BRAZILIAN ARCHIVES OF BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY, cilt.65, 2022 (SCI-Expanded)
Obesity is one of the main health problems associated with a range of diseases. Genetic disposition is related to the risk for obesity but external conditions such lifestyle also increase the incidence. Current COVID-19 pandemic conditions around the globe have been reported to increase the cases of Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) due to prolonged sedentary life. Among the various treatment modalities, applications of alpha-amylase inhibitors are commonly used worldwide. Commercially available anti-diabetic drugs are potent inhibitors of alpha-amylase that reduce postprandial hyperglycemia. In this study, alpha-amylase inhibition efficiencies of some 1,2,4-triazole derivatives were evaluated. Furthermore, it has been attempted to determine the possible inhibition mechanism of the strongest inhibitor compound among the 8 candidate molecules for alpha-amylase. Compound VII showed the strongest inhibition on alpha-amylase activity with low IC50 value (150 mu M). An inhibitory kinetic analysis on alpha-amylase activity by Compound VII was found to be reversible and uncompetitive. Furthermore, molecular docking studies with this molecule showed that it could bind to the catalytic site of the enzyme by performing weak interactions with Ser56, Tyr59, Tyr62, Asp176, Asp274 and Leu142 residues. Cytotoxic potential of Compound VII on amylase overexpressing AR42J pancreatic cancer cells was also performed using trypan blue staining and the compound at the highest dose 10 mu M was found to be cytotoxic, but effective for alpha amylase inhibition at non-cytotoxic doses. The results showed in vitro effect of Compound VII on alpha-amylase inhibition in cells. Here, we suggest an alternative and non-cytotoxic alpha-amylase inhibitor for T2DM.