Repurposing mosloflavone/5,6,7-trimethoxyflavone-resveratrol hybrids: Discovery of novel p38-α MAPK inhibitors as potent interceptors of macrophage-dependent production of proinflammatory mediators

Herein, we address repurposing hybrids of mosloflavone or 5,6,7-trimethoxyflavone with amide analogs of resveratrol from anticancer leads to novel potent anti-inflammatory chemical entities. To unveil the potent anti-inflammatory molecules, biological evaluations were initiated in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages at 1 μM concentration. Promising compounds were further evaluated at various concentrations. Multiple proinflammatory mediators were assessed including NO, PGE2, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β. Compound 5z inhibited the induced production of NO, PGE2, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β at the low 1 μM concentration by 44.76, 35.71, 53.48, 29.39 and 41.02%, respectively. Compound 5z elicited IC50 values as low as 2.11 and 0.98 μM against NO and PGE2 production respectively. Compounds 5q and 5g showed potent submicromolar IC50 values of 0.31 and 0.59 μM respectively against PGE2 production. Reverse docking of compound 5z suggested p38-α MAPK, which is a key signaling molecule within the pathways controlling the transcription of proinflammatory mediators, as the molecular target. Biochemical testing confirmed these compounds as p38-α MAPK inhibitors explaining its potent inhibition of proinflammatory mediators’ production. Collectively, the results presented 5z as a promising compound for further development of anti-inflammatory agents for treatment of macrophages-and/or immune mediated inflammatory diseases. [Display omitted] •Synthesis and repurposing flavones-resveratrol analogs hybrids as potent anti-inflammatory agents.•Compound 5z inhibited several proinflmmatory mediators' production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages.•Reverse docking predicted compound 5z to be p38-α MAPK inhibitor.•Immunoblotting confirmed this class of compounds as p38-α MAPK inhibitors.•This study presents compound 5z as potential compound for development of anti-inflammatory therapies.