Maja Sviben

Ms. Maja Sviben


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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15 January 2025 in Molecules
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MSMaja Sviben
Maja Sviben
IOIlijana Odak
Ilijana Odak
DBDanijela Barić
Danijela Barić
MMMilena Mlakić
Milena Mlakić
OHOttó Horváth
Ottó Horváth
IŠIrena Škorić
Irena Škorić
Considering our previous experience in the design of new cholinesterase inhibitors, especially resveratrol analogs, in this research, the basic stilbene skeleton was used as a structural unit for new carbamates designed as potentially highly selective butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitors with excellent absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity ADMET properties. The inhibitory activity of newly prepared carbamates 1–13 was tested toward the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and BChE. In the tested group of compounds, the leading inhibitors were 1 and 7, which achieved excellent selective inhibitory activity for BChE with IC50 values of 0.12 ± 0.09 μM and 0.38 ± 0.01 μM, respectively. Both were much more active than the standard inhibitor galantamine against BChE. Molecular docking of the most promising inhibitor candidates, compounds 1 and 7, revealed that stabilizing interactions between the active site residues of BChE and the ligands involve π-stacking, alkyl-π interactions, and, when the carbamate orientation allows, H-bond formation. MD analysis confirmed the stability of the obtained complexes. Some bioactive resveratrol-based carbamates displayed complex-forming capabilities with Fe3+ ions as metal centers. Spectrophotometric investigation indicated that they coordinate one or two metal ions, which is in accordance with their chemical structure, offering two binding sites: an amine and a carboxylic group in the carbamate moiety. Based on the obtained in silico, experimental and computational results on biological activity in the present work, new carbamates 1 and 7 represent potential selective BChE inhibitors as new therapeutics for neurological disorders.

31 October 2024 in Biomolecules
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MMMilena Mlakić
Milena Mlakić
MSMaja Sviben
Maja Sviben
ARAna Ratkovic
Ana Ratkovic
ARAnamarija Raspudić
Anamarija Raspudić
DBDanijela Barić
Danijela Barić
IŠIrena Škorić
Irena Škorić
In previous research, 1,2,3-triazolium salts showed significant biological activity as potential inhibitors of cholinesterase enzymes (ChEs), which are crucial for neurotransmission. In this research, pairs of uncharged thienobenzo-triazoles and their charged salts were prepared in order to further examine the role of the positive charge on the nitrogen of the triazole ring in interactions within the active site of the enzymes, and to compare the selectivity of 1,2,3-triazolium salts in relation to their uncharged analogs obtained by photochemical cyclization. Neutral thienobenzo-triazoles showed very good selective activity toward butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), while their salts showed excellent non-selective inhibition toward both BChE (the most active 23: IC50 0.47 μM) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzymes (the most active 23: IC50 4.4 μM). These new structures with incorporated 1,2,3-triazolium salts present the new scaffold for drug development as it is known that the current therapy in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) comprises selective AChE inhibitors, while in Parkinson’s and all stages of AD, non-selective inhibitors of ChEs are preferred. Molecular docking of the selected compounds and their corresponding salts into the active sites of ChEs was conducted to identify the interactions responsible for the stability of the non-covalent cholinesterase–ligand complexes. As genotoxicity studies are crucial when developing new active substances and finished drug forms, in silico studies for all the synthesized compounds have shown that compound 18 is the most promising candidate for genotoxic safety.

3 October 2024 in Preprints.org
Verified
Preprint
Open access
PDF file
MMMilena Mlakić
Milena Mlakić
MSMaja Sviben
Maja Sviben
ARAna Ratković
Ana Ratković
ARAnamarija Raspudić
Anamarija Raspudić
DBDanijela Barić
Danijela Barić
IŠIrena Škorić
Irena Škorić
In previous research, 1,2,3-triazolium salts showed significant biological activity as potential in-hibitors of the enzymes cholinesterases (ChEs), crucial for neurotransmission. In this research, pairs of uncharged thienobenzo-triazoles and their charged salts were prepared in order to ex-amine further the role of the positive charge on the nitrogen of the triazole ring on the interac-tions in the active site of the enzymes and to compare the selectivity of 1,2,3-triazolium salts in relation to their uncharged analogs obtained by photochemical cyclization. Neutral thienoben-zo-triazoles showed very good selective activity toward butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), while their salts showed excellent non-selective inhibition toward both BChE (the most active 23: IC50 0.47 mikroM) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzymes (the most active 23: IC50 4.4 mikroM). These new structures with incorporated 1,2,3-triazolium salts present the new scaffold for drug development as it is known that the current therapy in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are selective AChE inhibitors, while in Parkinson's and all stages of AD, non-selective inhibitors of ChEs are preferred. Molecular docking of the selected compounds and their corresponding salts into the active sites of ChEs was conducted to identify the interactions responsible for the stability of the non-covalent cholinesterase-ligand complexes. As genotoxicity studies are crucial when devel-oping new active substances and finished drug forms, in silico studies for all the synthesized compounds have shown that compound 18 is the most promising candidate for genotoxic safety.

19 November 2024 in Preprints.org
Verified
Preprint
Open access
PDF file
MSMaja Sviben
Maja Sviben
IOIlijana Odak
Ilijana Odak
DBDanijela Barić
Danijela Barić
MMMilena Mlakić
Milena Mlakić
OHOttó Horváth
Ottó Horváth
IŠIrena Škorić
Irena Škorić
Considering all our previous experience in the design of new cholinesterase inhibitors, especially resveratrol analogs, in this research, the basic stilbene skeleton was used as a structural unit for new carbamates. Inhibitory activity was tested toward the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) by newly prepared carbamates 1–13. In the tested group of compounds, the leading inhibitors were 1 and 7, which achieved excellent selective inhibitory activity for BChE with IC50 values of 0.12 ± 0.09 μM and 0.38 ± 0.01 μM, respectively. Both were much more active than standard inhibitor galantamine against BChE. Molecular docking of the most promising inhibitor candidates, compounds 1 and 7, revealed that stabilizing interactions between the active site residues of BChE and the ligands involve π-stacking, alkyl-π interactions, and, when the carbamate orientation allows, H-bond formation. MD analysis confirmed the stability of the obtained complexes. Some bioactive resveratrol-based carbamates displayed complex-forming capabilities with Fe3+ ions as metal centers. Spectrophotometric investigation indicated that they coordinate one or two metal ions, which is in accordance with their chemical structure, offering two binding sites: an amine and a carboxylic group in the carbamate moiety. Based on all obtained in silico, experimental, and computational results on biological activity in the present work, new carbamates 1 and 7 represent potential selective BChE inhibitors as new therapeutics for neurological disorders.