Synthesis and Evaluation of 2-benzylidene-1-tetralone Derivatives for Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitory Activity

Title:Synthesis and Evaluation of 2-benzylidene-1-tetralone Derivatives for Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitory Activity

Volume: 18 Issue: 2

Author(s): Klaudia T. Amakali, Lesetja J. Legoabe*, Anel Petzer and Jacobus P. Petzer

Affiliation:

• Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520,south africa

Keywords: 2-benzylidene-1-tetralone, chalcone, monoamine oxidase, tetralone, inhibitor, parkinson's disease.

Abstract: Background: Chalcone has been identified as a promising lead for the design of Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. This study attempted to discover potent and selective chalcone-derived MAO inhibitors by synthesising a series consisting of various cyclic chalcone derivatives. The cyclic chalcones were selected based on the possibility that their restricted structures would confer a higher degree of MAO isoform selectivity, and included the following chemical classes: 1-indanone, 1- tetralone, 1-benzosuberone, chromone, thiochromone, 4-chromanone and 4-thiochromanone.

Methods: The cyclic chalcone derivatives were synthesised via a one-pot Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction. The MAO inhibitory properties of the chalcone derivatives were evaluated with the recombinant human MAO-A and MAO-B enzymes and the potencies were expressed as the IC50 values. A selected inhibitor was docked into an active site model of MAO-B.

Results: The results showed that the cyclic chalcones are in general good potency, and in most instances specific inhibitors of the MAO-B isoform. Among these compounds, the 4-chromanone derivative was the most potent MAO-B inhibitor with an IC50 value of 0.156 µM. To further investigate the MAO inhibition of cyclic chalcones, a series of twenty-three 2-benzylidene-1-tetralone derivatives were synthesised and evaluated as MAO inhibitors. Most 2-benzylidene-1-tetralones possess good inhibitory activity and specificity for MAO-B with the most potent inhibitor displaying an IC50 value of 0.0064 µM, while the most potent MAO-A inhibitor possessed an IC50 value of 0.754 µM.

Conclusion: This study thus shows that certain cyclic chalcones are human MAO-B inhibitors, compounds that could be suitable for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

Cite this article as:

Amakali T. Klaudia , Legoabe J. Lesetja *, Petzer Anel and Petzer P. Jacobus , Synthesis and Evaluation of 2-benzylidene-1-tetralone Derivatives for Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitory Activity, Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2018; 18 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871524918666180501121638