title: Bioactive compounds of Crocus sativus L. and their semi-synthetic derivatives as promising anti-Helicobacter pylori, anti-malarial and anti-leishmanial agents.
abstract: Crocus sativus L. is known in herbal medicine for the various pharmacological effects of its components, but no data are found in literature about its biological properties toward Helicobacter pylori, Plasmodium spp. and Leishmania spp. In this work, the potential anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic effects of crocin and safranal, two important bioactive components in C. sativus, were explored, and also some semi-synthetic derivatives of safranal were tested in order to establish which modifications in the chemical structure could improve the biological activity. According to our promising results, we virtually screened our compounds by means of molecular modeling studies against the main H. pylori enzymes in order to unravel their putative mechanism of action.
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy .
authors.forename: Celeste
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Monte
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy .
authors.forename: Bruna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bizzarri
authors.affiliation: b Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, Campus Universitario "S. Venuta" , Viale Europa Loc. Germaneto, Catanzaro , Italy .
authors.forename: Maria Concetta
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gidaro
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pharmacy, "G. D'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy .
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carradori
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pharmacy, "G. D'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy .
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mollica
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pharmacy, "G. D'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy .
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luisi
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy .
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granese
authors.affiliation: b Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, Campus Universitario "S. Venuta" , Viale Europa Loc. Germaneto, Catanzaro , Italy .
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alcaro
authors.affiliation: b Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, Campus Universitario "S. Venuta" , Viale Europa Loc. Germaneto, Catanzaro , Italy .
authors.forename: Giosuè
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: d Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche ed Odontoiatriche, University of Milan , Milan , Italy , and.
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Basilico
authors.affiliation: e Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, University of Milan , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parapini
authors.affiliation: d Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche ed Odontoiatriche, University of Milan , Milan , Italy , and.
authors.forename: Maria Maddalena
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Scaltrito
authors.affiliation: d Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche ed Odontoiatriche, University of Milan , Milan , Italy , and.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Masia
authors.affiliation: d Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche ed Odontoiatriche, University of Milan , Milan , Italy , and.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sisto
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027622:Crocus / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects*; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000962:Antimalarials; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents
keywords: Anti-leishmanial agents; Crocus sativus L.; Helicobacter pylori; anti-malarial agents; safranal