0000000000512819

AUTHOR

Fernando Gómez-contreras

Acid–base behaviour and binding to double stranded DNA/RNA of benzo[g]phthalazine-based ligands

The affinity and the binding mode of two benzo[g]phthalazine compounds, functionalized with one or two 2-(imidazole-4-yl)-ethylamine groups, to DNA and RNA models have been evaluated by means of UV-Vis, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies in combination with viscometry and molecular dynamics. Both organic molecules bind strongly to all nucleic acid models via the intercalation mode in the duplex structure, especially compound 1. Intriguingly, 1 exhibits different emission responses depending on the base composition of duplex DNA/RNAs, which points out the possibility of using it as a base selective nucleic acid probe. Moreover, the acid-base behaviour of both compounds h…

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In vitro and in vivo trypanosomicidal activity of pyrazole-containing macrocyclic and macrobicyclic polyamines: their action on acute and chronic phases of Chagas disease.

The in vitro and in vivo anti- Trypanosoma cruzi activity of the pyrazole-containing macrobicyclic polyamine 1 and N-methyl- and N-benzyl-substituted monocyclic polyamines 2 and 3 was studied. Activity against both the acute and chronic phases of Chagas disease was considered. The compounds were more active against the parasite and less toxic against Vero cells than the reference drug benznidazole, but 1 and 2 were especially effective, where cryptand 1 was the most active, particularly in the chronic phase. The activity results found for these compounds were complemented and discussed by considering their inhibitory effect on the iron superoxide dismutase enzyme of the parasite, the nature…

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Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of a new potential DNA bisintercalator: 1,4-Bis{3-[N-(4-chlorobenzo[g]phthalazin-1-yl)aminopropyl]}piperazine

The synthesis of new 1,4-bisalkylamino (2-4) and 1-alkylamino-4-chloro (5-6) substituted benzo[g]phthalazines is reported. Compounds 2-4 and 6 were prepared both in the free and heteroaromatic ring protonated forms. Bifunctional 6 contains the 1,4-bisaminopropylpiperazine chain as a linker between the two heteroaromatic units, whereas 5 is its monofunctional analogue. The in vitro antitumour activity of the synthesized compounds has been tested against human colon, breast and lung carcinoma cells, and also against human glioblastoma cells. Results obtained show that all of them are active in all cases, but bifunctional 6·2HCl is remarkably effective against the four cell lines tested, exhib…

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In vitro leishmanicidal activity of pyrazole-containing polyamine macrocycles which inhibit the Fe-SOD enzyme of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis species

The in vitro leishmanicidal activity and cytotoxicity of pyrazole-containing macrocyclic polyamines 1-4 was assayed on Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis species. Compounds 1-4 were more active and less toxic than glucantime and both infection rates and ultrastructural alterations confirmed that 1 and 2 were highly leishmanicidal and induced extensive parasite cell damage. Modifications in the excretion products of parasites treated with 1-3 were also consistent with substantial cytoplasm alterations. Compound 2 was highlighted as a potent inhibitor of Fe-SOD in both species, whereas its effect on human CuZn-SOD was poor. Molecular modelling suggested that 2 could deactivate Fe…

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