Synthesis of New Glycometronidazole Compounds With Antifungal and Antifungal Biofilm Activity

Abstract

Carbohydrates are well known to be one of the most abundant and structurally diverse natural organic compounds, and they are of great importance as an energy source and as structural components of cell walls in different organisms. They are involved in various biological and pathological processes, including homeostasis, cell–cell interaction, cell migration, cell development, bacterial and viral infection, inflammation, immunology, and cancer metastasis. The variety of these properties is a result of the structural diversity found in carbohydrates. The chemistry of carbohydrates involved in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases has attracted increasing attention from researchers, which is why they should be one of the main focuses in new drug discovery. This study focuses on the synthesis of new glycotriazole–metronidazole compounds as antifungal agents and antifungal biofilm agents, from the glycosylation of metronidazole with various carbohydrates (d-glucose, d-galactose, d-N-acetylglucosamine, and d-lactose). Our hypothesis is that the glycosides could be taken into fungal biofilms through recognition by glycoreceptors and transporters, carrying the active residue with them. In a low-oxygen environment, the nitro group would then undergo bioreduction leading to the formation of toxic radicals potentially resulting in the destruction or paralysis of biofilm formation—essentially functioning as a bioactive “Trojan horse.” The compounds were obtained via a click chemistry reaction using a triazole connector, and the subsequent antifungal tests showed good results for a number of compounds. In silico studies demonstrated positive data for all synthesized compounds, and, in general, they present low toxicological risks.