Targeting PPAR-γ to design and synthesize antidiabetic thiazolidines

A series of thiazolidine derivatives were designed by docking into PPAR-γ active site. The structure of target was obtained from the protein data bank (PDB ID P37231). A library of 200 molecules was prepared on random basis. Molecular docking studies were performed using VLife MDS 4.3 software. After molecular docking studies, the 4-substituted-6-methyl-2-thioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid N-[4-(2,4-dioxo-thiazolidin-5-ylidenemethyl)-phenyl]-hydrazides (4a-4h) were selected for synthesis. The progress of reaction and purity of the synthesized compounds were monitored by TLC and melting point. Structures of title compounds were confirmed by elemental analysis, IR, (1)H NMR and mass spectral data. The antidiabetic activity of title compounds was performed using the Wistar rats by alloxan-induced method. The compounds have shown antidiabetic activity comparable with the standard drug pioglitazone. These findings suggest that potent antidiabetics can be generated by substituting nonpolar, electron withdrawing substituents at the fourth position of pyrimidine skeleton and hydrogen bond acceptor at the nitrogen of the thiazolidine nucleus, to inhibit peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ.