Inhibitor Report for: Cinchonine

This paper describes the synthesis and anticholinesterase potency of Cinchona-based alkaloids; ten quaternary derivatives of cinchonines and their corresponding pseudo-enantiomeric cinchonidines. The quaternization of quinuclidine moiety of each compound was carried out with groups diverse in their size: methyl, benzyl and differently meta- and para-substituted benzyl groups. All of the prepared compounds reversibly inhibited human butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase with Ki constants within nanomolar to micromolar range. Five cinchonidine derivatives displayed 95-510 times higher inhibition selectivity to butyrylcholinesterase over acetylcholinesterase and four were potent butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors with Ki constants up to 100 nM, of which N-para-bromobenzyl cinchonidinium bromide can be considered a lead for further modifications and optimizations for possible use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

For the last six decades, researchers have been focused on finding efficient reactivators of organophosphorus compound (OP)-inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). In this study, we have focused our research on a new oxime scaffold based on the Cinchona structure since it was proven to fit the cholinesterases active site and reversibly inhibit their activity. Three Cinchona oximes (C1, C2, and C3), derivatives of the 9-oxocinchonidine, were synthesized and investigated in reactivation of various OP-inhibited AChE and BChE. As the results showed, the tested oximes were more efficient in the reactivation of BChE and they reactivated enzyme activity to up to 70% with reactivation rates similar to known pyridinium oximes used as antidotes in medical practice today. Furthermore, the oximes showed selectivity towards binding to the BChE active site and the determined enzyme-oxime dissociation constants supported work on the future development of inhibitors in other targeted studies (e.g., in treatment of neurodegenerative disease). Also, we monitored the cytotoxic effect of Cinchona oximes on two cell lines Hep G2 and SH-SY5Y to determine the possible limits for in vivo application. The cytotoxicity results support future studies of these compounds as long as their biological activity is targeted in the lower micromolar range.

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitors were identified from a collection containing cinchonine, cinchonidine and synthetic derivatives, and further characterized using cytotoxicity and molecular docking studies. The most active ones were: (10 triple bond)-10,11-dibromo-10,11-dihydrocinchonidine (11), a competitive inhibitor with Ki = 3.45 +/- 0.39 microM, and IC50 BChE = 9.83 +/- 0.30 microM/human (h)BChE = 34.47 +/- 4.63 and O-(trimethylsilyl)cinchonine (15), a mixed inhibitor with Kiuc = 1.73 +/- 0.46 microM and Kic = 0.85 +/- 0.26 microM, and IC50 BChE = 0.56 +/- 0.14 microM/hBChE = 0.24 +/- 0.04. In cytotoxicity experiments, > or = 80% of the cells remained viable when exposed to concentrations of up to 80 microM of both inhibitors in four different cell lines, including neurons. Due to the bulkier trimethylsilyl side group of 15, it covered the active site of hBChE better than 11 with an OH-group while not being able to fit into the active site gorge of hAChE, thus explaining the selectivity of 15 towards hBChE.

This paper describes the synthesis and anticholinesterase potency of Cinchona-based alkaloids; ten quaternary derivatives of cinchonines and their corresponding pseudo-enantiomeric cinchonidines. The quaternization of quinuclidine moiety of each compound was carried out with groups diverse in their size: methyl, benzyl and differently meta- and para-substituted benzyl groups. All of the prepared compounds reversibly inhibited human butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase with Ki constants within nanomolar to micromolar range. Five cinchonidine derivatives displayed 95-510 times higher inhibition selectivity to butyrylcholinesterase over acetylcholinesterase and four were potent butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors with Ki constants up to 100 nM, of which N-para-bromobenzyl cinchonidinium bromide can be considered a lead for further modifications and optimizations for possible use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

For the last six decades, researchers have been focused on finding efficient reactivators of organophosphorus compound (OP)-inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). In this study, we have focused our research on a new oxime scaffold based on the Cinchona structure since it was proven to fit the cholinesterases active site and reversibly inhibit their activity. Three Cinchona oximes (C1, C2, and C3), derivatives of the 9-oxocinchonidine, were synthesized and investigated in reactivation of various OP-inhibited AChE and BChE. As the results showed, the tested oximes were more efficient in the reactivation of BChE and they reactivated enzyme activity to up to 70% with reactivation rates similar to known pyridinium oximes used as antidotes in medical practice today. Furthermore, the oximes showed selectivity towards binding to the BChE active site and the determined enzyme-oxime dissociation constants supported work on the future development of inhibitors in other targeted studies (e.g., in treatment of neurodegenerative disease). Also, we monitored the cytotoxic effect of Cinchona oximes on two cell lines Hep G2 and SH-SY5Y to determine the possible limits for in vivo application. The cytotoxicity results support future studies of these compounds as long as their biological activity is targeted in the lower micromolar range.

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitors were identified from a collection containing cinchonine, cinchonidine and synthetic derivatives, and further characterized using cytotoxicity and molecular docking studies. The most active ones were: (10 triple bond)-10,11-dibromo-10,11-dihydrocinchonidine (11), a competitive inhibitor with Ki = 3.45 +/- 0.39 microM, and IC50 BChE = 9.83 +/- 0.30 microM/human (h)BChE = 34.47 +/- 4.63 and O-(trimethylsilyl)cinchonine (15), a mixed inhibitor with Kiuc = 1.73 +/- 0.46 microM and Kic = 0.85 +/- 0.26 microM, and IC50 BChE = 0.56 +/- 0.14 microM/hBChE = 0.24 +/- 0.04. In cytotoxicity experiments, > or = 80% of the cells remained viable when exposed to concentrations of up to 80 microM of both inhibitors in four different cell lines, including neurons. Due to the bulkier trimethylsilyl side group of 15, it covered the active site of hBChE better than 11 with an OH-group while not being able to fit into the active site gorge of hAChE, thus explaining the selectivity of 15 towards hBChE.

Scaffold varied quaternized quinine and cinchonidine alkaloid derivatives were evaluated for their selective butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory potential. K(i) values were between 0.4-260.5microM (non-competitive inhibition) while corresponding K(i)values to acetylcholinesterase (AChE) ranged from 7.0-400microM exhibiting a 250-fold selectivity for BChE. Docking arrangements (GOLD, PLANT) revealed that the extended aromatic moieties and the quaternized nitrogen of the inhibitors were responsible for specific Pi-Pi stacking and Pi-cation interactions with the choline binding site and the peripheral anionic site of BChE's active site.