Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Commons^™

Novel Determinants That Influence Azole Susceptibility In Candida Glabrata And Candida Albicans, Sarah Garland Whaley

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Despite the scientific and medical communities’ best efforts, the incidence of fungal infections in susceptible populations continues to rise. The most common cause of these opportunistic fungal infections is Candida. In fact, Candida is the fourth most common pathogen associated with nosocomial blood stream infections. Reported mortality rates for patients with candidemia vary, but have not decreased in the past fifteen years and are reported to be as high as 50%. Candida glabrata, second only to Candida albicans among Candida infections, expresses high rates of resistance to treatment with arguably the best class of currently available antifungals - …

Characterization Of The Hepatotoxicity Of Rifampicin And Isoniazid, Christopher T. Brewer

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

In a mouse model, rifampicin and isoniazid combination treatment results in cholestatic liver injury that is associated with an increase of protoporphyrin ix (PPIX), the penultimate heme precursor. Excess PPIX is believed to bind to bile acids, precipitate in bile canaliculi, and form bile plugs leading to cholestasis fol owed by liver injury. Both ferrochelatase (FECH/Fech) and aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1/Alas1) are crucial enzymes in regulating heme biosynthesis. Isoniazid has recently been reported to up-regulate Alas1 but down-regulate Fech protein levels in mice; however the mechanism of isoniazid mediated heme synthesis …

Linear Ubiquitin Chain-Binding Domains, Lilian Fennell, Simin Rahighi, Fumiyo Ikeda

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Ubiquitin modification (ubiquitination) of target proteins can vary with respect to chain lengths, linkage type, and chain forms, such as homologous, mixed, and branched ubiquitin chains. Thus, ubiquitination can generate multiple unique surfaces on a target protein substrate. Ubiquitin‐binding domains (UBDs) recognize ubiquitinated substrates, by specifically binding to these unique surfaces, modulate the formation of cellular signaling complexes and regulate downstream signaling cascades. Among the eight different homotypic chain types, Met1‐linked (also termed linear) chains are the only chains in which linkage occurs on a non‐Lys residue of ubiquitin. Linear ubiquitin chains have been implicated in immune responses, cell death …

A Study Of Albendazole And Artemisinin Drugs Under Electrochemical Oxidation, Zahilis A. Mazzochette

Theses and Dissertations

This work is aimed to investigate the metabolic behavior of albendazole and artemisinin. The electrochemical oxidation and reduction of these drugs were performed on electrode materials to mimic their metabolism in vivo using cyclic voltammetry and bulk electrolysis analysis. The oxidation of albendazole on gold electrode surface yielded albendazole sulfoxide and albendazole sulfone which are the main metabolites of this drug in vivo. Reduction of artemisinin on glassy carbon (GC) electrode surface yielded dihydroartemisinin and deoxy artemisinin. The formation of these products was monitored using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. The redox processes for both drugs were shown to …

Refrigerated Stability Of Diluted Cisatracurium, Rocuronium, And Vecuronium For Skin Testing After Perioperative Anaphylaxis, Kristen Dinsmore, Bethany Campbell, Timothy Archibald, Greg Mosier, Stacy Brown Phd, Alexei Gonzalez-Estrada Md

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Rationale: The purpose of this study is to investigate the stored stability of dilutions of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs), namely cisatracurium, rocuronium, and vecuronium, for skin prick/intradermal testing.

Methods: Concentrations of NMBAs were monitored by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for a period of 14 days. Dilutions of NMBAs were prepared in saline by factors of 10x, 100x, 1,000x, 10,000x, and 100,000x as sensitivity of the assay allowed. Diluted drug products were stored in a laboratory refrigerator until sampling. On sampling days, aliquots of each dilution were removed and compared to a freshly prepared set of reference dilutions.

Results: The results …

Do Paraben Derivatives Alter T Cell Immunity?, Hailey Kintz

Spring Presentation of Undergraduate Research

T cells immunity is linked to a complex system of cytokines that determine differentiation of naïve T cells into Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cells. Estrogen production or periods of elevated production have been correlated with an anti-inflammatory state in which Th2 and Treg cells are up-regulated. Such responses in the immune system are capable of supporting pre-cancerous activity. We are investigating the tie between the xenoestrogen compounds found in cosmetics, parabens, and their ability to regulate T cell immunity. Testing parabens and paraben derivatives with weaker estrogen receptor association will allow for a better understanding of the interplay between …

Analyzing The Differentiation Among State Medical Marijuana Policies By Examining State Policies & Trends, Richard Furlong

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Support for marijuana has been growing nationwide. This increased support has gained a lot of momentum since the late 1990s when California became the first state to legalize marijuana for medical use by enacting Proposition 215, or the Compassionate Use Act. Since the enactment of Proposition 215, 28 more states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medicinal use. I look into why states have begun to adopt these laws, and what makes these states differ throughout the country in the timeliness of their actions. I assembled data to examine a variety of state policies to attempt to …

Novel Aminobenzoboroxoles As Potential Anti-Cancer Agents, Bhawankumar Pravinchandra Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Boronic acids are a promising class of compounds due to their wide range of applications in medicinal and materials chemistry, and as coupling agents in organic synthesis. B-hydroxy-1,2-oxaborolanes (benzoboroxoles) are categorized as cyclic boronic acid derivatives and they are very important organic molecules because of their metabolic stability and their ability to undergo important C-C bond forming reactions such as Suzuki cross coupling. Several of these cyclic boronic acids are found to have promising pharmacological properties as antifungal, antimalarial and anti-inflammatory agents. However, based on the literature reports, synthesis of highly functionalized benzoboroxoles is typically cumbersome and not very conducive …

Topical Digitoxigenin For Wound Healing: A Feasibility Study, Xinchi Feng, Cuifen Wang, Yunhui Xu, Joel Turley, Zijian Xie, Sandrine Pierre, Jinsong Hao

Pharmaceutical Science and Research

(1) Background: Cardiotonic steroids have been found to stimulate collagen synthesis and might be potential wound healing therapeutics. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of digitoxigenin and its topical formulation for wound healing; (2) Methods: In the in vitro study, the human dermal fibroblast cells were treated with digitoxigenin and collagen synthesis was assessed. In the in vivo study, digitoxigenin was applied to excisional full-thickness wounds in rats immediately after wounding and remained for three days, and wound open was evaluated over 10 days. A digitoxigenin formulation for topical administration was prepared, and the in vitro …

Synthesis, Characterization, And In Vitro Cytotoxicity Of Fatty Acyl-Cgkrk-Chitosan Oligosaccharides Conjugates For Sirna Delivery, Naglaa Salem El-Sayed, Meenakshi Sharma, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Magda Goda El-Meligy, Ahmed Kamed El-Zaity, Zenat Adeeb Nageib, Rakesh Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

In this studies, three fatty acyl derivatives of CGKRK homing peptides were coupled successfully to chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) using sulfosuccinimidyl-4-(N-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylate sodium salt (sulfo-SMCC). The COS-SMCC was prepared by direct coupling between COS and sulfo-SMCC in PBS (pH 7.5) at RT for 48 h. The structure of COS-SMCC and the three fatty acyl-CGKRK-SMCC-COS conjugates were characterized by FT-IR, ¹³C NMR, and SEM. The ability of three conjugates to condense siRNA into nanosized polyplexes and their efficacy in protecting siRNA from serum nucleases degradation were investigated. Among the investigated derivatives, S-CGKRK-COS showed higher siRNA binding affinity as compared to …

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Metformin+Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors Compared To Metformin+Sulfonylureas For Treatment Of Type 2 Diabetes, Christina S. Kwon, Enrique Seoane-Vazquez, Rosa Rodriguez-Monguio

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) typically use several drug treatments during their lifetime. There is a debate about the best second-line therapy after metformin monotherapy failure due to the increasing number of available antidiabetic drugs and the lack of comparative clinical trials of secondary treatment regimens. While prior research compared the cost-effectiveness of two alternative drugs, the literature assessing T2D treatment pathways is scarce. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term cost-effectiveness of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) compared to sulfonylureas (SU) as second-line therapy in combination with metformin in patients with T2D.

Methods: …

Amine Containing Analogs Of Sulindac For Cancer Prevention, Bini Mathew, Judith V. Hobrath, Michele C. Connelly, R. Kiplin Guy, Robert C. Reynolds

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background:

Sulindac belongs to the chemically diverse family of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) that effectively prevent adenomatous colorectal polyps and colon cancer, especially in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. Sulindac sulfide amide (SSA), an amide analog of sulindac sulfide, shows insignificant COX-related activity and toxicity while enhancing anticancer activity in vitro and demonstrating in vivo xenograft activity.

Objective:

Develop structure-activity relationships in the sulindac amine series and identify analogs with promising anticancer activities.

Method:

A series of sulindac amine analogs were designed and synthesized and then further modified in a “libraries from libraries” approach to produce amide, sulfonamide and N,N-disubstituted …

Clearance Concepts: Fundamentals And Application To Pharmacokinetic Behavior Of Drugs, Reza Mehvar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Clearance concepts were introduced into the pharmacokinetics discipline in the 1970s and since then have played a major role in characterization of the pharmacokinetic behavior of drugs. These concepts are based on the relationship between organ extraction ratio or clearance and physiologic parameters such as the organ blood flow and the intrinsic capability of the eliminating organ to remove the free (unbound) drug from the body. Several theoretical models have been developed, which define these relationships and may be used to predict the effects of changes in the physiological parameters on various pharmacokinetic parameters of drugs, such as drug clearance. …

Design And Evaluation Of Gemini Surfactant-Based Lipoplexes Modified With Cell-Binding Peptide For Targeted Gene Therapy, Waleed Mohammed-Saeid, Rania Soudy, Richa Tikoo, Kamaljit Kaur, Ronald E. Verrall, Ildiko Badea

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose Achieving successful gene therapy requires delivery of a gene vector specifically to the targeted tissue with efficient expression and a good safety profile. The objective of this work was to develop, characterize and determine if a novel gemini surfactant-based lipoplex systems, modified with a cancer-targeting peptide p18-4, could serve this role. Methods The targeting peptide p18-4 was either chemically coupled to a gemini surfactant backbone or physically co-formulated with the lipoplexes. The influence of targeting ligand and formulation strategies on essential physicochemical properties of the lipoplexes was evaluated by dynamic light scattering and small angle X-ray scattering techniques. In …

Galantamine's Deconstruction In The Quest Of A Pam Pharmacophore, Malaika Argade

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder generally affecting people above the age of 65 years. Even though the pathophysiological hallmarks of AD were established more than a hundred years ago, there is yet to be a drug that can stop its characteristic neuronal damage. Of the five currently FDA-approved drugs, galantamine has a unique mechanism of action. Apart from being an AChE inhibitor, galantamine can effectively potentiate (positive allosteric modulator) the effect of agonists at nAChRs at concentrations lower than those required for its action as an AChE inhibitor. Perhaps the clinical benefits observed with galantamine are associated mainly …

Propafenone (Rythmol), Maria Figueiredo

Natural Sciences Student Research Presentations

For this poster presented at the Natural Science Poster Session at Parkland College, the student chose the drug Propafenone, also known as Rythmol, whose labeled uses are to treat ventricular arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, and paroxysmal supraventricular tachicardia. Chemical information, identification, and effects on the body are also included on the poster.

The Development Of Novel Non-Peptide Proteasome Inhibitors For The Treatment Of Solid Tumors, Zachary C. Miller

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

The proteasome is a large protein complex which is responsible for the majority of protein degradation in eukaryotes. Following FDA approval of the first proteasome inhibitor bortezomib for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) in 2003, there has been an increasing awareness of the significant therapeutic potential of proteasome inhibitors in the treatment of cancer. As of 2017, three proteasome inhibitors are approved for the treatment of MM but in clinical trials with patients bearing solid tumors these existing proteasome inhibitors have demonstrated poor results. Notably, all three FDA-approved proteasome inhibitors rely on the combination a peptide backbone and reactive …

Discovery Of New Antimicrobial Options And Evaluation Of Aminoglycoside Resistance Enzyme-Associated Resistance Epidemic, Selina Y. L. Holbrook

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

The extensive and sometimes incorrect and noncompliant use of various types of antimicrobial agents has accelerated the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In fact, AMR has become one of the greatest global threat to human health in this era. The broad-spectrum antibiotics aminoglycosides (AGs) display excellent potency against most Gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, and some Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus. The AG antibiotics amikacin, gentamicin, kanamycin, and tobramycin are still commonly prescribed in the U.S.A. for the treatment of serious infections. Unfortunately, bacteria evolve to acquire resistance to AGs via four different mechanisms: i) changing in membrane permeability to …

Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Novel Drug Candidates To Address Drug Resistance In Tuberculosis And Fungal Diseases, Huy Ngo

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Tuberculosis (TB) and fungal infections are two of the most lethal infectious diseases worldwide due to the emergence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and fungal strains that can resist the most potent antimicrobial drugs currently employed. Due to the rise of these drug resistant strains, effective treatment options for these two infections are limited. This dissertation aims at exploring novel drug scaffolds to help combat drug resistance in TB and fungal infections.

TB caused by the pathogenic Mtb is, alongside with human immunodeficiency virus acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the deadliest infectious disease worldwide with approximately 2-3 billion people …

Development Of Small Molecule Neuroprotectants, Ashley Boice

Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases are a class of conditions that lead to progressive atrophy of different parts of the central nervous system (CNS). These diseases lead to devastating clinical outcomes to patients and give rise to an enormous socio-economical burden on society.¹ One commonality among some of the most well-known neurodegenerative disorders, e.g. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS), is neuroinflammation.^2-4 Neuroinflammation stems from interactions of the innate immune system with toxins and insults to the central nervous system. In the case of irremovable or chronic insults and toxins, this leads to chronic damaging …