Synthesis and characterization of novel acyl hydrazones derived from vanillin as potential aldose reductase inhibitors

Abstract

In the polyol pathway, aldose reductase (AR) catalyzes the formation of sorbitol from glucose. In order to detoxify some dangerous aldehydes, AR is essential. However, due to the efects of the active polyol pathway, AR overexpression in the hyperglycemic state leads to microvascular and macrovascular diabetic problems. As a result, AR inhibition has been recognized as a potential treatment for issues linked to diabetes and has been studied by numerous researchers worldwide. In the present study, a series of acyl hydrazones were obtained from the reaction of vanillin derivatized with acyl groups and phenolic Mannich bases with hydrazides containing pharmacological groups such as morpholine, piperazine, and tetrahydroisoquinoline. The resulting 21 novel acyl hydrazone compounds were investigated as an inhibitor of the AR enzyme. All the novel acyl hydrazones derived from vanillin demonstrated activity in nanomolar levels as AR inhibitors with IC50 and KI values in the range of 94.21±2.33 to 430.00±2.33 nM and 49.22±3.64 to 897.20±43.63 nM, respectively. Compounds 11c and 10b against AR enzyme activity were identifed as highly potent inhibitors and showed 17.38 and 10.78-fold more efectiveness than standard drug epalrestat. The synthesized molecules’ absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) efects were also assessed. The probable-binding mechanisms of these inhibitors against AR were investigated using molecular-docking simulations.