In this work, calculations of pK a values have been performed on benzoic acid and its para-substituted derivatives and some drugs by using Gaussian 98 software package. Gas-phase energies were calculated with HF/6-31 G** and B3LYP/6-31 G** levels of theory. Free energies of solvation have been computed using the polarizable continuum model (PCM), conductor-like PCM (CPCM), and the integral equation formalism-PCM at the same levels which have been used for geometry determination in the gas-phase. The results that show the calculated pK a values using the B3LYP are better than those using the corresponding HF. In comparison to the other models, the results obtained indicate that the PCM model is a suitable solvation model for calculating pK a values. For the investigated compounds, a good agreement between the experimental and the calculated pK a values was also observed.

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Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are used to a large extent in the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible toxicity of Fe 2 O 3 NPs on human cells, including blood lymphocytes. We isolated blood lymphocytes from healthy humans using Ficoll polysaccharide and subsequently by gradient centrifugation. Then, the toxicity parameters, including cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, lipid peroxidation, cellular glutathione (GSH) level, mitochondrial and lysosomal damage, were measured in blood lymphocytes after J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2019;33:e22303.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jbt

Bis(indolyl)methane (BIM) as one of the main active components of anticancer and antibacterial drugs is applied in medicinal and extensive area of chemistry. In this research, interaction of human and bovine serum albumins as drug carriers with BIM was investigated using spectroscopy methods and molecular modeling study. The fluorescence quenching measurements at the range of 293-310 K revealed that the quenching mechanisms for human and bovine serum albumins are static and dynamic processes, respectively. The results of quenching study were used to calculate thermodynamic parameters [Formula: see text] which indicated that the binding process occurs spontaneously and demonstrated that human and bovine serum albumins provide very good binding via hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, and hydrophobic interactions. Förster energy transfer measurements, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, and docking study showed BIM binds to the Trp residues of human and bovine serum albumin molecules in short distances. Docking study showed that BIM molecule has two hydrogen bonds and several van der Waals contacts with human and bovine serum albumins. Results of FT-IR and CD spectroscopy demonstrated that serum albumins interact with BIM molecule mainly via hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions and the secondary structure of serum albumins are changed.