Browsing by Author "Borges, Fernanda"
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- An Electrochemical Outlook on Tamoxifen Biotransformation: Current and Future ProspectsPublication . Garrido, Jorge; Garrido, E. Manuela; Oliveira-Brett, Ana Maria; Borges, FernandaTamoxifen is a nonsteroidal antiestrogen that is currently and widely used in the treatment of breast cancer in all of its stages, in adjuvant therapy as a long-term suppressant of tumor recurrence and also as a chemopreventive agent in women that are in high risk of developing this type of estrogen-dependent cancer. From a toxicological and (bio)analytical point of view the knowledge of the metabolic pathways of a drug is found to be extremely important. So, in the present work the most important tamoxifen biotransformation steps were reviewed in the light of recent pharmacological data. This overview also includes the current controversy concerning tamoxifen DNA-damaging (genotoxic) versus non-genotoxic mechanisms. A special focus will be given to the putative application of electrochemical methods as a modern and reliable analytical tool for determination of tamoxifen and its metabolites. Moreover, the potential of DNA electrochemical sensors for detection of structural damage to DNA as a basis for toxicity screening is highlighted. Future prospects looking for the importance of developing new analytical methodologies are also discussed.
- Antioxidant properties of hydroxycinnamic acids: a review of structure- activity relationshipsPublication . Razzaghi-Asl, N.; Garrido, Jorge; Khazraei, H.; Borges, Fernanda; Firuzi, O.Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) are important phytochemicals possessing significant biological properties. Several investigators have studied in vitro antioxidant activity of HCAs in detail. In this review, we have gathered the studies focused on the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of these compounds that have used medicinal chemistry to generate more potent antioxidant molecules. Most of the reports indicated that the presence of an unsaturated bond on the side chain of HCAs is vital to their activity. The structural features that were reported to be of importance to the antioxidant activity were categorized as follows: modifications of the aromatic ring, which include alterations in the number and position of hydroxy groups and insertion of electron donating or withdrawing moieties as well as modifications of the carboxylic function that include esterification and amidation process. Furthermore, reports that have addressed the influence of physicochemical properties including redox potential, lipid solubility and dissociation constant on the antioxidant activity were also summarized. Finally, the pro-oxidant effect of HCAs in some test systems was addressed. Most of the investigations concluded that the presence of ortho-dihydroxy phenyl group (catechol moiety) is of significant importance to the antioxidant activity, while, the presence of three hydroxy groups does not necessarily improve the activity. Optimization of the structure of molecular leads is an important task of modern medicinal chemistry and its accomplishment relies on the careful assessment of SARs. SAR studies on HCAs can identify the most successful antioxidants that could be useful for management of oxidative stress-related diseases.
- Boosting caffeic acid performance as antioxidant and monoamine oxidase B/catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitorPublication . Chavarria, Daniel; Benfeito, Sofia; Soares, Pedro; Lima, Carla; Garrido, Jorge; Serrão, Paula; Soares-da-Silva, Patrício; Remião, Fernando; Oliveira, Paulo J.; Borges, FernandaIncreased oxidative stress (OS) and depletion of nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) are closely linked to the neurodegeneration observed in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Caffeic acid (CA)-based antioxidants were developed, and their inhibitory activities towards monoamine oxidases (MAOs) and catechol O-methyltransferases (COMT) were screened. The results showed that the incorporation of an extra double bond maintained or even boosted the antioxidant properties of CA. α-CN derivatives displayed redox potentials (Ep) similar to CA (1) and inhibited hMAO-B with low μM IC50 values. Moreover, catechol amides acted as MB-COMT inhibitors, showing IC50 values within the low μM range. In general, CA derivatives presented safe cytotoxicity profiles at concentrations up to 10 μM. The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by CA derivatives may be underlying the cytotoxic effects observed at higher concentrations. Catechol amides 3–6, 8–11 at 10 μM protected cells against oxidative damage. Compounds 3 and 8 were predicted to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by passive diffusion. In summary, we report for the first time BBB-permeant CA-based multitarget lead compounds that may restore DAergic neurotransmission (dual hMAO-B/MB-COMT inhibition) and prevent oxidative damage. The data represents a groundbreaking advancement towards the discovery of the next generation of new drugs for PD.
- Chromone: A valid scaffold in medicinal chemistryPublication . Gaspar, Alexandra; Matos, Maria João; Garrido, Jorge; Uriarte, Eugénio; Borges, FernandaChromones are a group of naturally occurring compounds that are ubiquitous in nature, especially in plants. The word chromone is derived from the Greek word chroma, meaning “color”, which point out that many chromone derivatives can exhibit a diversity of colors.
- Development of Blood−Brain Barrier Permeable Nitrocatechol-Based Catechol O‑Methyltransferase Inhibitors with Reduced Potential for HepatotoxicityPublication . Silva, Tiago; Mohamed, Tarek; Shakeri, Arash; Rao, Praveen P. N.; Martínez-González, Loreto; Pérez, Daniel I.; Martínez, Ana; Valente, Maria João; Garrido, Jorge; Uriarte, Eugenio; Serrão, Paula; Soares-da-Silva, Patrício; Remião, Fernando; Borges, FernandaRecent efforts have been focused on the development of centrally active COMT inhibitors, which can be valuable assets for neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, due to the severe hepatotoxicity risk associated with tolcapone. New nitrocatechol COMT inhibitors based on naturally occurring caffeic acid and caffeic acid phenethyl ester were developed. All nitrocatechol derivatives displayed potent inhibition of peripheral and cerebral COMT within the nanomolar range. Druglike derivatives 13, 15, and 16 were predicted to cross the blood−brain barrier in vitro and were significantly less toxic than tolcapone and entacapone when incubated at 50 μM with rat primary hepatocytes. Moreover, their unique acidity and electrochemical properties decreased the chances of formation of reactive quinone-imines and, as such, the potential for hepatotoxicity. The binding mode of 16 confirmed that the major interactions with COMT were established via the nitrocatechol ring, allowing derivatization of the side chain for future lead optimization efforts.
- Effects of Chlorophenoxy Herbicides and Their Main Transformation Products on DNA Damage and Acetylcholinesterase ActivityPublication . Benfeito, Sofia; Silva, Tiago; Garrido, Jorge; Andrade, Paula B.; Sottomayor, M. J.; Borges, Fernanda; Garrido, E. ManuelaPersistent pesticide transformation products (TPs) are increasingly being detected among different environmental compartments, including groundwater and surface water. However, there is no sufficient experimental data on their toxicological potential to assess the risk associated with TPs, even if their occurrence is known. In this study, the interaction of chlorophenoxy herbicides (MCPA, mecoprop, 2,4-D and dichlorprop) and their main transformation products with calf thymus DNA by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy has been assessed. Additionally, the toxicity of the chlorophenoxy herbicides and TPs was also assessed evaluating the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity. On the basis of the results found, it seems that AChE is not the main target of chlorophenoxy herbicides and their TPs. However, the results found showed that the transformation products displayed a higher inhibitory activity when compared with the parent herbicides. The results obtained in the DNA interaction studies showed, in general, a slight effect on the stability of the double helix. However, the data found for 4-chloro-2-methyl-6-nitrophenol suggest that this transformation product can interact with DNA through a noncovalent mode.
- Electroanalytical determination of codeine in pharmaceutical preparationsPublication . Garrido, Jorge; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Borges, Fernanda; Macedo, Tice R. A.; Oliveira-Brett, A. M.A square wave voltammetric (SWV) method and a flow injection analysis systemwi th electrochemical detection (FIA-EC) using a glassy carbon electrode were evaluated for the determination of codeine in pharmaceutical preparations. The interference of several compounds, such as acetaminophen,guaiacol, parabens, ephedrine, acetylsalicylic acid and caffeine, that usually appear associated with codeine pharmaceutical preparations was studied. It was verified that these electroanalytical methods could not be used with acetaminophen present in the formulations and that with guaiacol, parabens or ephedrine present the use of the FIA-EC system was impracticable. A detection limit of 5 µmol L- 1 and a linear calibration range from 40 to 140 µmol L- 1 was obtained with the SWV method. For the flow injection analysis procedure a linear calibration range was obtained from 7 to 50 µmol L- 1 with a detection limit of 3 µmol L- 1 and the FIA-EC systemallowed a sampling rate of 115 samples per hour. The results obtained by the two methods, SWV and FIA-EC, were compared with those obtained using reference methods and demonstrated good agreement, with relative deviations lower than 4%.
- Electrochemical analysis of opiates—an overviewPublication . Garrido, Jorge; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Borges, Fernanda; Macedo, Tice R. A.; Oliveira-Brett, A. M.The analysis of opiates is of vital interest in drug abuse monitoring and research. This review presents a general overview of the electrochemical methods used for detection and quantification of opiates in a variety of matrices. Emphasis has been placed on the voltammetric methods used for study and determination of morphine, codeine, and heroin. Specific issues that need to be solved and better explained as well as future trends in the use of electrochemical methods in the examination of opiates are also discussed.
- Electrochemical determination of the herbicide bentazone using a carbon nanotube b-Cyclodextrin modified electrodePublication . Rahemi, V.; Garrido, Jorge; Borges, Fernanda; Oliveira-Brett, A. M.; Garrido, E. ManuelaAn electrochemical sensor has been developed for the determination of the herbicide bentazone, based on a GC electrode modified by a combination of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with b-cyclodextrin (b-CD) incorporated in a polyaniline film. The results indicate that the b-CD/MWCNT modified GC electrode exhibits efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of bentazone with high sensitivity and stability. A cyclic voltammetric method to determine bentazone in phosphate buffer solution at pH 6.0, was developed, without any previous extraction, clean-up, or derivatization steps, in the range of 10–80 mmolL 1, with a detection limit of 1.6 mmolL 1 in water. The results were compared with those obtained by an established HPLC technique. No statistically significant differences being found between both methods.
- Electrochemical oxidation of tamoxifen revisitedPublication . Garrido, Jorge; Quezada, E.; Fajín, J. L. C.; Cordeiro, M. Natália S.; Garrido, E. Manuela; Borges, FernandaTamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator that is used as an adjuvant and/or chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of all stages of hormone-dependent breast cancer. Currently there is a deep interest in the study of tamoxifen biotransformation and identification of metabolites since they can significantly contribute to the overall pharmacological or adverse effects of the drug. Accordingly, the study of the electrochemical behavior of tamoxifen in aqueous solution is reported. To clarify the occurring oxidative process and to assess the influence of the functional groups on the oxidation mechanism, the voltammetric assessment was extended to the study of tamoxifen’s analogues (E)-tamoxifen and dihydrotamoxifen, and to its main phase I oxidative metabolite, N-desmethyl tamoxifen. The data found shows that the oxidative processes occurring in tamoxifen are essentially related with the two chemical moieties present in the molecule: the substituted aromatic nucleus and the tertiary amine group. Moreover, the results obtained suggest that the ethylenic linkage is not critical for tamoxifen’s oxidation although it could play an important role in the course of the oxidation process. These results could contribute to highlight some remaining questions regarding tamoxifen’s metabolic behavior and to the development of new analytical strategies, based on electrochemical approaches.
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