Publications by authors named "Rana T Alhashimi"

Article Synopsis
  • 5-hydroxymethyl-furfural (5-HMF) has been studied for over 20 years for its various pharmacologic potential, particularly in treating sickle cell disease due to its ability to target hypoxia-induced sickling of red blood cells.
  • Initial studies yielded promising results, leading to further exploration of 5-HMF’s diverse biological activities, which include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cognitive improvement effects.
  • The review covers the therapeutic prospects of 5-HMF, its sources, properties, and its safety and metabolism profiles, while noting that research on many of its potential applications is ongoing and results vary in strength.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The synthetic allosteric effector of hemoglobin, TD-7 has been investigated as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of sickle cell disease. The pharmacologic activity of TD-7 is due to formation of a Schiff-base interaction between its aldehyde group and the two N-terminal αVal1 amines of hemoglobin, effectively inhibiting sickling of red blood cells. However, TD-7 faces a challenge in terms of poor oral bioavailability due to rapid in-vivo oxidative metabolism of its aldehyde functional group.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is caused by a single-point mutation, and the ensuing deoxygenation-induced polymerization of sickle hemoglobin (HbS), and reduction in bioavailability of vascular nitric oxide (NO), contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. In a proof-of-concept study, we successfully incorporated nitrate ester groups onto two previously studied potent antisickling aromatic aldehydes, TD7 and VZHE039, to form TD7-NO and VZHE039-NO hybrids, respectively. These compounds are stable in buffer but demonstrated the expected release of NO in whole blood in vitro and in mice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

5-hydroxyfurfural (5HMF), an allosteric effector of hemoglobin (Hb) with an ability to increase Hb affinity for oxygen has been studied extensively for its antisickling effect in vitro and in vivo, and in humans for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). One of the downstream pathophysiologies of SCD is nitric oxide (NO) deficiency, therefore increasing NO (bio)availability is known to mitigate the severity of SCD symptoms. We report the synthesis of an NO-releasing prodrug of 5HMF (5HMF-NO), which in vivo, is expected to be bio-transformed into 5HMF and NO, with concomitant therapeutic activities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF