Design, synthesis, identification and anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity evaluation of furfurylidene azomethine and oxadiazole derivatives

Author(s)

Fanny Palace Berl

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ)
• Defense date: 2012-06-27

Examining board members

Leoberto Costa Tavares; José Angelo Lauletta Lindoso; Roberto Parise Filho

• Advisor: Leoberto Costa Tavares

Abstract

The search for alternative therapies for the treatment of Chagas disease presents great importance, since there are only two currently available drugs, nifurtimox and benznidazole. Both have considerable adverse effects and, in Brazil, is used only benznidazole. Nitro-heterocyclic compounds with activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, has shown promising results. Thus, this work includes the design, synthesis, identification, evaluation of anti-T. cruzi activity of 5-nitro-2- furfuriliden (IC50 T. cruzi) and cytotoxicity of these compounds against J774 macrophages cell line (IC50 J774). The nifuroxazide, as a lead compound, inspired the molecular modification leading to two series of furfuriliden compounds, a azometinic structure, series I, and other with oxadiazolinic structure, series II. The choice of substituents was based on the Craig\'s diagram, and ten substituents were selected for each series. We evaluated the activity of twenty compounds designed against T. cruzi, and the most active compounds were: 4-butyl-[N\'-(5-nitrofuran-2-yl) methylene] benzidrazide (4g - IC50 T. cruzi = 1.05 µM, SD = 0.07) and 3-acetyl-5-(4-butylphenyl)-2 -(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)- 2,3-dihydro, 1,3,4-oxadiazole (5g - IC50 T. cruzi = 8.27 µM, SD = 0.42). Compared to the reference drugs, benznidazole (IC50 T. cruzi = 22.69 µM, SD = 1.96) and nifurtimox (IC50 T. cruzi = 3.78 µM, SD = 0.10), the compound 4g demonstrated anti-T. cruzi activity superior to both drugs. All compounds showed better activity than nifuroxazide (IC50 T. cruzi = 120.46 µM, SD = 4.06). For cytotoxicity assays, was found for the most active compound against T. cruzi, 4g, IC50 J774 = 28.05 µM, SD = 1.05, and for compound 5g was obtained IC50 J774 = >400 µM, that represents the maximum concentration of the compound evaluated which did not affect the cells. Both showed good selectivity in the calculation of the ratio between the IC50 T. cruzi and IC50 J774. Additionally, we performed calculations of the physicochemical properties of three-dimensional structures of the compounds, followed by exploratory data analysis including hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA), which contributed to the identification of properties that influence the activity anti-T. cruzi in the series of compounds studied. The findings indicated a significant influence of ClogP and dipole moment properties, pointing out the need of a lipophilic/hydrophilic balance in the designing of novel anti-T. cruzi molecules. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/02887-4 - Design, synthesis, identification and anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity evaluation of furfurylidene azomethine and oxadiazole derivatives.
• Grantee: Fanny Palace Berl
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master