Antimycobacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of substituted chalcones focusing on an anti-tuberculosis dual treatment approach

Molecules. 2015 May 5;20(5):8072-93. doi: 10.3390/molecules20058072.

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a serious public health problem aggravated by the emergence of M. tuberculosis (Mtb) strains resistant to multiple drugs (MDR). Delay in TB treatment, common in the MDR-TB cases, can lead to deleterious life-threatening inflammation in susceptible hyper-reactive individuals, encouraging the discovery of new anti-Mtb drugs and the use of adjunctive therapy based on anti-inflammatory interventions. In this study, a series of forty synthetic chalcones was evaluated in vitro for their anti-inflammatory and antimycobacterial properties and in silico for pharmacokinetic parameters. Seven compounds strongly inhibited NO and PGE2 production by LPS-stimulated macrophages through the specific inhibition of iNOS and COX-2 expression, respectively, with compounds 4 and 5 standing out in this respect. Four of the seven most active compounds were able to inhibit production of TNF-α and IL-1β. Chalcones that were not toxic to cultured macrophages were tested for antimycobacterial activity. Eight compounds were able to inhibit growth of the M. bovis BCG and Mtb H37Rv strains in bacterial cultures and in infected macrophages. Four of them, including compounds 4 and 5, were active against a hypervirulent clinical Mtb isolate as well. In silico analysis of ADMET properties showed that the evaluated chalcones displayed satisfactory pharmacokinetic parameters. In conclusion, the obtained data demonstrate that at least two of the studied chalcones, compounds 4 and 5, are promising antimycobacterial and anti-inflammatory agents, especially focusing on an anti-tuberculosis dual treatment approach.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Chalcones / pharmacology*
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / metabolism
  • Dinoprostone / metabolism
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / metabolism
  • Nitrogen Oxides / metabolism
  • Tuberculosis / drug therapy*
  • Tuberculosis / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Chalcones
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Nitrogen Oxides
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, mouse
  • Ptgs2 protein, mouse
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Dinoprostone