Synthesis and molecular docking of N′-arylidene-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carbohydrazides as novel hypoglycemic and antioxidant dual agents

Herein, the design and synthesis of 10 novel N′-arylidene pyrazole-3-carbohydrazides are described. Compounds were pretended to act as dual agents against diabetes and oxidative stress, two correlated pathologies involved in metabolic syndrome development and progression. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated by means of DPPH and FRAP in vitro assays. It was found that compounds bearing a hydroxyl group at 4-position of the hydrazone moiety are potent antioxidant entities, being compound 3g (a syringaldehyde derivative) the most active compound. In addition, the in vivo hypoglycemic effect of the analogues was determined. With regard to the above, the cinnamaldehyde derivatives showed a scarce biological activity, while the 4-hydroxy analogues showed the higher glycemia reduction at 7 h after administration. Interestingly, the most potent antioxidants 3b and 3g also were of the most active compounds in reducing the plasma glucose, reaching 80% of reduction in the case of 3g. Molecular docking binding poses conducted to a plausible interpretation of the biological outcomes and a possible interaction between a hydroxy group and Asn287 of CB1R was proposed as an important feature for enhancing the observed activity.