New 4-nitrobenzyl derivatives were designed and synthesised by nucleophilic substitution reactions of 4-nitrobenzyl bromide with malonic acid and its derivatives. The synthesised molecules were characterised using mass analysis and spectroscopic techniques and tested for their antioxidant properties using various methods, such as nitric oxide, DPPH, and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging methods. The anti-inflammatory activities of the molecules were assessed using RBC membrane stabilisation and albumin denaturation methods. We evaluated the compounds' potential anti-prostate cancer activity using the DU145 cell line. The MTT assay determined the cell viability, indicating good anti-proliferative activity. The molecule 3 c exhibited the highest potency, with a CTC50 of 11.83 μg/mL. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the stability of the ligand within the protein after docking and the resulting protein-ligand complex. The in vivo analysis of molecule 3 c in the DAL xenograft model demonstrated promising results. The increase in life span, reduction in tumor volume, and comparable effects to standard drugs are encouraging features that suggest that molecule 3 c may possess significant potential as an anti-cancer agent. The research also implies that these molecules might be potential lead compounds for developing new prostate cancer drugs.
Keywords: Anti-cancer; Anti-oxidant; DAL xenograft; Malonic esters; p-nitrobenzyl derivatives.
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