Damián Alberto Castillo

Mr. Damián Alberto Castillo


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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21 July 2025 in Molecules
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
JGJuan Pablo González Gutiérrez
Juan Pablo González Gutiérrez
DCDamián Alberto Castillo
Damián Alberto Castillo
VRVictor Orlando Rios-Campos
Victor Orlando Rios-Campos
IGIgnacio Alejandro González-Gutiérrez
Ignacio Alejandro González-Gutiérrez
DMDánae Flores Melivilu
Dánae Flores Melivilu
PIPatricio Iturriaga-Vasquez
Patricio Iturriaga-Vasquez
Cholinergic neuron impairment is a significant cause of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), making acetylcholinesterase (AChE) a key therapeutic target. AChE inhibitors are principal drugs prescribed to alleviate symptoms in AD patients, while up to 50% of these individuals also suffer from depression, frequently treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Due to the multisymptomatic nature of AD, there is a growing interest in developing multitargeted ligands that simultaneously enhance cholinergic and serotonergic tone. This study presents the synthesis of novel ligands based on functionalized piperidines, evaluated through radioligand binding assays at the serotonin transporter (SERT) and AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibition. The pharmacological results showed that some compounds exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against AChE, with one compound 19 standing out as the most potent, also displaying a moderate BuChE inhibitory activity, while showing low affinity for SERT. On the other hand, compound 21 displayed an interesting polypharmacological profile, with good and selective activity against BuChE and SERT. The results underscore the difficulty of designing promiscuous ligands for these targets and suggest that future structural modifications could optimize their therapeutic potential in AD.