Target identification, screening and in vivo evaluation of pyrrolone-fused benzosuberene compounds against human epilepsy using Zebrafish model of pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures

Pyrrolone-fused benzosuberene (PBS) compounds were semi-synthesized from α,β,γ-Himachalenes extracted from the essential oil of Cedrus deodara following amino-vinyl-bromide substituted benzosuberenes as intermediates. These PBSs compounds classified as an attractive source of therapeutics. The α-isoform of PI3K which is a pivotal modulator of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, responsible for neurological disorders like epilepsy, found as a potential target molecule against these 17 semi-synthesized PBS compounds using in silico ligand-based pharmacophore mapping and target screening. The compounds screened using binding affinities, ADMET properties, and toxicity that were accessed by in silico docking simulations and pharmacokinetics profiling. Ultimately two compounds viz., PBS-8 and PBS-9 were selected for further in vivo evaluation using a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced clonic convulsions. Additionally, gene expression studies performed for the genes of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway which further validated our results. In conclusion, these findings suggested that PBS-8 is a promising candidate that could bedeveloped as a potential antiepileptic.