gem-Dithioacetylated indole derivatives as novel antileishmanial agents.

In this communication we report a serendipitously discovered hybrid molecule 1, combining fragment of 3 (an in vivo active antileishmanial molecule) with HS donor moiety (known for bimodal behavior of cytoprotection and apoptosis), as antileishmanial agent. Compound 1 suppresses 99.82% parasitemia of L.

Discovery of novel antileishmanial agents in an attempt to synthesize pentamidine-aplysinopsin hybrid molecule.

In an attempt to synthesize pentamidine-aplysinopsin hybrid molecule 25, a lead molecule 8 (containing Z-configured aplysinopsin moiety) was identified for antileishmanial activity. Optimization of lead 8 provided 24 (containing E-configured aplysinopsin) possessing 10 times more activity and 401-fold less toxicity than the drug pentamidine in cell based assays. Synthesis of 24 was possible, surprisingly, because of two innate reactivities of indole-3-carbaldehyde which provided it in diastereo- and regio-selectively pure form without recourse to the long reaction pathway.