Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of ferulic acid based 1,3,4-oxadiazole hybrids as multifunctional therapeutics for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Thirty ferulic acid-based 1,3,4-oxadiazole molecular hybrids were designed, synthesized, and screened them for multifunctional inhibitory potential against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and beta-secretase-1 (BACE-1). Compound 6j was the most potent inhibitor of AChE (IC50 = 0.068 µM). It also showed equipotent inhibition of BChE and BACE-1 with IC50 values of 0.218 µM and 0.255 µM, respectively. Compound 6k possessed the most significant inhibition of BChE and BACE-1 with IC50 values, 0.163 µM and 0.211 µM, respectively. Compounds 6j and 6k elicited significant displacement of propidium iodide from PAS-AChE, excellent BBB permeability in PAMPA assay, and anti-Aβ aggregatory activity in self- and AChE-induced experiments with neuroprotective activity towards neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. The in vivo behavioral studies suggested amelioration of cognitive dysfunction by 6j and 6k in the Y maze test. The ex vivo study signified brain AChE inhibition and antioxidant activity from these compounds. Moreover, 6j showed improvement in learning and memory behavior in the Aβ-induced ICV rat model by Morris water maze test with excellent oral absorption characteristics ascertained by pharmacokinetic studies. © 2019 Elsevier Inc.