Antioxidant Activities of 4-Methylumbelliferone Derivatives

PLoS One. 2016 May 31;11(5):e0156625. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156625. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

The synthesis of derivatives of 4-Methylumbelliferone (4-MUs), which are structurally interesting antioxidants, was performed in this study. The modification of 4-Methylumbelliferone (4-MU) by different reaction steps was performed to yield the target compounds, the 4-MUs. The 4-MUs were characterized by different spectroscopic techniques (Fourier transform infrared; FT-IR and Nuclear magnetic resonance; NMR) and micro-elemental analysis (CHNS). The in vitro antioxidant activity of the 4-MUs was evaluated in terms of their free radical scavenging activities against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Nitric oxide radical scavenging activity assay, chelating activity and their (FRAP) ferric-reducing antioxidant power, which were compared with a standard antioxidant. Our results reveal that the 4-MUs exhibit excellent radical scavenging activities. The antioxidant mechanisms of the 4-MUs were also studied. Density Function Theory (DFT)-based quantum chemical studies were performed with the basis set at 3-21G. Molecular models of the synthesized compounds were studied to understand the antioxidant activity. The electron levels, namely HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) and LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital), for these synthesized antioxidants were also studied.

MeSH terms

  • Biphenyl Compounds / chemistry*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Free Radical Scavengers / chemistry*
  • Free Radical Scavengers / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / chemistry
  • Hymecromone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Hymecromone / pharmacology
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Nitric Oxide / chemistry
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Oxidation-Reduction / drug effects
  • Picrates / chemistry*
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Triazines / chemistry*

Substances

  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Picrates
  • Triazines
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Hymecromone
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
  • 2,4,6-tripyridyl-s-triazine

Grants and funding

This study was supported by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia under the DIP-2012-02 Grant. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.