toxicity in mammalian or Leishmania cells in vitro. This study shows that these coumarin derivatives are potential prototypes for the development of novel drugs with leishmanicidal activity.

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of peracetyl and deacetyl glycosides of eugenol, isoeugenol and dihydroeugenol acting against food-contaminating bacteria

Essential oils, as well as their separate components, have shown promise as alternatives to synthetic preservatives. Therefore, it would be interesting to optimize the effect of these compounds and to evaluate their applicability as additives in food. To this end, six peracetyl and deacetyl glycosides were synthesized from eugenol, isoeugenol and dihydroeugenol. All of the glycosides were characterized by IR and NMR. The synthesized compounds and their aglycones were evaluated to determine their minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) against the spoilage food bacteria Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis. All deacetyl glycosides were about twice as active as aglycones, and the peracetyl glycosides were, in most cases, equipotent with aglycones. The deacetyl glycoside of dihydroeugenol proved to be the most active compound against the bacteria tested, with a 0.37% MBC v/v for E. coli and 0.18% v/v for the other bacteria.

The relationship between the antimicrobial activity of eugenol and the LPETG peptide structure and associated analysis for docking purposes

Sortase A is responsible for the virulence of Gram-positive pathogens, including staphylococci and streptococci. The LPETG is the peptide surface anchor signal for Sortase A. The inhibitors of this enzyme shared similar binding pattern with substrate LPETG. Eugenol and its derivatives may act as sortase A inhibitor. The antimicrobial activity of eugenol and its derivatives was tested in vitro against bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans and Escherichia coli. All the tested derivatives demonstrated antimicrobial activity. Differences between derivatives in terms of in vitro activity and interactions between the amino acid residues were correlated in the docking analysis for the same derivatives. According to the relationship observed in this study between the antimicrobial activity of eugenol and the LPETG peptide structure, some of the eugenol derivatives proved to be more active inhibiting sortase A than eugenol against microorganisms when tested at the same concentrations.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel piperidine-benzodioxole derivatives designed as potential leishmanicidal drug candidates.

A novel series of ester and carbamate derivatives was synthesized and evaluated its activities against Leishmania amazonensis. All compounds exhibited weaker leishmanicidal activity than amphotericin B. However, results indicated that substituents on the aryl-acyl subunit are important for modulation of the leishmanicidal effect. The nitro derivative showed the highest activity of the series with an IC50 = 17.24 μM, and comparable potency to the 3,4-benzodioxole ester and n-hexyl carbamate derivatives. All compounds showed low toxicity against human cells. These results revealed interesting novel piperine-like molecular pattern for exploitation in search and development of effective and low toxic antileishmanial drug candidates.

Synthesis, activity and docking studies of eugenol-based glucosides as new agents against Candida sp.

Seventeen new synthetic derivatives of eugenol (6, 8–15 and 8′‐15′) were planned following literature reports on antifungal activities of nitroeugenol and eugenol glucoside. The anti‐Candida activity of these compounds was investigated by in vitro assay, and the cytotoxicity evaluation was performed with the most active compounds. The peracetylated glucosides presented better biological results than their hydroxylated analogues. The glucoside 11, a 4‐nitrobenzamide, showed the best potency (MIC50 range 11.0–151.84 μm), the wider spectrum of action, and overall the best selectivity indexes, especially against C. tropicalis (~30) and C. krusei (~15). To investigate its possible mechanism of action, glucoside 11 was subjected to molecular docking studies with Candida sp. enzymes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis. Results have shown that the peracetyl glucosyl moiety and the 4‐nitrobenzamide group in 11 are effectively involved in its high affinity with the active site of squalene epoxidase.