Topoisomerase I (Topo-I) is a major target for anticancer drug discovery and design. As a result, Topo-I inhibitors constitute an important class of the current anticancer drugs. To date, all of the Topo-I inhibitors that have been clinically evaluated are analogues of camptothecin (CPT), an extract of the Chinese tree Camptotheca acuminata. CPT has shown significant antitumor activity to lung, ovarian, breast, pancreas and stomach cancers. In this article the, phytochemical aspect, and various structural modifications are comprehensively reviewed as in rings A, B, C, D and E. Biological activity of camptothecin, other than anticancer, reported till the year 2003 has also been discussed.

Epilepsy is the most common primary neurological disorder known. In the past decade, various aryl semicarbazones have been designed that were structurally dissimilar from many common anticonvulsants containing the dicarboximide function (CONRCO), which may contribute to toxic side effects. In the present work various N4-(2,6-dimethylphenyl) semicarbazones were designed as pharmacophore hybrids between the aryl semicarbazones and ameltolide. A three-dimensional four-point pharmacophore model was developed for anticonvulsants, and the title compounds were found to match with ralitoline. All of the compounds exhibited anticonvulsant activity in the maximal electroshock test when administered by both intraperitoneal and oral routes. Compound N1-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-N4-(2-hydroxybenzaldehyde) semicarbazone (9) emerged as a prototype with wide spectrum anticonvulsant agent active in five models of seizure with no neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. Compound 9 increased the 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA) level by 118% and inhibited the GABA transaminase enzyme both in vitro and ex vivo.

Twenty 4-(5-cyclobutyloxazol-2-yl)thiosemicarbazones were synthesized and evaluated for preliminary in vitro and in vivo activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (MTB) and multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Among them, (4-bromophenyl)(phenyl)methanone N-(5-cyclobutyl-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)thiosemicarbazone 6q was found to be the most active compound in vitro with minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.05 microg/mL against MTB and MDR-TB. In the in vivo animal model 6q decreased the bacterial load in lung and spleen tissues with 2.1 log 10 and 3.72 log 10 protections, respectively, at 50 mg/kg body weight dose.

Aim of the study The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize the active constituents of the traditionally used antimalarial plant Liriodendron tulipifera by antiplasmodial-assay guided fractionation. Materials and methods Bark and leaves were extracted with solvents of increasing polarity. Fractions were generated using flash chromatography, counter current chromatography and preparative HPLC and subjected to in vitro antiplasmodial and cytotoxicity assays. Active fractions were subjected to further fractionation until pure compounds were isolated, for which the IC50 values were calculated. Results and discussion Six known aporphine alkaloids, asimilobine (1), norushinsunine (2), norglaucine (3), liriodenine (4), anonaine (5) and oxoglaucine (6) were found to be responsible for the antiplasmodial activity of the bark. Leaves yielded two known sesquiterpene lactones, peroxyferolide (7) and lipiferolide (8) with antiplasmodial activity. The antiplasmodial activity of (2) (IC50 = 29.6 μg/ml), (3) (IC50 = 22.0 μg/ml), (6) (IC50= 9.1 μg/mL), (7) (IC50 = 6.2 μg/ml) and (8) (IC50 = 1.8 μg/ml) are reported for the first time. Conclusion This work supports the historical use of Liriodendron tulipifera as an antimalarial remedy of the United States and characterizes its antiplasmodial constituents.