Synthesis, Characterization, and Comprehensive In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Novel 1,2,3-Triazole–Arylidenehydrazide/Thiazolidinone Hybrids

Abstract

Five novel 1,2,3-triazole/arylidenehydrazide/thiazolidinone hybrid compounds (7–11) were synthesized and characterized using NMR, HRMS, IR, and HPLC purity analysis. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated on fibroblasts and THP-1 cells, showing that all compounds were nontoxic at the tested concentrations. The wound healing assay revealed that compounds 7, 9, and 10 significantly enhanced wound closure, with a 7.74%–32.69% improvement in treated cells. Compounds 8 and 11 showed moderate effects. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed through qRT-PCR, demonstrating that compound 10 led to the most significant reduction in proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and NF-κB1. In addition, the expression of Iba1 protein in THP-1 cells confirmed that compound 8 showed the strongest anti-inflammatory effect, surpassing that of aspirin. Compound 10 showed the highest inhibition of NF-κB signaling and iNOS activity. Molecular docking studies revealed that compounds 10 and 11 had strong binding affinities to TNF-α and iNOS, with compound 11 showing the most stable interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations supported these findings, indicating that compound 11 demonstrated more stable binding to both targets. Overall, the results suggest that compounds 10 and 11 are promising anti-inflammatory candidates with potential for further development in therapeutic applications for inflammatory diseases.