Javier Ellena

Novel ruthenium complexes as potential drugs for Chagas's disease: enzyme inhibition and in vitro/in vivo trypanocidal activity

Background and purpose:  The discovery of the pharmacological functions of nitric oxide has led to the development of NO donor compounds as therapeutic agents. A new generation of ruthenium NO donors, cis‐[Ru(NO)(bpy)2L]Xn, has been developed, and our aim was to show that these complexes are able to lyse Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro and in vivo.

Tetrachlorocarbonyliridates: water-soluble carbon monoxide releasing molecules rate-modulated by the sixth ligand.

A new family of compounds is presented as potential carbon monoxide releasing molecules (CORMs). These compounds, based on tetrachlorocarbonyliridate(III) derivatives, were synthesized and fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, electrospray mass spectrometry, IR, NMR, and density functional theory calculations. The rate of CO release was studied via the myoglobin assay. The results showed that the rate depends on the nature of the sixth ligand, trans to CO, and that a significant modulation on the release rate can be produced by changing the ligand. The reported compounds are soluble in aqueous media, and the rates of CO release are comparable with those for known CORMs, releasing CO at a rate of 0.03-0.58 μM min(-1) in a 10 μM solution of myoglobin and 10 μM of the complexes.

Palladium(II) complexes with thiosemicarbazones: syntheses, characterization and cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells and Anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis activity

Three PdII complexes were prepared from N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazones: [Pd(aptsc)(PPh3)](NO3)•H2O, 1, [Pd(apmtsc)(PPh3)](NO3), 2, and [Pd(apptsc)(PPh3)](NO3)•H2O, 3, where PPh3 = triphenylphosphine; Haptsc = 2-acetylpyridine-thiosemicarbazone; Hapmtsc = 2-acetylpyridine-N(4)-methyl-thiosemicarbazone and Happtsc = 2-acetylpyridine-N(4)-phenyl-thiosemicarbazone. All complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, 1H and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopies, and had their crystalline structures determined by X-ray diffractometry from single crystals. The monoanionic thiosemicarbazonate ligands act in a tridentate mode, binding to the metal through the pyridine nitrogen, the azomethine nitrogen and the sulfur atoms. The cytotoxic activity against the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB231 and the anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv ATCC 27294 activity were evaluated for the compounds. All PdII complexes were highly active against the studied cell line, presenting similar values of IC50, around 5 µmol L-1, while the clinically applied antitumor agent cisplatin was inactive. The compounds show remarkable anti-M. tuberculosis activities, presenting MIC values comparable or better than some commercial anti-M tuberculosis drugs.

Aurapten, a coumarin with growth inhibition against Leishmania major promastigotes

Several natural compounds have been identified for the treatment of leishmaniasis. Among them are some alkaloids, chalcones, lactones, tetralones, and saponins. The new compound reported here, 7-geranyloxycoumarin, called aurapten, belongs to the chemical class of the coumarins and has a molecular weight of 298.37. The compound was extracted from the Rutaceae species Esenbeckia febrifuga and was purified from a hexane extract starting from 407.7 g of dried leaves and followed by four silica gel chromatographic fractionation steps using different solvents as the mobile phase. The resulting compound (47 mg) of shows significant growth inhibition with an LD50 of 30 microM against the tropical parasite Leishmania major, which causes severe clinical manifestations in humans and is endemic in the tropical and subtropical regions. In the present study, we investigated the atomic structure of aurapten in order to determine the existence of common structural motifs that might be related to other coumarins and potentially to other identified inhibitors of Leishmania growth and viability. This compound has a comparable inhibitory activity of other isolated molecules. The aurapten is a planar molecule constituted of an aromatic system with electron delocalization. A hydrophobic side chain consisting of ten carbon atoms with two double bonds and negative density has been identified and may be relevant for further compound synthesis.

fac-[RuCl3(NO)(dppb)] (I) and mer-[RuCl3(NO)(diop)] (II) complexes: syntheses, characterization and X-ray structures

Abstract The fac-[RuCl3(NO)(dppb)] complex I has been prepared from solution of the correspondent mer isomer in refluxing methanol (dppb=1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane). The mer-[RuCl3(NO)(diop)] (II) has been obtained from the mer-[RuCl3(diop)(H2O)] by bubbling NO for 1 h in dichloromethane (diop=2S,3S-O-isopropylidene-2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane). The complexes have been characterized by microanalysis, cyclic voltammetry (CV), IR and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopies. The crystal and molecular structures of these two compounds have been determined from X-ray studies. The mer-[RuCl3(NO)(dppb)] isomer III was characterized in solution by NMR spectra (31P{1H}, 1H{31P}, 31P1H HETCORR, COSY 1H1H, HMQC 1H13C and HMBC 1H13C).

Novel 6-methanesulfonamide-3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-N-acylhydrazones: orally effective anti-inflammatory drug candidates.

We described herein the molecular design of novel in vivo anti-inflammatory 6-methanesulfonamide-3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-N-acylhydrazone derivatives (1) planned by applying the molecular hybridization approach. This work also points out to the discovery of LASSBio-930 (1c) as a novel anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperalgesic prototype, which was able to reduce carrageenan-induced rat paw edema with an ED(50) of 97.8 micromol/kg, acting mainly as a non-selective COX inhibitor.

Synthesis and structure of cadmium and zinc complexes of dehydroacetic acid

Abstract The cadmium and zinc complexes of Dehydroacetic Acid (DHA) Zn(DHA)2(H2O)2 and Cd(DHA)2(H2O)2 were synthesized and the derivatives Zn(ADH)2(DMSO)2 and Cd(ADH)2(DMSO)2 were prepared through substitution of the water ligands by DMSO. To characterize structural differences between the Cd and Zn complexes, a series of analyses were carried out: 1H, 13C, and 113Cd NMR in solution and 13C and 113Cd NMR in the solid state, infra-red spectra, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential calorimetric analysis (DSC) and elemental analysis (CHNO). The X-ray crystal structures of the complexes Zn(DHA)2(DMSO)2 and Cd(DHA)2(DMSO)2 are also reported. The coordination around the metal atoms in the solid state is best described as distorted octahedra. The two chelating DHA ligands define an equatorial plane and the axial positions are occupied by two monodentate DMSO ligands coordinated by oxygen atoms, in the trans,trans,trans configuration. Significant differences were found between the Cd and Zn coordination spheres, with the latter forming relatively looser octahedral complexes.

Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic activities of the [RuCl2(NO)(dppp)(L)]PF6 complexes

The synthesis and characterization of ruthenium compounds of the type [RuCl(2)(NO)(dppp)(L)]PF(6) [dppp=1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane; L=pyridine, 4-methylpyridine, 4-phenylpyridine and dimethyl sulfoxide] are described. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, UV/Vis and infrared spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray crystallography for the complexes with the pyridine and 4-methylpyridine ligands. In vitro evaluation of these nitrosyl complexes revealed cytotoxic activity from 7.1 to 19.0 microM against the MDA-MB-231 breast tumor cells and showed that, in this case, they are more active than the reference metallodrug cisplatin. The 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane and the N-heterocyclic ligands alone failed to show cytotoxic activities at the concentrations tested (maximum concentration utilized=200 microM).

Intermolecular contacts influencing the conformational and geometric features of the pharmaceutically preferred mebendazole polymorph C

Mebendazole (MBZ) is a common benzimidazole anthelmintic that exists in three different polymorphic forms, A, B, and C. Polymorph C is the pharmaceutically preferred form due to its adequated aqueous solubility. No single crystal structure determinations depicting the nature of the crystal packing and molecular conformation and geometry have been performed on this compound. The crystal structure of mebendazole form C is resolved for the first time. Mebendazole form C crystallizes in the triclinic centrosymmetric space group and this drug is practically planar, since the least-squares methyl benzimidazolylcarbamate plane is much fitted on the forming atoms. However, the benzoyl group is twisted by 31(1) degrees from the benzimidazole ring, likewise the torsional angle between the benzene and carbonyl moieties is 27(1) degrees. The formerly described bends and other interesting intramolecular geometry features were viewed as consequence of the intermolecular contacts occurring within mebendazole C structure. Among these features, a conjugation decreasing through the imine nitrogen atom of the benzimidazole core and a further resonance path crossing the carbamate one were described. At last, the X-ray powder diffractogram of a form C rich mebendazole mixture was overlaid to the calculated one with the mebendazole crystal structure.

Syntheses, characterization and X-ray structures of the fac-[RuCl3(NO)(dppe)] and the trans-[RuCl(NO)(dppe)2]2+ species.

Trans-[RuCl(NO)(dppe)2]2+ species were prepared. The complexes have been characterized by microanalysis, IR and 31P[1H] NMR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The trans-[RuCl(NO)(dppe)2](ClO4)2 complex shows a reversible one-electron-reduction process at E(1/2) = 0.200 V and another one-electron-reduction irreversible process at -0.620 V, both centered at the NO+ group. The dissociation of the NO group from the trans-[RuCl(NO)(dppe)2]2+ after two one-electron reductions results in the formation of the trans- and cis-[RuCl2(dppe)2] isomers. The product of an electrolyzed solution of the same complex at -0.300 V shows an EPR signal consistent with the presence of the [RuCl(NO(0))(dppe)2]+ complex. Crystal data for trans-[RuCl(NO)(dppe)2]2+*[RuCl4(NO)(H2O)]*1/2[RuCl6]4-*2[H2O] (I) and trans-[RuCl(NO)(dppe)(2)]2+*2[RuCl4(NO)(CH3O)]-*3[CH3OH] (II) are as follow: (I) Space group P-1, a=10.4040(3) A, b=12.3470(4) A, c=23.5620(8) A, alpha=95.885(2) degrees, beta=99.608(2) degrees, gamma=104.378(2) degrees, R=0.0521; (II) space group P-1, a=10.9769(2) A, b=13.2753(3) A, c=24.0287(4) A, alpha=99.743(1) degrees, beta=95.847(1) degrees, gamma=97.549(1) degrees; R=0.0496. The fac-[RuCl3(NO)(dppe)] (III) complex has been also prepared; its crystal data are: space group P2(1)/n (No. 14), a=11.841(2) A, b=13.775(2) A, c=16.295(4) A, beta=92.81(2) degrees; R1=0.0395.