Marina Costa

Ms. Marina Costa

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

7Years (2020-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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22 February 2020 in Molecules
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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SCSílvia Chaves
Sílvia Chaves
SRSimonetta Resta
Simonetta Resta
FRFederica Rinaldo
Federica Rinaldo
MCMarina Costa
Marina Costa
RJRomane Josselin
Romane Josselin
MSMaria Amélia Santos
Maria Amélia Santos
A series of multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs), obtained by attachment of a hydroxyphenylbenzimidazole (BIM) unit to donepezil (DNP) active mimetic moiety (benzyl-piperidine/-piperazine) was designed, synthesized, and evaluated as potential anti-Alzheimer’s disease (AD) drugs in terms of biological activity (inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and β–amyloid (Aβ) aggregation), metal chelation, and neuroprotection capacity. Among the DNP-BIM hybrids studied herein, the structural isomerization did not significantly improve the biological properties, while some substitutions, namely fluorine atom in each moiety or the methoxy group in the benzyl ring, evidenced higher cholinergic AChE activity. All the compounds are able to chelate Cu and Zn metal ions through their bidentate BIM moieties, but compound 5, containing a three-dentate chelating unit, is the strongest Cu(II) chelator. Concerning the viability on neuroblastoma cells, compounds 9 and 10 displayed the highest reduction of Aβ-induced cell toxicity. In silico calculations of some pharmacokinetic descriptors indicate that all the compounds but the nitro derivatives have good potential oral-bioavailability. Overall, it can be concluded that most of the studied DNP-BIM conjugates showed quite good anti-AD properties, therefore deserving to be considered in further studies with the aim of understanding and treating AD.

1 May 2020 in Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
MCMarina Costa
Marina Costa
RJRomane Josselin
Romane Josselin
DSDiana F. Silva
Diana F. Silva
SCSandra M. Cardoso
Sandra M. Cardoso
NMNóra V. May
Nóra V. May
MSMaria Amélia Santos
Maria Amélia Santos