Chromone as a Privileged Scaffold in Drug Discovery: Recent Advances.

The use of privileged structures in drug discovery has proven to be an effective strategy, allowing the generation of innovative hits/leads and successful optimization processes. Chromone is recognized as a privileged structure and a useful template for the design of novel compounds with potential pharmacological interest, particularly in the field of neurodegenerative, inflammatory, and infectious diseases as well as diabetes and cancer. This perspective provides the reader with an update of an earlier article entitled "Chromone: A Valid Scaffold in Medicinal Chemistry" ( Chem.

Long-Term Treatment with Low Doses of Methamphetamine Promotes Neuronal Differentiation and Strengthens Long-Term Potentiation of Glutamatergic Synapses onto Dentate Granule Neurons.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a psychostimulant, affecting hippocampal function with disparate cognitive effects, which depends on the dose and time of administration, ranging from improvement to impairment of memory. Importantly, in the United States, METH is approved for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Modifications of long-term plasticity of synapses originating from the entorhinal cortex onto dentate granule cells (DGCs) have been proposed to underlie cognitive alterations similar to those seen in METH users.

Oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases: looking for a therapeutic solution inspired on benzopyran chemistry.

Reactive species are continuously produced in vivo by all body tissues. However, when an imbalance between the reactive species production and the endogenous pool of antioxidants occurs, the resulting oxidative stress can somehow intensify the pathophysiological mechanisms of several diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases. Although the aetiology of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases is not yet completely understood, it is accepted by the scientific community that the oxidative stress can act as a trigger or can be involved in the course of both diseases.

Oxidative Stress and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Looking for a Therapeutic Solution Inspired on Benzopyran Chemistry.

Reactive species are continuously produced in vivo by all body tissues. However, when an imbalance between the reactive species production and the endogenous pool of antioxidants occurs, the resulting oxidative stress can somehow intensify the pathophysiological mechanisms of several diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases. Although the aetiology of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases is not yet completely understood, it is accepted by the scientific community that the oxidative stress can act as a trigger or can be involved in the course of both diseases.

Methamphetamine decreases dentate gyrus stem cell self-renewal and shifts the differentiation towards neuronal fate.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug of abuse that negatively interferes with neurogenesis. In fact, we have previously shown that METH triggers stem/progenitor cell death and decreases neuronal differentiation in the dentate gyrus (DG). Still, little is known regarding its effect on DG stem cell properties.

Variable delay-to-signal: a fast paradigm for assessment of aspects of impulsivity in rats.

Testing impulsive behavior in rodents is challenging and labor-intensive. We developed a new behavioral paradigm-the Variable Delay-to-Signal (VDS) test-that provides rapid and simultaneous assessment of response and decision impulsivity in rodents. Presentation of a light at variable delays signals the permission for action (nose poke) contingent with a reward.

Parkinson's disease management. Part II- discovery of MAO-B inhibitors based on nitrogen heterocycles and analogues.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder mainly characterized by a progressive neurodegeneration of the dopaminergic neurons. The available pharmacological therapy for PD aims to stop the progress of symptoms, reduce disability, slowing the neurodegenerative process and/or preventing long-term complications along the therapy. The main strategic developments that have led to progress in the medical management of PD have focused on improvements in dopaminergic therapies.

Methamphetamine transiently increases the blood-brain barrier permeability in the hippocampus: role of tight junction proteins and matrix metalloproteinase-9.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a powerful stimulant drug of abuse that has steadily gained popularity worldwide. It is known that METH is highly neurotoxic and causes irreversible damage of brain cells leading to neurological and psychiatric abnormalities. Recent studies suggested that METH-induced neurotoxicity might also result from its ability to compromise blood-brain barrier (BBB) function.

Lipophilic caffeic and ferulic acid derivatives presenting cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cells.

In the present work, lipophilic caffeic and ferulic acid derivatives were synthesized, and their cytotoxicity on cultured breast cancer cells was compared. A total of six compounds were initially evaluated: caffeic acid (CA), hexyl caffeate (HC), caffeoylhexylamide (HCA), ferulic acid (FA), hexyl ferulate (HF), and feruloylhexylamide (HFA). Cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and apoptotic signaling were investigated in three human breast cancer cell lines, including estrogen-sensitive (MCF-7) and insensitive (MDA-MB-231 and HS578T).

Chromone 3-phenylcarboxamides as potent and selective MAO-B inhibitors.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme, present in mammals in two isoforms MAO-A and MAO-B. These isoforms have a crucial role in neurotransmitters metabolism, representing an attractive drug target in the therapy of neurodegenerative diseases (MAO-B) and depression (MAO-A). In this context, our work has been focused on the discovery of new chemical entities (NCEs) for MAO inhibition, based on the development of chromone carboxamides.

Lipophilic phenolic antioxidants: correlation between antioxidant profile, partition coefficients and redox properties.

Lipophilic compounds structurally based on caffeic, hydrocaffeic, ferulic and hydroferulic acids were synthesized. Subsequently, their antioxidant activity was evaluated as well as their partition coefficients and redox potentials. The structure-property-activity relationship (SPAR) results revealed the existence of a clear correlation between the redox potentials and the antioxidant activity.

Structure-property-activity relationship of phenolic acids and derivatives. Protocatechuic acid alkyl esters.

The esterification of hydrophilic phenolic antioxidants is an efficient approach to enhance their solubility in apolar media. Herein, structure-property studies on the antiradical activity of a series of protocatechuic acid alkyl esters have been accomplished. The increase of the lipophilicity was shown to significantly improve the antioxidant activity of protocatechuic esters.

Chromone-2- and -3-carboxylic acids inhibit differently monoamine oxidases A and B.

Chromone carboxylic acids were evaluated as human monoamine oxidase A and B (hMAO-A and hMAO-B) inhibitors. The biological data indicated that only chromone-3-carboxylic acid is a potent hMAO-B inhibitor, with a high degree of selectivity for hMAO-B compared to hMAO-A. Conversely the chromone-2-carboxylic acid resulted almost inactive against both MAO isoforms.

Methamphetamine-induced neuroinflammation and neuronal dysfunction in the mice hippocampus: preventive effect of indomethacin.

Methamphetamine (METH) causes irreversible damage to brain cells leading to neurological and psychiatric abnormalities. However, the mechanisms underlying life-threatening effects of acute METH intoxication remain unclear. Indeed, most of the hypotheses focused on intra-neuronal events, such as dopamine oxidation, oxidative stress and excitotoxicity.

New insights into the antioxidant activity of hydroxycinnamic acids: Synthesis and physicochemical characterization of novel halogenated derivatives.

An interdisciplinary research project was developed combining the synthesis of a series of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and the evaluation of their physicochemical parameters (namely redox potentials and partition coefficients), along with the corresponding antioxidant activity. A structure-property-activity relationship (SPAR) approach was then applied aiming at establishing a putative relation between the physicochemical parameters of the compounds under study and their antioxidant activity. The results gathered allow concluding that the redox potentials could contribute to the understanding of the antioxidant activity and that the presence of an electron withdrawing group (EWG) of halogen type, namely a bromo atom, in an ortho position to a phenolic group of the cinnamic scaffold does not influence the antioxidant activity.

Methamphetamine changes NMDA and AMPA glutamate receptor subunit levels in the rat striatum and frontal cortex.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a powerful psychostimulant whose noxious effects depend largely on the pattern of abuse. METH-induced glutamate release may overactivate N-methyl-d-aspartate and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptors (NMDAR and AMPAR, respectively) causing excitotoxicity. In the brain, these receptors are also known for their essential role in mediating memory consolidation.

Methamphetamine-induced early increase of IL-6 and TNF-alpha mRNA expression in the mouse brain.

The mechanisms by which methamphetamine (METH) causes neurotoxicity are not well understood. Recent studies have suggested that METH-induced neuropathology may result from a multicellular response in which glial cells play a prominent role, and so it is plausible to suggest that cytokines may participate in the toxic effects of METH. Therefore, in the present work we evaluated the effect of an acute administration of METH (30 mg/kg in a single intraperitoneal injection) on the interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mRNA expression levels in the hippocampus, frontal cortex, and striatum of mice.

Electrochemical and spectroscopic characterisation of amphetamine-like drugs: application to the screening of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and its synthetic precursors.

A complete physicochemical characterisation of MDMA and its synthetic precursors MDA, 3,4-methylenedioxybenzaldehyde (piperonal) and 3,4-methylenedioxy-beta-methyl-beta-nitrostyrene was carried out through voltammetric assays and Raman spectroscopy combined with theoretical (DFT) calculations. The former provided important analytical redox data, concluding that the oxidative mechanism of the N-demethylation of MDMA involves the removal of an electron from the amino-nitrogen atom, leading to the formation of a primary amine and an aldehyde. The vibrational spectroscopic experiments enable to afford a rapid and reliable detection of this type of compounds, since they yield characteristic spectral patterns that lead to an unequivocal identification.

Evaluation of the lipophilic properties of opioids, amphetamine-like drugs, and metabolites through electrochemical studies at the interface between two immiscible solutions.

For the first time, the partition coefficients of the ionized forms of several opioids, amphetamine-like drugs, and their metabolites were determined by studying their ionic transfer process across the bare interface water/organic solvent. The ionic partition coefficients of the monocationic forms of 12 compounds--heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), morphine, acetylcodeine, codeine, dihydrocodeine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy"), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3-methoxy-alpha-methyldopamine (3-OMe-alpha-MeDA), and alpha-methyldopamine (alpha-MeDA)-were attained using electrochemical measurements, by cyclic voltammetry, at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES). Then the acquired lipophilicity values were correlated to the chemical structure of the compounds and with the metabolic pathways central to each class of drugs.

Methamphetamine, morphine, and their combination: acute changes in striatal dopaminergic transmission evaluated by microdialysis in awake rats.

The co-administration of methamphetamine (METH) and MOR (MOR)-like compounds is becoming increasingly popular among drug abusers. Recently, it was demonstrated that rats would self-inject METH-heroin combination and that this combination produced a greater rewarding effect than the identical doses of METH alone and it was further suggested that enhanced reward might underlie the popularity of this combination. However, there is null information on the effects of the MOR-METH combination on striatal dopaminergic transmission.

Synthesis and cytotoxic profile of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy") and its metabolites on undifferentiated PC12 cells: A putative structure-toxicity relationship.

The toxicological and redox profiles of MDMA and its major metabolites (MDA, alpha-methyldopamine, N-methyl-alpha-methyldopamine, 6-hydroxy-alpha-methyldopamine, 3-methoxy-alpha-methyldopamine) were studied to establish a structure-toxicity relationship and determine their individual contribution to cell death induction by apoptosis and/or necrosis. The results of the comparative toxicity study, using undifferentiated PC12 cells, strongly suggest that the metabolites possessing a catecholic group are more toxic to the cells than MDMA and metabolites with at least one protected phenolic group. Redox studies reveal that an oxidative mechanism seems to play an important role in metabolite cytotoxicity.

Beta-nitrostyrene derivatives as potential antibacterial agents: a structure-property-activity relationship study.

A multidisciplinary project was developed, combining the synthesis of a series of beta-nitrostyrene derivatives and the determination of their physicochemical parameters (redox potentials, partition coefficients), to the evaluation of the corresponding antibacterial activity. A complete conformational analysis was also performed, in order to get relevant structural information. Subsequently, a structure-property-activity (SPAR) approach was applied, through linear regression analysis, aiming at obtaining a putative correlation between the physicochemical parameters of the compounds investigated and their antibacterial activity (both against standard strains and clinical isolates).

Identification of synthetic precursors of amphetamine-like drugs using Raman spectroscopy and ab initio calculations: beta-Methyl-beta-nitrostyrene derivatives.

The present work reports a vibrational spectroscopic study of several beta-methyl-beta-nitrostyrene derivatives, which are important intermediates in the synthesis of illicit amphetamine-like drugs, such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), p-methoxyamphetamine (PMA) and 4-methylthioamphetamine (4-MTA). A complete conformational analysis of 3,4-methylenedioxy-beta-methyl-beta-nitrostyrene (3,4-MD-MeNS), 4-methoxy-beta-methyl-beta-nitrostyrene (4-MeO-MeNS), 4-methylthio-beta-methyl-beta-nitrostyrene (4-MeS-MeNS), was carried out by Raman spectroscopy coupled to ab initio MO calculations--both complete geometry optimisation and harmonic frequency calculation. The Raman spectra show characteristic features of these precursors, which allow their ready differentiation and identification.

The toxicity of N-methyl-alpha-methyldopamine to freshly isolated rat hepatocytes is prevented by ascorbic acid and N-acetylcysteine.

In the past decade, clinical evidence has increasingly shown that the liver is a target organ for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") toxicity. The aims of the present in vitro study were: (1) to evaluate and compare the hepatotoxic effects of MDMA and one of its main metabolites, N-methyl-alpha-methyldopamine (N-Me-alpha-MeDA) and (2) to investigate the ability of antioxidants, namely ascorbic acid and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), to prevent N-Me-alpha-MeDA-induced toxic injury, using freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. Cell suspensions were incubated with MDMA or N-Me-alpha-MeDA in the final concentrations of 0.