Glucocorticoids-based prodrug design:Current strategies and research progress

Attributing to their broad pharmacological effects encompassing anti-inflammation,antitoxin,and immunosuppression,glucocorticoids(GCs)are extensively utilized in the clinic for the treatment of diverse diseases such as lupus erythematosus,nephritis,arthritis,ulcerative colitis,asthma,keratitis,macular edema,and leukemia.However,longterm use often causes undesirable side effects,including metabolic disorders-induced Cushing's syndrome(buffalo back,full moon face,hyperglycemia,etc.),osteoporosis,aggravated infection,psychosis,glaucoma,and cataract.These notorious side effects seriously compromise patients'quality of life,especially in patients with chronic diseases.Therefore,glucocorticoid-based advanced drug delivery systems for reducing adverse effects have received extensive attention.Among them,prodrugs have the advantages of low investment,low risk,and high success rate,making them a promising strategy.In this review,we propose the strategies for the design and summarize current research progress of glucocorticoid-based prodrugs in recent decades,including polymer-based prodrugs,dendrimer-based prodrugs,antibody-drug conjugates,peptide-drug conjugates,carbohydrate-based prodrugs,aliphatic acid-based prodrugs and so on.Besides,we also raise issues that need to be focused on during the development of glucocorticoid-based prodrugs.This review is expected to be helpful for the research and development of novel GCs and prodrugs.

Recent progress in fragment-based drug discovery facilitated by NMR spectroscopy

Considerable developments have been observed in fragment-based lead/drug discovery(FBLD/FBDD)recently,with four drugs approved and many others under investigation.Nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)has gained increasing popularity in FBLD due to its intrinsic capability in characterizing protein-ligand interactions in a large dynamic range of affinity,from weak hits to highly potent drugs.Here,we summarize NMR applications in fragment-based hit-to-lead evolution,including the construction of a fragment library,screening methods,spectra processing,and the delineation of the protein-ligand binding modes.These state-of-the-art NMR techniques have been exemplified in the discovery of inhibitors against multiple targets over the past five years,and they are expected to continue to provide new insights in the future.

Application of Computer-Aided Drug Design to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Computer-aided drug design (CADD) is an interdisciplinary subject, playing a pivotal role during new drug research and development, especially the discovery and optimization of lead compounds. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) modernization is the only way of TCM development and also an effective approach to the development of new drugs and the discovery of potential drug targets (PDTs). Discovery and validation of PTDs has become the “bottle-neck” restricted new drug research and development and is urgently solved. Innovative drug research is of great significance and bright prospects. This paper mainly discusses the “druggability” and specificity of PTDs, the “druglikeness” of drug candidates, the methods and technologies of the discovery and validation of PTDs and their application. It is very important to achieve the invention and innovation strategy “from gene to drug”. In virtue of modern high-new technology, especially CADD, combined with TCM theory, research and develop TCM and initiate an innovating way fitting our country progress. This paper mainly discusses CADD and their application to drug research, especially TCM modernization.

Formulation of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems containing monoacyl phosphatidylcholine and Kolliphor^(■) RH40 using experimental design

The development of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(SNEDDS) to enhance the oral bioavailability of lipophilic drugs is usually based on traditional one-factor-at-a-time approaches. These approaches may be inadequate to analyse the effect of each excipient and their potential interactions on the emulsion droplet size formed when dispersing the SNEDDS in an aqueous environment. The current study investigates the emulsion droplet sizes formed from SNEDDS containing different levels of the natural surfactant monoacyl phosphatidylcholine to reduce the concentration of the synthetic surfactant polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil(Kolliphor ~? RH40). Monoacyl phosphatidylcholine was used in the form of Lipoid S LPC 80(LPC, containing approximately 80% monoacyl phosphatidylcholine, 13% phosphatidylcholine and 4% concomitant components). The investigated SNEDDS comprised of long-chain or medium-chain glycerides(40% to 75%), Kolliphor ~? RH40(5% to 55%), LPC(0 to 40%) and ethanol(0 to 10%). D-optimal design, multiple linear regression, and partial least square regression were used to screen different SNEDDS within the investigated excipient ranges and to analyse the effect of each excipient on the resulting droplet size of the dispersed SNEDDS measured by dynamic light scattering. All investigated formulations formed nano-emulsions with droplet sizes from about 20 to 200 nm. The use of mediumchain glycerides was more likely to result in smaller and more monodisperse droplet sizes compared to the use of long-chain glycerides. Kolliphor~? RH40 exhibited the most significant effect on reducing the emulsion droplet sizes. Increasing LPC concentration increased the emulsion droplet sizes, possibly because of the reduction of Kolliphor~? RH40 concentration. A higher concentration of ethanol resulted in an insignificant reduction of the emulsion droplet size. The study provides different ternary diagrams of SNEDDS containing LPC and Kolliphor ~? RH40 as a reference for formulation developers.

Organs-on-a-Chip: A Future of Rational Drug-Design

Many recent advances in biomedical research are related to the combination of biology and microengineering. Microfluidic devices, such as organ-on-a-chip systems, integrate with living cells to allow for the detailed in vitro study of human physiology and pathophysiology. With the poor translation from animal models to human models, the organ-on-a-chip technology has become a promising substitute for animal testing, and their small scale enables precise control of culture conditions and high-throughput experiments, which would not be an economically sound model on a macroscopic level. These devices are becoming more and more common in research centers, clinics, and hospitals, and are contributing to more accurate studies and therapies, making them a staple technology for future drug design.

Insights into the structural biology of G-protein coupled receptors impacts drug design for central nervous system neurodegenerative processes

In the last few years, there have been important new insights into the structural biology of G-protein coupled receptors. It is now known that allosteric binding sites are involved in the affinity and selec- tivity of ligands for G-protein coupled receptors, and that signaling by these receptors involves both G-protein dependent and independent pathways. The present review outlines the physiological and pharmacological implications of this perspective for the design of new drugs to treat disorders of the central nervous system. Specifically, new possibilities are explored in relation to allosteric and or- thosteric binding sites on dopamine receptors for the treatment of Parkinson＇s disease, and on muscarinic receptors for Alzheimer＇s disease. Future research can seek to identify ligands that can bind to more than one site on the same receptor, or simultaneously bind to two receptors and form a dimer. For example, the design of bivalent drugs that can reach homo/hetero-dimers of D2 dopa- mine receptor holds promise as a relevant therapeutic strategy for Parkinson＇s disease. Regarding the treatment of Alzheimer＇s disease, the design of dualsteric ligands for mono-oligomeric mus- carinic receptors could increase therapeutic effectiveness by generating potent compounds that could activate more than one signaling pathway.

Deep Learning in Medical Imaging and Drug Design

Over the last decade,deep learning(DL)methods have been extremely successful and widely used in almost every domain.Researchers are now focusing on the convergence of medical imaging and drug design using deep learning to revolutionize medical diagnostic and improvement in the monitoring from response to therapy.DL a new machine learning paradigm that focuses on learning with deep hierarchical models of data.Medical imaging has transformed healthcare science,it was thought of as a diagnostic tool for disease,but now it is also used in drug design.Advances in medical imaging technology have enabled scientists to detect events at the cellular level.The role of medical imaging in drug design includes identification of likely responders,detection,diagnosis,evaluation,therapy monitoring,and follow-up.A qualitative medical image is transformed into a quantitative biomarker or surrogate endpoint useful in drug design decision-making.For this,a parameter needs to be identified that characterizes the disease baseline and its subsequent response to treatment.The result is a quantifiable improvement in healthcare quality in most therapeutic areas,resulting in improvements in quality and life duration.This paper provides an overview of recent studies on applying the deep learning method in medical imaging and drug design.We briefly discuss the fields related to the history of deep learning,medical imaging,and drug design.

Applications and prospects of cryo-EM in drug discovery

Drug discovery is a crucial part of human healthcare and has dramatically benefited human lifespan and life quality in recent centuries, however, it is usually time-and effort-consuming. Structural biology has been demonstrated as a powerful tool to accelerate drug development. Among different techniques, cryo-electron microscopy(cryo-EM) is emerging as the mainstream of structure determination of biomacromolecules in the past decade and has received increasing attention from the pharmaceutical industry. Although cryo-EM still has limitations in resolution, speed and throughput, a growing number of innovative drugs are being developed with the help of cryo-EM. Here, we aim to provide an overview of how cryo-EM techniques are applied to facilitate drug discovery. The development and typical workflow of cryo-EM technique will be briefly introduced, followed by its specific applications in structure-based drug design, fragment-based drug discovery, proteolysis targeting chimeras, antibody drug development and drug repurposing. Besides cryo-EM, drug discovery innovation usually involves other state-of-the-art techniques such as artificial intelligence(AI), which is increasingly active in diverse areas. The combination of cryo-EM and AI provides an opportunity to minimize limitations of cryo-EM such as automation, throughput and interpretation of mediumresolution maps, and tends to be the new direction of future development of cryo-EM. The rapid development of cryo-EM will make it as an indispensable part of modern drug discovery.

Comparative and Computer Assisted Drug Designing of Fatty Acids Isolated from Flowers, Leaves, Stem Bark, Root Bark and Nuts of Semecarpus anacardium L. f. （Anacardiaceae）

Objectives： Computational study will help us in reducing the experimental work. The process of drug discovery involves the designing of molecules with appropriate pharmacophores with the help of various soft wares. The purpose of this paper is to study the probable binding modes of fatty acids on fatty acids after enzymatic hydrolysis of the FAAH （fatty acid amide hydrolase） in different extracts of flowers, leaves, stem bark, root bark and nuts of Semecarpus anacardiurn L. f. by using molecular modeling study and computer assisted drug designing. Nuts yielded 20 fatty acids including saturated, ω-3 unsaturated, ω-6 unsaturated, ω-7 unsaturated and ω-9 unsaturated fatty acids. Based on IR, IH NMR, 13C NMR, MS （mass） spectrometry, GC analysis, the structural elucidation of these isolated fatty acids was established. Methods： A dataset comprising of 20 fatty acids were drawn in ChemDraw and converted into 3D-molecules with all possible tautomers and chiral centers. The minimization of molecules was carried out using PRCG （Polak-Ribiere Conjugate Gradient） method with maximum of 5000 iterations. The minimized compounds were used for protein preparation. The crystal structure of human FAAH （PDB ID： 3K84） is prepared and selected for the docking studies of 20 fatty acids using Schr6dinger docking program module.. Conclusions： In this study, we carried out the molecular docking studies in order to understand the probable binding mode of 20 fatty acids in FAAH from which we identified key active site residues for FAAH, thereby it can be used to design the novel compounds for FAAH targets.

Modern drug discovery for inflammatory bowel disease: The role of computational methods

Inflammatory bowel diseases(IBDs)comprising ulcerative colitis,Crohn’s disease and microscopic colitis are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.IBD has spread around the world and is becoming more prevalent at an alarming rate in developing countries whose societies have become more westernized.Cell therapy,intestinal microecology,apheresis therapy,exosome therapy and small molecules are emerging therapeutic options for IBD.Currently,it is thought that low-molecular-mass substances with good oral bio-availability and the ability to permeate the cell membrane to regulate the action of elements of the inflammatory signaling pathway are effective therapeutic options for the treatment of IBD.Several small molecule inhibitors are being developed as a promising alternative for IBD therapy.The use of highly efficient and time-saving techniques,such as computational methods,is still a viable option for the development of these small molecule drugs.The computeraided(in silico)discovery approach is one drug development technique that has mostly proven efficacy.Computational approaches when combined with traditional drug development methodology dramatically boost the likelihood of drug discovery in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.This review focuses on the modern drug discovery approaches for the design of novel IBD drugs with an emphasis on the role of computational methods.Some computational approaches to IBD genomic studies,target identification,and virtual screening for the discovery of new drugs and in the repurposing of existing drugs are discussed.

Exploring unbinding mechanism of drugs from SERT via molecular dynamics simulation and its implication in antidepressants

The human serotonin transporter(SERT)terminates neurotransmission by removing serotonin from the synaptic cleft,which is an essential process that plays an important role in depression.In addition to natural substrate serotonin,SERT is also the target of the abused drug cocaine and,clinically used antidepressants,escitalopram,and paroxetine.To date,few studies have attempted to investigate the unbinding mechanism underlying the orthosteric and allosteric modulation of SERT.In this article,the conserved property of the orthosteric and allosteric sites(S1 and S2)of SERT was revealed by combining the high resolutions of x-ray crystal structures and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations.The residues Tyr95 and Ser438 located within the S1 site,and Arg104 located within the S2 site in SERT illustrate conserved interactions(hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions),as responses to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.Van der Waals interactions were keys to designing effective drugs inhibiting SERT and further,electrostatic interactions highlighted escitalopram as a potent antidepressant.We found that cocaine,escitalopram,and paroxetine,whether the S1 site or the S2 site,were more competitive.According to this potential of mean force(PMF)simulations,the new insights reveal the principles of competitive inhibitors that lengths of trails from central SERT to an opening were~18A for serotonin and~22 A for the above-mentioned three drugs.Furthermore,the distance between the natural substrate serotonin and cocaine(or escitalopram)at the allosteric site was~3A.Thus,it can be inferred that the potent antidepressants tended to bind at deeper positions of the S1 or the S2 site of SERT in comparison to the substrate.Continuing exploring the processes of unbinding four ligands against the two target pockets of SERT,this study observed a broad pathway in which serotonin,cocaine,escitalopram(at the S1 site),and paroxetine all were pulled out to an opening between MT1b and MT6a,which may be helpful to understand the dissociation mechanism of antidepressants.

以药物开发为中心的药学综合设计性实验课程设计

实验教学在培养药学本科生理论知识与实践能力上发挥着关键作用。在基于地方高校“双一流”建设的新形势需求下,探索以药学本科教育为核心的实验教学新方法和新观念尤为重要。药物研发是药学专业人才培养的主要目标,是综合运用药理学、药物化学、药剂学、药物分析等学科知识进行再生产的过程,大多数学生也将从事与药物研发、生产相关的职业。设计药物研发全过程的综合设计性实验,对课程的设计、实施、质控和存在的问题及解决办法进行了探讨,为培养高素质、创新型药学人才提供了参考。

基于服务设计的片剂药品分剂量包装包容性设计研究

目的从药品包装研究现状与分剂量问题出发,基于服务设计方法和包容性设计原则对片剂药品分剂量包装进行研究,提升片剂药品分剂量包装的包容性。方法面对当前片剂药品包装在分剂量服药需求下安全性、便利性、兼容性的问题,首先通过访谈法了解患者服药现状和需求;其次,运用服务设计方法中用户画像和用户旅程图工具构建各类用户模型,并挖掘接触点、痛点与机会点;最后,针对接触点进行分剂量泡罩包装的包容性设计,并运用对照测试、可用性量表和用户满意度问卷进行评估。结果通过服务设计方法能从全流程挖掘各类片剂服药患者的分剂量需求,推导的分剂量泡罩包装设计具有较强的包容性,在满足各类患者片剂药品分剂量服药需求的同时提升其用药体验的满意度。结论本研究能有效解决片剂药品包装的分剂量问题,同时改善各类患者的用药体验满意度,为药品包装的包容性设计发展提供了实践依据。

分子对接技术在药物设计学教学中的应用

药物设计学是一门涉及新药研究开发程序、方法手段和要求的新兴学科,涵盖多门学科知识,在新药研发类综合型人才培养的知识体系中具有重要地位。本文采用模拟实操教学法,以人参皂苷抗阿尔茨海默病为例,将计算机辅助药物设计中的分子对接技术应用于实战演练,以提升理论教学的效果,加深学生对课堂理论知识的理解,提升学生的创新思维能力和实践运用能力。

我国me-too药物成功案例在药物设计学课程教学中的应用

高等医药教育担负着加快知识创新和医药人才培养的重大历史使命,随着我国药学相关学科的发展和药物研究开发战略由仿制向创新转轨,药物设计学已成为药学相关专业必修课之一。笔者尝试将我国重磅me-too药物作为案例运用到药物设计学课程的教学中,提高学生学习的积极性、主动性和创造性,开发学生的创造能力以及解决实际问题的能力。

蛋白质结构稳定性检测的实验课程设计

随着生物技术的突破和发展,多肽蛋白类药物的出现使得人类疾病的诊断和治疗发生了翻天覆地的变化。为了顺应多肽蛋白类药物的飞速发展,加强生命科学等专业本科生对此类药物制剂相关知识的普及已势在必行。此实验课程设计利用稳定性热检测法分析蛋白质结构的稳定性,为生命科学等专业本科生设计一堂深入了解蛋白质结构与功能关系的课程,以促进本科生拓宽学术视野,提升完成相关科学研究和适应医药产业发展新形势的能力。

AIDD与CADD提升药物成功率的思考

随着人工智能(AI)和计算科学的迅速发展,特别是人工智能药物设计(AIDD)与计算机辅助药物设计(CADD)技术的引入,自然语言处理、图像识别、深度学习和机器学习等多种技术为新药开发提供了革命性的新途径,大幅提升了研发流程的效率和成功率。在药物发现过程中,AI技术加速了药物靶点的识别、候选药物的筛选、药理评估及质量检验,有效降低了研发风险和成本。本文深入探讨AIDD和CADD技术在药物研发中的应用,分析它们在提升药物设计成功率和药物研发效率方面的思考与探索,并探讨这些技术的未来发展趋势及可能面临的挑战。

人工智能与分子模拟在药物设计中的研究进展

随着现代药物研究的不断深入,传统计算机模拟已经不能满足未来药物设计实验的需求。分子模拟作为传统计算机模拟的经典技术之一,可以构造分析复杂的分子模型,研究分子运动的动态过程,但模拟结果受人为因素影响大,准确度较低。近年来,人工智能与分子模拟技术的融合成为药物设计研究的新方法。人工智能技术利用大数据筛选出对应的化合物进行分子模拟,并将模拟结果反馈给人工智能系统进行学习,不断优化人工神经网络。联用人工智能与分子模拟技术,提高了药物设计研究的效率,降低了人为因素对模拟结果的影响,增加了模拟结果的可信度。该文总结了当前国内外应用人工智能和分子模拟技术进行药物设计的研究成果,以期为未来药物研发从计算机辅助药物设计(CADD)向人工智能辅助药物研发(AIDD)的转变提供参考。

Complications and comorbidities associated with antineoplastic chemotherapy:Rethinking drug design and delivery for anticancer therapy

Despite the considerable advancements in chemotherapy as a cornerstone modality in cancer treatment,the prevalence of complications and pre-existing diseases is on the rise among cancer patients along with prolonged survival and aging population.The relationships between these disorders and cancer are intricate,bearing significant influence on the survival and quality of life of individuals with cancer and presenting challenges for the prognosis and outcomes of malignancies.Herein,we review the prevailing complications and comorbidities that often accompany chemotherapy and summarize the lessons to learn from inadequate research and management of this scenario,with an emphasis on possible strategies for reducing potential complications and alleviating comorbidities,as well as an overview of current preclinical cancer models and practical advice for establishing bio-faithful preclinical models in such complex context.