Design, Synthesis of N-phenethyl Cinnamide Derivatives and Their Biological Activities for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: Antioxidant, Beta-amyloid Disaggregating and Rescue Effects on Memory Loss

• Main Authors: Tian Chai, Xiao-Bo Zhao, Wei-Feng Wang, Yin Qiang, Xiao-Yun Zhang, Jun-Li Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-10-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: Alzheimer’s disease; gx-50; DPPH assay; ThT assay; transgenic Drosophila model assay
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/10/2663
• ISSN: 1420-3049

Gx-50 is a bioactive compound for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) found in Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum). In order to find a stronger anti-AD lead compound, 20 gx-50 (1–20) analogs have been designed and synthesized, and their molecular structures were determined based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, as well as comparison with literature data. Compounds 1–20 were evaluated for their anti-AD potential by using DPPH radical scavenging assay for considering their anti-oxidant activity, thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assay for considering the inhibitory or disaggregate potency of Aβ, and transgenic Drosophila model assay for evaluating their rescue effect on memory loss. Finally, compound 13 was determined as a promising anti-AD candidate.