Galactokinase and galactose metabolism in Leishmania spp.

In Leishmania, the nucleotide-sugar UDP-galactose can be synthesized by a salvage pathway, the Isselbacher route, involving phosphorylation of galactose and the action of UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase. The first enzyme of the pathway, galactokinase, has yet to be studied in this parasite. Here, we report a molecular and biochemical characterization of this enzyme in Leishmania mexicana.

Antiparasitic Activity of Coumarin-Chalcone (3-cinnamoyl-2H-chromen-2-ones) Hybrids.

Coumarin-chalcone hybrids are promising compounds that could be used as lead structures in the fight against parasitic diseases. In this work, sixteen hybrids of coumarin-chalcone (3-cinnamoyl-2H-chromen-2-ones) were synthesized, and their in vitro biological activity was evaluated against intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania braziliensis and Trypanosoma cruzi; as well as their cytotoxicity in the U-937 cell line. Compounds (E)-3-(3-(3-ethoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)acryloyl)-7-methoxy-2H-chromen-2-one (H25) and (E)-7-(diethylamino)-3-(4-(methoxyphenyl)acryloyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (H12) showed the highest antileishmanial activity with EC50 values of 18.

and evaluation of the phytoalexin-eliciting activity in common bean ( L.) of jasmonoyl-l-isoleucine analogs having a pyrazolidin-3-one ring.

Jasmonates are phytohormones derived from jasmonic acid that regulate metabolic processes involved in the chemical response of plants to biotic and abiotic stress. As part of this response, some species synthesize compounds with biological activity against some pathogens. In this work, nine analogs of jasmonoyl-l-isoleucine containing a pyrazolidin-3-one core were tested in their activity to elicit the production of phytoalexins (daidzein, genistein, coumestrol, and phaseollin) in common bean ( L.

Reversing the biofilm-inducing effect of two xanthones from Garcinia mangostana by 3-methyl-2(5H)-furanone and N-butyryl-D-L homoserine lactone.

Background: According to the WHO, 12 bacteria cause numerous human infections, including Enterobacteriaceae Klebsiella pneumoniae, and thus represent a public health problem. Microbial resistance is associated with biofilm formation; therefore, it is critical to know the biofilm-inducing potential of various compounds of everyday life. Likewise, the reversibility of biofilms and the modulation of persister cells are important for controlling microbial pathogens.

Biological activities of 4H-thiochromen-4-one 1,1-dioxide derivatives against tropical disease parasites: A target-based drug design approach.

A promising strategy for developing novel therapies against tropical diseases, including malaria, leishmaniasis, and trypanosomiasis, is to detect biological targets such as trypanothione reductase, a vital parasite enzyme that regulates oxidative stress. This enzyme is highly selective and conserved in the Trypanosotidae family and has an ortholog in the Plasmodium genus. Previous studies have established that an isosteric replacement of naphthoquinone's carbonyl group with a sulfone group leads to compounds with high bioactivity and selectivity (half-maximal inhibitory concentration = 3 μM against intracellular amastigotes of , selectivity index = 153 over monocytes U-937).