The chemical modification of natural compounds is a promising strategy to improve their frequently poor bioavailability and low potency. This study aimed at synthesizing chemical derivatives of carvone, a natural monoterpene with anti-inflammatory properties, which we recently identified, and evaluating their potential anti-inflammatory activity. Fourteen chemical derivatives of carvone were synthesized, purified and their chemical structures confirmed. Noncytotoxic concentrations of the test compounds were selected based on the resazurin reduction assay. Among the tested compounds, four significantly reduced the lipopolysaccharides-induced protein levels of the inducible isoform of the nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide production and showed a dual effect on pro-IL-1 protein levels in the Raw 264.7 cell line. The Ligand Express drug discovery platform was used to predict the targets of the test compounds, and an enrichment analysis was performed to group the different biological processes and molecular and cellular functions of the tested compounds. Moreover, Ligand Express also predicted that all chemicals evaluated have intestinal and blood–brain barrier permeability, do not inhibit P-gp and do not interact with major receptors. Although presenting anti-inflammatory and some advantageous ADME properties, the tested compounds still have low potency and specificity but may provide novel structures the further chemical modification of which may yield more promising drugs.
对天然化合物进行化学修饰是一种很有前景的策略,可以改善它们经常出现的生物利用率低和效力低的问题。本研究旨在合成我们最近发现的一种具有抗炎特性的天然单萜烯--香芹酮的化学衍生物,并评估其潜在的抗炎活性。研究人员合成、纯化了 14 种香芹酮化学衍生物,并确认了它们的化学结构。根据藜芦苷还原试验选择了无细胞毒性浓度的测试化合物。在测试的化合物中,有四种能明显降低脂多糖诱导的一氧化氮合酶诱导型同工酶蛋白水平和一氧化氮的产生,并对 Raw 264.7 细胞系中的前 IL-1 蛋白水平有双重作用。Ligand Express 药物发现平台用于预测测试化合物的靶点,并通过富集分析对测试化合物的不同生物过程以及分子和细胞功能进行分组。此外,Ligand Express 还预测出所有评估的化学物质都具有肠道和血脑屏障通透性,不会抑制 P-gp,也不会与主要受体发生相互作用。虽然受测化合物具有抗炎和一些有利的 ADME 特性,但它们的效力和特异性仍然较低,但可能提供了新的结构,对其进行进一步的化学修饰可能会产生更有前途的药物。