Interactions of novel 1,3-diaryltriazene-sulfamethazines with carbonic anhydrases: Kinetic studies and in silico simulations

Sulfonamides, recognized as carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) inhibitors, are crucial in treating diverse diseases, including epilepsy, glaucoma, bacterial infections, and various pathological processes, e.g., high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, pain, and inflammation. Additionally, therapeutically, 1,3-diaryl-substituted triazenes and sulphamethazines (SM) are integral components in various drug structures, and the synthesis of novel compounds within these two categories holds substantial significance. Herein, ten 1,3-diaryltriazene-substituted sulphamethazine derivatives SM(1–10), which were created by reacting the diazonium salt of sulphamethazine with substituted aromatic amines, were synthesized and the physiologically and pharmacologically relevant human (h) isoforms hCA I and II, cytosolic isozymes, were included in the study. The synthesized compounds showed excellent inhibition versus hCAs; the 4-butoxy (SM7, K_I of 5.69 ± 0.59 nM) compound exhibited a potent inhibitory effect against the hCA I compared with the reference drug acetazolamide (AAZ, K_I of 116.00 ± 8.48 nM). The 4-cyano (SM4, K_I of 5.87 ± 0.57 nM) compound displayed higher potency than AAZ (K_I of 57.25 ± 4.15 nM) towards hCA II. Meanwhile, among the synthesized molecules, the 3,4-dimethoxy (SM9, K_I of 74.98 ± 10.49 nM, S_I of 9.94) compound (over hCA I) displayed a noticeable selectivity for hCA isoform II. The target compounds in the molecular docking investigation were determined to take part in various hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions with nearby amino acids and fit nicely into the active sites of the hCAs. This research has yielded compounds displaying varying affinity toward hCA isoenzymes, ultimately serving as potent and selective hCA inhibitors. Given its substantial biological inhibitory potency, this particular derivative series is determined to hold the potential to serve as a promising lead compound against these hCAs.