O. A. Luzina

Anti-viral activity of (−)- and (+)-usnic acids and their derivatives against influenza virus A(H1N1)2009

Influenza is a widespread respiratory infection. Every year it causes epidemics, quickly spreading from country to country, or even pandemics, involving a significant part of the human population of the earth. Being a highly variable infection, influenza easy accumulates the resistance mutations to many antivirals. Usnic acid, a dibenzofuran originally isolated from lichens belongs to the secondary metabolites and has a broad spectrum of biological activity. In humans, it can act as an anti-inflammatory, antimitotic, antineoplasic, antibacterial, and antimycotic agent. In this work we studied for the first time the antiviral activity of usnic acid and its derivatives against the pandemic influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09. A total of 26 compounds representing (+) and (-) isomers of usnic acid and their derivates were tested for cytotoxicity and anti-viral activity in MDCK cells by microtetrazolium test and virus yield assay, respectively. Based on the results obtained, 50% cytotoxic dose (CTD(50)) and 50% effective dose (ED(50)) and selectivity index (SI) were calculated for each compound. Eleven of them were found to have SI higher than 10 (highest value 37.3). Absolute configuration was shown to have critical significance for the anti-viral activity. With minor exceptions, in the pair of enantiomers, (-)-usnic acid was more active comparing to (+)-isomer, but its biological activity was reversed after the usnic acid was chemically modified. Based on the obtained results, derivatives of usnic acid should be considered as prospective compounds for further optimization as anti-influenza substances.

Novel derivatives of usnic acid effectively inhibiting reproduction of influenza A virus.

Influenza virus is serious human pathogen leading to high morbidity and mortality all over the world. Due to high rate of mutation, it is able to fast development of drug resistance that makes necessary to search novel antivirals with broad range and alternative targets. In the present study we describe synthesis and anti-viral activity of novel derivatives of usnic acid (2,6-diacetyl-7,9-dihydroxy-8,9b-dimethyl-1,3(2H,9bH)-dibenzo-furandione). It is shown that anti-viral activity of usnic acid can be increased by side moieties introduction. The modification with chalcones appeared to be the most effective. Our study revealed that (-)-usnic acid exhibited higher antiviral activity than its (+)-enantiomer, but in the pairs of enantiomer derivatives such as enamines, pyrazoles and chalcones, the (+)-enantiomers were more potent inhibitors of the virus. For other groups of compounds the inhibiting activities of the enantiomers were comparable. Further optimization of the structure could therefore result in development of novel anti-influenza compound with alternative target and mechanism of virus-inhibiting action.

Mechanisms of photoinduced electron transfer reactions of lappaconitine with aromatic amino acids. Time-resolved CIDNP study

CIDNP techniques were applied to the investigation of the elementary mechanism of photoinduced interaction between anti-arrhythmic drug lappaconitine and amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan. It has been shown that the reactions involve the formation of lappaconitine radical anion. Lappaconitine radical anion is unstable and rapidly eliminates N-acetyl anthranilic acid via protonation and ether bond cleavage. The rate constant of ether bond cleavage was estimated to be equal to 4 x 10(5) s(-1). The role of single electron transfer is discussed in the light of the model of drug-receptor interactions.

Synthesis and activity of (+)-usnic acid and (−)-usnic acid derivatives containing 1,3-thiazole cycle against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract New usnic acid (UA) derivatives were investigated in vitro to elucidate their potential inhibitory activities on the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Seven pairs of enantiomers of thiazole UA derivatives were tested using the M. smegmatis strain mc2 155 test system, and the “structure–activity” relationship was established. The most active compounds were (+)-3 and (−)-3, and their kinase inhibitory activities were investigated. The results obtained using the Streptomyces lividans APHVIII+ and M. smegmatis APHVIII+ test systems indicated the significant protein kinase activity of these compounds and revealed the species specificity of the actions of the dextro- and levorotatory isomers. Both isomers, (+)-3 and (−)-3, possess similar inhibitory activity against M. tuberculosis H37Rv. The action of the isomers on eukaryotic cells was also investigated, and the results demonstrate that the dextrorotatory isomer (+)-3 leads to the lysis of intact macrophages to a degree higher than that obtained spontaneously and significantly higher than that obtained with the levorotatory isomer.

Chemical modification of usnic acid: III.* Reaction of (+)-usnic acid with substituted phenylhydrazines

Reactions of (+)-usnic acid with a number of substituted (halo, alkyl, alkoxy, nitro) phenylhydrazines led to the formation of the corresponding benzofuro[3,2-f]indazole derivatives or hydrazones at the acetyl group on C2, depending on the initial hydrazine.

Amino-derivatives of usninic acid

Products from the reaction of usninic acid and 4-(3-aminopropyl)-2,6-di-t-butylphenol, 4-(2-aminoethyl)-2,6-di-t-butylphenol, antipyrine, N,N-diethylaminoethylamine, p-chloroaniline, and p-bromoaniline in addition to the quaternary ammonium salt (E)-2-(1-(6-acetyl-7,9-dihydroxy-8,9b-dimethyl-1,3-dioxo-1,9b-dihydrodibenzo[b,d]furan-2(3H)-ylidene)ethylamino)-N,N-diethyl-N-methylethaneammonium iodide were obtained.

Synthesis of aurones based on usninic acid

(+)-Usninic acid was brominated at the acetyl group located on the aromatic ring. Aurones were synthesized based on the intramolecular cyclization of monobrominated (+)-usninic acid.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Usnic Acid Enamine Derivatives

Enamine-derivatives of both enantiomers of usnic acid and the corresponding compounds with a quaternized N atom were synthesized. Compounds3and4exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity. All quaternized compounds were inactive against the tested tumor cell lines. Quaternized compounds7and8showed high antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis, the primary test species for screening antituberculosis drugs. It was shown that the activity dropped in correlation with an increase of the length of the linker between the N atoms. Compound (+)-8inhibited effectively the growth of pathogenic Grampositive microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Enterococcus faecalis.

Influence of Usnic Acid and its Derivatives on the Activity of Mammalian Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase 1 and DNA Polymerase β

The influence of a number of usnic acid derivatives on auto(polyADP-ribosyl)ation catalyzed by PARP1 and DNA synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerase β was studied. The derivatives of usnic acid containing aromatic substituents were shown to be moderate inhibitors of PARP1. The presence of both usnic acid tricyclic structure and aromatic substituent at any position of the molecule is a key factor for the inhibitory action. In the case of DNA polymerase β, no relationship between the structure and inhibitory properties has been found with the only exception. Derivatives with modified ring A showed mild activation of DNA synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerase β.

Oxidation of usninic acid

Reactions of usninic acid with various oxidants were studied. The oxidation occurred at the resorcinol ring. New derivatives of usninic acid were obtained from reactions with per-acids.