Neetu Tewari

Synthesis and bioevaluation of glycosyl ureas as α-glucosidase inhibitors and their effect on mycobacterium

Glycosyl amino esters (2-13) on reaction with different isocyanates resulted in quantitative conversion to glycosyl ureas (14--32). Few of the selected ureas (15-20, 22-28, 30 and 32) on cyclative amidation with DBU/TBAB/4 A MS gave respective dihydropyrimidinones in fair to good yields (33-47). The compounds were screened for alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity and two (19 and 23) of them showed strong inhibition against rat intestinal alpha-glucosidase. The compounds were also screened against Mycobacterium aurum, however, only one (19) of them exhibited marginal antitubercular activity.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis NAD+-dependent DNA ligase is selectively inhibited by glycosylamines compared with human DNA ligase I

DNA ligases are important enzymes which catalyze the joining of nicks between adjacent bases of double-stranded DNA. NAD+-dependent DNA ligases (LigA) are essential in bacteria and are absent in humans. They have therefore been identified as novel, validated and attractive drug targets. Using virtual screening against an in-house database of compounds and our recently determined crystal structure of the NAD+ binding domain of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis LigA, we have identified N1, Nn-bis-(5-deoxy-α-d-xylofuranosylated) diamines as a novel class of inhibitors for this enzyme. Assays involving M.tuberculosis LigA, T4 ligase and human DNA ligase I show that these compounds specifically inhibit LigA from M.tuberculosis. In vitro kinetic and inhibition assays demonstrate that the compounds compete with NAD+ for binding and inhibit enzyme activity with IC50 values in the µM range. Docking studies rationalize the observed specificities and show that among several glycofuranosylated diamines, bis xylofuranosylated diamines with aminoalkyl and 1, 3-phenylene carbamoyl spacers mimic the binding modes of NAD+ with the enzyme. Assays involving LigA-deficient bacterial strains show that in vivo inhibition of ligase by the compounds causes the observed antibacterial activities. They also demonstrate that the compounds exhibit in vivo specificity for LigA over ATP-dependent ligase. This class of inhibitors holds out the promise of rational development of new anti-tubercular agents.

Current Status of Malaria Control

Malaria caused by Plasmodium parasites kills approximately 1-3 million people and causes disease in 300-500 million people annually throughout the world. The current approaches to curtail this disease include vector control, vaccination, immunotherapy and chemotherapy. The vector control is achieved by reducing vector density, interrupting their life cycle, and creating a barrier between the human host and mosquitoes. A number of vaccine candidates are being clinically tried and R&D effort in this direction is coming in a big way. Currently there are only limited safe drugs for the treatment of this disease, however, reports of emerging resistance against existing drugs warrant the introduction of new drugs, which are unlikely to come from pharmaceutical industries because of limited commercial opportunities. One of the most important current approaches to develop new drugs involves the synthesis of chemical libraries and evaluate them against most validated biochemical targets of malarial parasite. Although a number of such targets in antimalarial drug development are known today, yet only validated and selective biochemical targets including mitochondrial transport, glycolic pathway, folate pathway, proteases and heme metabolism, apicoplast metabolism, glycophospatidyl inositol, lipid metabolism (glycerophospholipids), peptidyl deformylase and oxidative stress in parasite-infected erythrocytes have been discussed here. The well known antimalarial drugs and different drug combinations for the treatment of malaria are also briefly reviewed. A survey of the recently discovered new molecules active against malaria has also been narrated. Lastly, the future of malaria chemotherapy and new directions emerging from literature has been elucidated.

Amberlite IR-120 catalysed efficient synthesis of glycosyl enamines and their application

β-Keto esters and acetyl acetone on condensation with glycosylated amino esters in the presence of IR-120 resin resulted in high yields of glycosyl enamino esters or ketones. The latter on cyclisation with NaH in toluene at reflux gave 6-glycosyl-5,6-dihydro-1H-pyridin-4-ones in fair to good yields.

DBU-Assisted Cyclorelease Elimination: Combinatorial Synthesis and γ- Glutamyl Cysteine Synthetase and Glutathione-S-Transeferase Modulatory Effect of C-Nucleoside Analogs

A combinatorial library of 60C- nucleoside analogs was synthesized by sequential coupling of building blocks followed by cyclative cleavage with DBU in an efficient manner. Only DMSO soluble compounds were tested for their modulatory effect against filarial gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (gamma-GCase) and glutathione-S-transeferases (GSTs). Several compounds were found to be weak inhibitors of filarial gamma-GCase, whereas, most of them stimulated filarial GSTs.

Diastereoselective Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of Glycosyl Isoxazolines

Abstract Glycosyl nitrile oxides, generated in situ by reaction of glycosyl oximes (3a, 3b, 4) with N‐chlorosuccinimide and DBU, on 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition with substituted alkenes resulted in glycosyl isoxazolines (5, 7–28) in diastereoselective manner. The extent of diastereoselection varies with the nature of substituents both in sugar and alkenes. The compounds synthesized were screened in vitro against many fungi wherein two of the compounds (12, 23) showed significant inhibition against Sporothrix schenckii, Trychophyton mentagrophytes, and Cryptococcus neoformans with MIC of 12.5 and 6.25 µg/mL, respectively. #CDRI Communication No.6460.

MODULATION OF FILARIAL GLUTATHIONE-S-TRANSFERASE(S) ACTIVITY: A POSSIBILITY TOWARDS THE SYNTHESIS OF NEW CLASSES OF ANTIFILARIAL AGENTS

In a search towards the inhibitors/stimulators of filarial glutathione-S-transferase(s) (GST(s)), the major detoxification enzymes, a total of 335 compounds belonging to three major chemical classes were looked for their effect on soluble filarial GST(s). Among a total of 10 diglycosylated diaminoalkanes (DGDA), 4 showed more than 50% stimulatory effect, among 10 glycosylated hydroxamic acids, 2 showed more than 50% stimulatory effect and among 4 glycopeptides, 3 showed more than 50% stimulatory effect. Among a total of 38 glycosyl ureas, 2 showed more than 50% inhibitory effect. Among a total of 66 glycosyl ureas/ thioureas and glycopeptidyl ureas, 3 showed more than 50% stimulatory effect whereas 2 showed more than 50% inhibitory effect. Among a total of 59 C-nucleosides/ S-containing nucleosides, 24 showed more than 50% stimulatory effect.

A VERSATILE SYNTHESIS OF DIHYDROPYRIMIDINONE C-NUCLEOSIDES +

A versatile synthesis of N‐substituted dihydropyrimidinone C‐nucleosides (20–29) is described. Glycosyl amino esters (3–9), obtained by reductive alkylation of glycosyl amino esters 1 and 2, on condensation with different isocyanates afforded respective ureido derivatives (10–19) in good to quantitative yields. The latter on cyclative amidation with a combination of DBU/TBAB (tetrabutylammonium bromide)/4Å molecular sieve gave the corresponding nucleosides (20–29) in good yields.