Structural specificity of aromatic compounds with special reference to mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium--a series of chloro- or fluoro-nitrobenzene derivatives

The mutagenicity of 21 chloro- or fluoronitrobenzene compounds and 9 chloro- or fluorobenzene compounds in Salmonella typhimurium (strains TA98, TA1538, TA1537, TA100 and TA1535) was examined. The tests were carried out under the conditions of absence and presence of liver microsomal activation. 15 nitro-group compounds had mutagenic activity; above all, compounds of fluoronitrobenzene were mutagenic for both types of strain. On the other hand, chloronitrobenzene compounds were mutagenic for base-pair substitution strains only. Mutagenic activity was exhibited by all compounds having a chloro or fluoro substituent at the para and ortho position in the nitrobenzene nucleus. All compounds without a nitro substituent showed no mutagenic activity.     

Structural specificity of aromatic compounds with special reference to mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium — a series of chloro- or fluoro-nitrobenzene derivatives

The mutagenicity of 21 chloro- or fluoronitrobenzene compounds and 9 chloro- or fluorobenzene compounds in Salmonella typhimurium (strains TA98, TA1538, TA1537, TA100 and TA1535) was examined. The tests were carried out under the conditions of absence and presence of liver microsomal activation.15 nitro-group compounds had mutagenic activity; above all, compounds of fluoronitrobenzene were mutagenic for both types of strain. On the other hand, chloronitrobenzene compounds were mutagenic for base-pair substitution strains only. Mutagenic activity was exhibited by all compounds having a chloro or fluoro substituent at the para and ortho position in the nitrobenzene nucleus. All compounds without a nitro substituent showed no mutagenic activity.     

Genotoxicity of mercury compounds. A review

This article reviews literature data concerning the genotoxicity of 29 mercury-containing agents, including laboratory compounds as well as ingredients of preparations used as fungicides, dyes, disinfectants and drugs. A variety of genetic end-points were investigated in bacteria, yeasts, moulds, plants, insects, cultured cells from fishes, rodents or humans, aquatic organisms, amphibians, mammalia and exposed humans. The overall evaluation is quite complex. Mercury compounds failed to induce point mutations in bacteria but often exerted clastogenic effects in eukaryotes, especially by binding SH groups and acting as spindle inhibitors, thereby causing c-mitosis and consequently aneuploidy and/or polyploidy. Inorganic mercury compounds were also found to induce the generation of reactive oxygen species and glutathione depletion in cultured mammalian cells. Although different mercury compounds tended to produce qualitatively comparable genetic effects, which suggests the involvement of a common toxic entity, methylmercury derivatives and other ionizable organomercury compounds were more active in short-term tests than either non-ionizable mercury compounds (e.g., dimethylmercury) or inorganic mercury salts (e.g., mercuric chloride). The results of cytogenetic monitoring in peripheral blood lymphocytes of individuals exposed to elemental mercury or mercury compounds from accidental, occupational or alimentary sources were either negative or borderline or uncertain as to the actual role played by mercury in some positive findings. Both genotoxic and non-genotoxic mechanisms may contribute to the renal carcinogenicity of mercury, which so far has been convincingly demonstrated only in male rodents treated with methylmercury chloride.     

Asymmetrical generalisation between pheromonal and floral odours in appetitive olfactory conditioning of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.)

The capacity to generalise between similar but not identical olfactory stimuli is crucial for honey bees, allowing them to find rewarding food sources with varying volatile emissions. We studied bees' generalisation behaviour with odours having different biological values: typical floral odours or alarm compounds. Bees' behavioural and peripheral electrophysiological responses were investigated using a combined proboscis extension response conditioning-electroantennogram assay. Bees were conditioned to pure linalool (floral) or to pure isoamyl acetate (alarm) and were tested with different concentrations of both compounds. Electrophysiological responses were not influenced by conditioning, suggesting that the learning of individual compounds does not rely on modulations of peripheral sensitivity. Behaviourally, generalisation responses of bees conditioned to the alarm compound were much higher than those of bees conditioned to the floral odour. We further demonstrated such asymmetrical generalisation between alarm and floral odours by using differential conditioning procedures. Conditioning to alarm compounds (isoamyl acetate or 2-heptanone) consistently induced more generalisation than conditioning to floral compounds (linalool or phenylacetaldehyde). Interestingly, generalisation between the two alarm compounds, which are otherwise chemically different, was extremely high. These results are discussed in relation to the neural representation of compounds with different biological significance for bees.     

Anti-infective and herbicidal activity of N-substituted 2-aminobenzothiazoles

In this study, a series of N-substituted 2-aminobenzothiazoles was prepared according to a recently developed method. Twelve compounds were tested for their activity related to the inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport (PET) in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. Primary in vitro screening of the discussed compounds was also performed against fungal, bacterial and mycobacterial species. The biological activities of some compounds were comparable or higher than the standards phenoxymethylpenicillin or pyrazinamide. The most effective compounds demonstrated insignificant toxicity against the human monocytic leukemia THP-1 cell line. For all compounds, the structure-activity relationships are discussed.     

Conformation study of 2-arylbenzimidazoles as inhibitors of Chlamydia pneumoniae growth

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a worldwide cause of various respiratory track diseases ranging from asymptomatic pharyngeal infection to severe, sometimes fatal pneumonia. We have previously identified 2-arylbenzimidazoles as highly active antichlamydial compounds. In this work the importance of conformational effects on the structure-activity relationship of these compounds was studied. To simplify calculations, properly substituted N-phenylbenzamides, or the corresponding heterocyclic compounds, and 2-arylbenzimidazoles were used as model compounds. They were energy minimized and the energy differences between certain conformations were calculated. The main finding was that the compounds which can more easily adopt a non-planar conformation show higher bioactivity. This finding can be utilized in designing new derivatives or in constructing a pharmacophore model.     

Imidazole substituted biphenyls: a new class of highly potent and in vivo active inhibitors of P450 17 as potential therapeutics for treatment of prostate cancer.

3- And 4-imidazol-1-yl-methyl substituted biphenyl compounds (named as meta- and para-substituted compounds) were synthesized bearing additional substituents in 3'-/4'-position as inhibitors of P450 17 (17alpha-hydroxylase-C17,20-lyase). P450 17 is the key enzyme of androgen biosynthesis. Its inhibition is a novel therapeutic strategy for treatment of prostate cancer (PC). Twenty-nine compounds were synthesized by Ar-Mg-Br, Negishi or Suzuki aryl-aryl cross coupling and tested toward human and rat enzyme. Most of the compounds showed moderate to excellent activity against one of the enzymes (0.087 microM < or = IC50 < or = 7.7 microM (ketoconazole: 0.74 microM) for the human enzyme, 0.63 microM < or = IC50 < or = 32 microM (ketoconazole: 67 microM) for the rat enzyme). Interestingly, strong species differences were observed. In addition compounds were tested for inhibition toward P450 arom. The 3-imidazol-1-yl-methyl substituted compounds showed good inhibitory activity of P450 arom, while for the 4-substituted compounds negligible inhibition was found. For the most active group of P450 17 inhibitors, (i.e. the 4-imidazol-1-yl-methyl substituted compounds) a QSAR study was performed for inhibition of the human enzyme leading to the result that a hydrophilic substituent in 3'-/4'-position is very important. The most promising compounds (with respect to activity toward both enzymes) were tested in vivo using SD-rats for reduction of plasma testosterone concentrations 2 and 6 h after single i.p. application. The fluorine substituted compound 8c decreased the testosterone plasma concentration to castration level (after 2 h; 5 mg/kg) showing a biological half live of about 6 h.     

新古尼异虫草石油醚提取物的成分分析

【背景】新古尼异虫草具有多种药理作用,是一种具有开发潜力的新资源。但该虫草仍有很多活性物质值得探寻,目前对该虫草活性物质的研究多集中于大分子或极性物质,对小分子或弱极性物质的研究关注甚少。【目的】研究新古尼异虫草石油醚提取物中非极性/弱极性小分子化合物,以期完善该虫草中活性物质的化学指纹图谱库。【方法】利用石油醚对新古尼异虫草进行索氏提取,借助傅里叶变换红外光谱(Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,FTIR)和气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)联用技术鉴定分析石油醚萃取物中的物质组成。【结果】FTIR表明该虫草石油醚萃取物中含有C-H、C=O、C-O和C=C等官能团,经GC-MS进一步分析鉴定出109种化合物,主要包括烷烃、芳烃、烯烃、酸、酯、醇、胺等化合物,且首次检出甾类、芳烃类、烷烃类、酰胺类、烯烃类和酚类非极性/弱极性的小分子化合物,其中亚油酸及其同分异构体的相对含量最高(38.33%)。【结论】从新古尼异虫草中提取得到多种小分子活性成分,补充了该虫草中的物质组成,为其高附加值利用提供数据支撑。     

Actinidia arguta: volatile compounds in fruit and flowers

More than 240 compounds were detected when the volatile components of the flowers and the fruit from several Actinidia arguta genotypes were investigated. Around 60-70 different compounds were extracted from individual tissues of each genotype. Two different methods of volatile sampling (headspace and solvent) favoured different classes of compounds, dependent upon their volatilities and solubilities in the flower or fruit matrices. The compounds extracted from flowers largely comprised linalool derivatives including the lilac aldehydes (12a-d) and alcohols (13a-d), 2,6-dimethyl-6-hydroxyocta-2,7-dienal (8), 8-hydroxylinalool (9), sesquiterpenes, and benzene compounds that are presumed metabolites of phenylalanine and tyrosine. Extracts of fruit samples contained some monoterpenes, but were dominated by esters such as ethyl butanoate, hexanoate, 2-methylbutanoate and 2-methylpropanoate, and by the aldehydes hexanal and hex-E2-enal. A number of unidentified compounds were also detected, including 8 from flowers that are so closely related that they are either isomers of one compound or two or more closely related compounds. This is the first report of the presence of a range of linalool derivatives in Actinidia.     

Schiff bases formed from retinal and phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, ethanolamine or serine

1. Conditions were established for the reaction of retinal with phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, ethanolamine and serine in chloroform, ethanol or ethanol–water solutions to form retinylidene compounds, or Schiff bases. 2. The Schiff bases were reduced to retinyl compounds with sodium borohydride. 3. Absorption maxima and molar extinction coefficients were determined for the various retinylidene and retinyl compounds and for the corresponding coloured products formed by their reaction with antimony trichloride.     

The hemolytic and physiological activities of mixtures of some phenoxy and organophosphorous herbicides

Experiments were performed investigating the potential to improve the biological activity of some phenoxy and organophosphorous compounds by using them in binary mixtures. The compounds were: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (1) and its sodium salt (2), dibutyl 1-butylamino-1-cyclohexanephosphonate (3) and diethyl 9-butylamino-9-fluorenephosphonate (4), all widely used as herbicides. There were two test methods: the inhibition of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) growth induced by one single herbicide or by equimolar binary mixtures of herbicides; and, in parallel, the hemolytic efficiency of separate compounds or their mixtures. The hemolytic properties of the compounds were studied as hemolysis is generally a good measure of their toxicity, especially in the case of lipophilic compounds. Pig erythrocytes were used as good models for the determination of toxicity and the kinetics of red blood cell hemolysis. In the plant-based experiments, binary mixtures were found to display additive type toxicity. The compounds' hemolytic activities were of additive or antagonistic types. In some combinations, the addition of a second component did not change the hemolytic efficiency of the first component, and vice versa.     

Susceptibility and resistance of ruminal bacteria to antimicrobial feed additives

Susceptibility and resistance of ruminal bacterial species to avoparcin, narasin, salinomycin, thiopeptin, tylosin, virginiamycin, and two new ionophore antibiotics, RO22-6924/004 and RO21-6447/009, were determined. Generally, antimicrobial compounds were inhibitory to gram-positive bacteria and those bacteria that have gram-positive-like cell wall structure. MICs ranged from 0.09 to 24.0 micrograms/ml. Gram-negative bacteria were resistant at the highest concentration tested (48.0 micrograms/ml). On the basis of their fermentation products, ruminal bacteria that produce lactic acid, butyric acid, formic acid, or hydrogen were susceptible and bacteria that produce succinic acid or ferment lactic acid were resistant to the antimicrobial compounds. Selenomonas ruminantium was the only major lactic acid-producing bacteria resistant to all the antimicrobial compounds tested. Avoparcin and tylosin appeared to be less inhibitory (MIC greater than 6.0 micrograms/ml) than the other compounds to the two major lactic acid-producing bacteria, Streptococcus bovis and Lactobacillus sp. Ionophore compounds seemed to be more inhibitory (MIC, 0.09 to 1.50 micrograms/ml) than nonionophore compounds (MIC, 0.75 to 12.0 micrograms/ml) to the major butyric acid-producing bacteria. Treponema bryantii, an anaerobic rumen spirochete, was less sensitive to virginiamycin than to the other antimicrobial compounds. Ionophore compounds were generally bacteriostatic, and nonionophore compounds were bactericidal. The specific growth rate of Bacteroides ruminicola was reduced by all the antimicrobial compounds except avoparcin. The antibacterial spectra of the feed additives were remarkably similar, and it appears that MICs may not be good indicators of the potency of the compounds in altering ruminal fermentation characteristics.     

A Developmental Toxicology Assay Platform for Screening Teratogenic Liability of Pharmaceutical Compounds

Increasing need for proactive safety optimization of pharmaceutical compounds has led to generation and/or refinement of in vitro developmental toxicology assays. Our laboratory has developed three in vitro developmental toxicology assays to assess teratogenic liability of pharmaceutical compounds. These assays included a mouse molecular embryonic stem cell assay (MESCA), a dechorionated zebrafish embryo culture (ZEC) assay, and a streamlined rat whole embryo culture (rWEC) assay. Individually, the assays presented good (73–82%) predictivity. However, it remains to be determined whether combining or tiering the assays could enhance performance. Seventy‐three compounds representing a broad spectrum of pharmaceutical targets and chemistry were evaluated across the assays to generate testing strategies that optimized performance. The MESCA and ZEC assays were found to have two limitations: compound solubility and frequent misclassification of compounds with H1 receptor or GABAnergic activity. The streamlined rWEC assay was found to be a cost‐effective stand‐alone assay for supporting poorly soluble compounds and/or ones with H1 or GABAnergic activity. For all other compounds, a tiering strategy using the MESCA and ZEC assays additionally optimized throughput, cost, and minimized animal use. The tiered strategy resulted in improved performance achieving 88% overall predictivity and was comparable with 89% overall predictivity achieved with frequency analysis (final teratogenic classification made from most frequent teratogenic classification from each individual assay). Furthermore there were 21 compounds in the test set characterized as definitive or suspect human teratogens and the multiassay approach achieved 95 and 91% correct classification using the tiered or frequency screening approach, respectively     

Susceptibility and resistance of ruminal bacteria to antimicrobial feed additives.

Susceptibility and resistance of ruminal bacterial species to avoparcin, narasin, salinomycin, thiopeptin, tylosin, virginiamycin, and two new ionophore antibiotics, RO22-6924/004 and RO21-6447/009, were determined. Generally, antimicrobial compounds were inhibitory to gram-positive bacteria and those bacteria that have gram-positive-like cell wall structure. MICs ranged from 0.09 to 24.0 micrograms/ml. Gram-negative bacteria were resistant at the highest concentration tested (48.0 micrograms/ml). On the basis of their fermentation products, ruminal bacteria that produce lactic acid, butyric acid, formic acid, or hydrogen were susceptible and bacteria that produce succinic acid or ferment lactic acid were resistant to the antimicrobial compounds. Selenomonas ruminantium was the only major lactic acid-producing bacteria resistant to all the antimicrobial compounds tested. Avoparcin and tylosin appeared to be less inhibitory (MIC greater than 6.0 micrograms/ml) than the other compounds to the two major lactic acid-producing bacteria, Streptococcus bovis and Lactobacillus sp. Ionophore compounds seemed to be more inhibitory (MIC, 0.09 to 1.50 micrograms/ml) than nonionophore compounds (MIC, 0.75 to 12.0 micrograms/ml) to the major butyric acid-producing bacteria. Treponema bryantii, an anaerobic rumen spirochete, was less sensitive to virginiamycin than to the other antimicrobial compounds. Ionophore compounds were generally bacteriostatic, and nonionophore compounds were bactericidal. The specific growth rate of Bacteroides ruminicola was reduced by all the antimicrobial compounds except avoparcin. The antibacterial spectra of the feed additives were remarkably similar, and it appears that MICs may not be good indicators of the potency of the compounds in altering ruminal fermentation characteristics.     

Compounds of the Stigmatic Surface of Zea mays L

Stigmatic exudates were removed from maize silks during 6-secand 10-min extraction periods by methanol-HCI, acetone, andethyl ether. Crude extracts were fractionated by differentialsolubility and chromatography. Methanol-HCI extracted anthocyaninsand phenolic compounds (chiefly glycosides and esters of hydroxy-cinnamicacids). Acetone extracted phenolic compounds. Ether extractedesters of fatty acids and lipophilic phenolic compounds. Thelipid compounds probably regulate availability of water to thepollen, and prevent desiccation of the stigma. The phenoliccompounds could serve as sources of nutrients to germinatingpollen, or could stimulate or inhibit pollen germination.     

Prophage induction and mutagenicity of a series of anti-tumour platinum(II) and platinum(IV) co-ordination complexes

11 platinum compounds with nitrogen donor ligands, previously tested for anti-tumour activity, were studied for induction of prophage lambda and for mutagenicity in the Ames assay, with various strains of Salmonella. The compounds included cis and trans isomers of Pt(II) and Pt(IV) complexes and were tested with and without metabolic activation. All the cis compounds elicited prophage induction, whereas the trans compounds were inactive. Mutagenicity was found only in strains containing the R factor, indicating that SOS-type repair processes are required for the conversion of initial DNA lesions into mutations. Mutation induction was also influenced by the excision-repair process. The 2 trans compounds were not, or only slightly, mutagenic; all other compounds were mutagenic in at least one strain, exhibiting a 2-20-fold increase over the spontaneous background level. Addition of liver homogenate had no significant effect on the number of mutants. One compound induced exclusively frameshift mutations. The other mutagenic compounds induced frameshift mutations as well as base-pair substitutions. 7 compounds were more mutagenic for the repair-proficient than for the repair-deficient strains; only one showed the opposite effect. This suggests that for mutagenicity testing of platinum compounds, repair-proficient strains are more sensitive indicators. The differences in response of the various strains are more sensitive indicators. The differences in response of the various strains toward the compounds suggest the formation of different DNA lesions and/or a selective action of repair processes on these lesions. In general, a good qualitative correlation was observed between prophage-inducing capacity, mutagenicity in bacterial and mammalian cells and anti-tumour activity.     

Discovery of bitriazolyl compounds as novel antiviral candidates for combating the tobacco mosaic virus

Bitriazolyl compounds were synthesized and their activity against tobacco mosaic virus was assessed. Two of them showed promising antiviral activity and were more potent than the reference compounds. Moreover, these compounds are predicted not to be carcinogenic or mutagenic based on the prediction systems. Therefore, the bitriazolyl compounds may provide interesting new leads or scaffolds for use in further attempts to screen novel antiviral candidates.     

NOVEL FLAVONOIDS AND RETICULATE EVOLUTION IN THE PHLOX PILOSA–P. DRUMMONDII COMPLEX

The nonanthocyanin flavonoids of the diploids Phlox pilosa ssp. pilosa and P. drummondii ssp. mcallisteri and their putative allotetraploid derivatives P. aspera and P. villosissima were characterized by chromatographic and spectrophotometric analyses. Synthetic F₁ diploid hybrids were also examined. All but one of the compounds encountered were glycoflavone (C-glycosyl) derivatives of either apigenin or luteolin. Although some compounds were present in all four taxa, most were species-specific. Together, the diploids exhibited 15 different flavonoids. Half of each tetraploid ensemble was composed of novel flavonoids, compounds not manifest in either diploid ancestor. In total, the tetraploids produced seven different novel flavonoids. Five novel compounds differed from particular diploid compounds only in number or kind of oxygen-linked sugar substituents. Ostensibly, these five are either identical to diploid biosynthetic intermediates or share common precursors with related diploid end products. The mode of origin of all novel compounds is discussed.     

Diversity of bacterial capabilities in utilizing alkylated benzenes and other aromatic compounds

E. LANG. 1996. Seventeen aerobic bacterial strains known to degrade one or more aromatic compounds were tested for their ability to utilize benzene, seven different methylated benzenes or other aromatic compounds as their sole source of carbon. The results are discussed with respect to the possibility of finding strains which degrade one or more of these compounds by the applied method of screening, and to their taxonomic status.     

Genetic toxicology testing of 41 industrial chemicals

41 compounds or mixtures of diverse structure and application have been tested for genotoxic activity. The materials were tested in bacterial mutation assays, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae JD1 for mitotic gene conversion and in a cultured rat-liver cell line for structural chromosome damage. 11 compounds were bacterial mutagens, 4 induced mitotic gene conversion in yeast and 5 were positive in the chromosome assay. 5 of the materials were positive in bacteria only and 2 compounds induced chromosome damage in cultured cells in the absence of mutation in bacteria or gene conversion in yeast. The materials were tested over a 5-year period and the performance and evolution of the 3 assays during this time is evaluated. The results are considered in relation to the structure of the chemicals and the genotoxicity of related compounds.