Publications by authors named "Alfonso Alejo-Armijo"

Primary hyperoxalurias (PHs) represent rare diseases associated with disruptions in glyoxylate metabolism within hepatocytes. Impaired glyoxylate detoxification in PH patients results in its accumulation and subsequent conversion into oxalate, a process catalyzed by the hepatic lactate dehydrogenase A enzyme (LDHA). Targeting this enzyme selectively in the liver using small organic molecules emerges as a potential therapeutic strategy for PH.

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A description of new antimicrobial agents suitable for food industries has become necessary, and natural compounds are being considered as promising sources of new active derivatives to be used with the aim of improving food safety. We have previously described desirable antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against foodborne bacteria by analogs to A-type proanthocyanidins (PACs) with a nitro (NO) group at carbon 6 of the A-ring. We report herein the synthesis of eight additional analogs with chloro and bromo atoms at the A-ring and the systematic study of their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities in order to evaluate their possible application as biocides or food preservatives, as well as to elucidate new structure-activity relationships.

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Developing new types of effective antimicrobial compounds derived from natural products is of interest for the food industry. Some analogs to A-type proanthocyanidins have shown promising antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against foodborne bacteria. We report herein the synthesis of seven additional analogs with NO group at A-ring and their abilities for inhibiting the growth and the biofilm formation by twenty-one foodborne bacteria.

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Human lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a tetrameric enzyme present in almost all tissues. Among its five different isoforms, LDHA and LDHB are the predominant ones. In the last few years, LDHA has emerged as a therapeutic target for the treatment of several kinds of disorders, including cancer and primary hyperoxaluria.

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Human lactate dehydrogenase A (hLDHA) is one of the main enzymes involved in the pathway of oxalate synthesis in human liver and seems to contribute to the pathogenesis of disorders with endogenous oxalate overproduction, such as primary hyperoxaluria (PH), a rare life-threatening genetic disease. Recent published results on the knockdown of LDHA gene expression as a safe strategy to ameliorate oxalate build-up in PH patients are encouraging for an approach of hLDHA inhibition by small molecules as a potential pharmacological treatment. Thus, we now report on the synthesis and hLDHA inhibitory activity of a new family of compounds with 2,8-dioxabicyclo[3.

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Cinnamtannin B-1 (C-B1) is a commercially-available trimeric A-type procyanidin with remarkable cellular actions mainly derived from its high radical scavenging activity. C-B1 is the main phenolic compound of laurel wood, which has previously been isolated by a combination of conventional chromatographic techniques. The first aim of this work was to find laurel trees containing as much C-B1 as possible, and learn about the influence of variables, such as gender and harvest time, on the production of C-B1 by the tree.

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Anthocyanins are the basis of the color of angiosperms, 3-deoxyanthocyanins and sphagnorubin play the same role in mosses and ferns, and auronidins are responsible for the color in liverworts. In this study, the color system of cyanidin-3--glucoside (kuromanin) as a representative compound of simpler anthocyanins was fully characterized by stopped flow. This type of anthocyanin cannot confer significant color to plants without intra- or intermolecular interactions, complexation with metals or supramolecular structures as in The anthocyanin's color system was compared with those of 3-deoxyanthocyanins and riccionidin A, the aglycone of auronidins.

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Primary hyperoxalurias (PHs) are a group of inherited alterations of the hepatic glyoxylate metabolism. PHs classification based on gene mutations parallel a variety of enzymatic defects, and all involve the harmful accumulation of calcium oxalate crystals that produce systemic damage. These geographically widespread rare diseases have a deep impact in the life quality of the patients.

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Proanthocyanidins (PACs) are oligomers or polymers composed of units of flavanols. A-type PACs are a subclass of PACs characterized by the presence of at least a double linkage between two consecutive monomers of flavanol. These A-type PACs are found in some fruits and spices and possess potential health benefits as a result of their interesting biological activities, and consequently, their isolation and synthesis have given rise to great interest in the past.

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Porphyrins and derivatives form one of the most abundant classes of biochromes. They result from the breakdown of heme and have crucial physiological functions. Bilins are well-known representatives of this group that, besides significant antioxidant and anti-mutagenic properties, are also photosensitizers for photodynamic therapies.

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The comparison of the ground-state reactivity of anthocyanins and aurone model compounds (i.e. with and without the furano bridge) has shown that the kinetic paradigm does not depend on the bridge but only on the hydroxyl substituent pattern, independently of the presence of the bridge: (i) bell shaped kinetics for those with two hydroxyl substituents in position 4' and 7, and (ii) four distinct kinetic steps for the mono substituted compounds with a hydroxyl in position 4'.

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A convenient method to synthesize A-type proanthocyanidin analogues from flavylium salts and π-nucleophiles has been developed. It was found that the thermodynamic stability of the starting flavylium salt, assessed by the measurement of the apparent acidity constant ( K'), was the key parameter to design effective one-pot reactions between flavylium salts and nucleophiles such as phloroglucinol and (+)-catechin. When flavylium salts have a p K' value of 1.

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Natural A-type procyanidins have shown very interesting biological activities, such as their proven antiadherence properties against pathogenic bacteria. In order to find the structural features responsible for their activities, we describe herein the design and synthesis of six A-type procyanidin analogues and the evaluation of their antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties against 12 resistant bacteria, both Gram positive and Gram negative, isolated from organic foods. The natural A-type procyanidin A-2, which had known antiadherence activity, was also tested as a reference compound for the comparative studies.

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This review summarizes the chemical composition reported up to date on Laurus nobilis L. (Lauraceae), an evergreen shrub or tree cultivated for its aromatic leaves and ornamental interest. It has been focused on non-volatile phytochemicals such as sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins, among others.

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The effect of methyl, hydroxyl, and chloride substituents in position 3 of the 3',4',7-trihydroxyflavylium core structure was studied. The stability, relative energy of each of chemical species (thermodynamics), and their rates of interconversion (kinetics) are very dependent on these substituents. By comparing the mole fraction distribution at equilibrium of the three multistate systems with the parent 3',4',7-trihydroxyflavylium, introduction of a methyl substituent in position 3 increases the mole fraction of hemiketal at the expense of the trans-chalcone and increases the hydration rate very significantly; a hydroxyl substituent in position 3 gives rise to a degradation process, as observed in anthocyanidins.

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