Drug Design & Development

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http://dspace.alquds.edu:4000/handle/20.500.12213/4755

Overview

The aim of this group is to investigate issues related to acces to health care services. Issue of human rights in health, financial socio-cultural barriers to care, stiga and health care access, quality of life, health coverage and access.

Our Team

    • Rafik Karaman

    Ph.D

    • Jehad Abbadi

    Ph.D.

    Mohannad Qurei

    Ph.D

    Mustafa Khamis

    Ph.D

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    Browsing Drug Design & Development by Issue Date

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    Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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      Computationally Designed Enzyme Models to Replace Natural Enzymes in Prodrug Approaches
      (2012-11-16) Karaman, Rafik
      The striking efficiency of enzyme catalysis has inspired many organic chemists to explore enzyme mechanisms by studying certain intra molecular processes such as enzyme models which proceed faster than their intermolecular counterparts. This research brings about the important question of whether enzyme models will replace natural enzymes in the conversion of prodrugs to their parental drugs. Enzymes are mandatory for the inter conversion of many prodrugs to their parental drugs. Among the most important enzymes in the bioconversion of prodrugs are amides (ex. trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, carboxypeptidase, and aminopeptidase) and ester-based prodrugs (ex. paraoxonase, carboxylesterase, acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterase). Most of these enzymes are hydrolytic enzymes, however, non-hydrolytic enzymes, including all cytochrome P450 enzymes, are also capable of catalyzing the bioconversion of ester and amide-based prodrugs [1].
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      A Novel Mathematical Equation For Calculating The Number of ATP Molecules Generated From Sugars In Cells
      (WJPR,Tara Pal,WJPR, 2015-05-23) Karaman, Rafik; Khawaja, Yahya
      Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is critical for all life from the simplest to the most complex. All organisms from the microscopic to humans utilize ATP as the source for their primary energy currency. This manuscript describes a novel method to calculate the number of ATP molecules generated from the consumption of any sugar (having 3-7 carbons). This calculation method based on the oxidation states of the sugar’s carbons. The time needed to calculate the number of ATP molecules by this method is less than 2 minutes whereas that required by the current (regular) method is many hours and even days in some cases. In addition, the current method requires drawing all biochemical processes that the sugar undergoes upon its cellular respiration (oxidation) while our method described herein does not.
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      Mefenamic acid Prodrugs and Codrugs- Two Decades of Development
      (2015-06-05) Abu-Jaish, Alaa; Mecca, Gennaro; Jumaa, Salma; Thawabteh, Ameen; Karaman, Rafik
      prodrugs are bioreversible derivatives of drug molecules that undergo intermolecular or intramolecular reactions by enzymatic or chemical biotransformation in the human body to give the corresponding active parent drugs and a non-toxic promoiety. Prodrugs have been extensively and successfully used as a chemical tool for modification of the physicochemical, pharmacokinetic as well as pharmacodynamic characteristics of commonly used drugs and new drugs.This mini review focuses on the design, synthesis and pharmacological effects of several prodrugs and codrugs of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs), mefenamic acid. Exploitation of the prodrug approach has the potential to achieve a reduction of mefenamic acid GI (gastrointestinal) intolerance, enhance its bioavailability, mask its unpleasant sensation and prolong its duration of action. In addition, utilizing the prodrug concept migh enhance the bioavailability of the counter partner drug of mefenamic acid codrug by increasing its lipophilicity.
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      Diclofenac Codrugs and Prodrugs-Three Decades of Design
      (‎WJPPS,Dr. T Pal, 2015-06-08) Dweib, khuloud; Jumaa, Salma; Thawabteh, Ameen; Scrano, Laura; Bufo, Sabino A.; Mecca, Gennaro; Karaman, Rafik
      Prodrugs or predrugs are inactive molecules which become active after in vivo conversion to release the active parent drug. The prodrug’s cleavage can be catalyzed by metabolic enzymes or can occur by chemical means without the involvement of enzymes. Prodrugs are designed to improve undesirable physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of their parent drugs. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) drugs are among the most commonly used drugs for treatment of pain, inflammation and fever. Despite their frequent use, these agents suffer from gastrointestinal side effects that limit their use for those patients with gastrointestinal conditions. This mini review discusses the design, synthesis and pharmacological effects of prodrugs and codrugs of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) Diclofenac sodium or potassium. It argues that the prodrug approach has the potential to eliminate Diclofenac associated gastrointestinal complications, increases its bioavailability and masks its bitter taste.
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      Antibacterial Predrugs-from 1899 till 2015
      (WJPPS,Dr. T Pal, 2015-07-08) Elayyan, Sabrin; Karaman, Donia; Mecca, Gennaro; Scrano, Laura; Bufo, Sabino A.; Karaman, Rafik
      The predrug (prodrug) term involves chemically modified inert compound which upon an administration releases the active parent drug to elicit its pharmacological response within the body. For many years, the predrug strategy has been extensively developed to solve many unwanted drug properties. This approach has several advantages over conventional drug administration and it has the potential to be quite effective method for the treatment of diseases in the future. In this mini-review we describe a number of antibacterial agents‘ predrugs, and the ways by which predrug strategy was exploited to overcome many pharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic problems that the parent active antibacterial drugs suffer from such as, low bioavailability by increasing or decreasing lipophilicity, site selectivity for higher absorption and less toxicity, short duration of action to increase patient compliance, rapid metabolism to increase oral bioavailability and masking bitter sensation which is crucial for geriatric and pediatric patient compliance.
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      Anti-cancer Prodrugs-Three Decades of Design
      (2015-07-31) Horani, Waad; Thawabteh, Ameen; Scrano, Laura; A. Bufo, Sabino; Mecca, Gennaro; Karaman, Rafik
      The conventional old treatment method for cancer therapy is associated with severe side effects along with several limitations. Therefore, searching and developing new methods for cancer became crucial. This mini review was devoted on the design and synthesis of prodrugs for cancer treatment. The methods discussed include targeted prodrugs which are depending on the presence of unique cellular conditions at the desired target, especially the availability of certain enzymes and transporters at these target sites, antibody directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT), gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) which is considered one of the important strategies for the treatment of cancer and prodrugs based on enzyme models that have been advocated to understand enzyme catalysis. In this approach, a design of prodrugs is accomplished using computational calculations based on molecular orbital and molecular mechanics methods. Correlations between experimental and calculated rate values for some intramolecular processes provided a tool to predict thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for intramolecular processes that can be utilized as prodrugs linkers. This approach does not require any enzyme to catalyze the prodrug interconversion. The interconversion rate is solely dependent on the factors govern the limiting step of the intramolecular process.
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      Prodrugs targeting the central nervous system (cns)
      (2015-08-07) Salameh, Falasteen; Karaman, Donia; Karaman, Rafik
      The classical approach for delivery of drugs into the central nervous system (CNS) is associated with adverse effects and it has many limitations. Therefore, extensive efforts have been done in searching and developing novel methods for achieving such delivery. This minireview discusses the design and synthesis of selected targeting prodrugs for the treatment of conditions related to impairment in the CNS such as Parkinson‘s and Alzheimer‘s diseases. Such approaches include targeting prodrugs which are designed to interact with unique cellular conditions at the target site, especially the availability of certain enzymes and transporters at these sites. In addition, part of this mini-review is devoted to prodrugs design based on enzyme models that have been invoked to understand how enzymes catalyzebiotransformation. In this approach, the prodrugs design isdone using quantum molecular orbital and molecular mechanics methods. The equations obtained from correlations of experimental and calculated rate values for some intramolecular processes are used to predict parameters for other intramolecular processes that can be utilized as prodrugs linkers. In this approach, there is no need for enzymes to catalyze the conversion of the prodrug to its active parent drug and the conversion rate of the prodrug is dependent only on those factors playing dominant role in the rate-limiting step of the process.
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      Paracetamol biodegradation by activated sludge and photo-catalysis and its removal by a micelleclay complex, activated charcoal and reverse osmosis membranes
      (Taylor & Francis, 2016-03-07) Karaman, Rafik; Khamis, Mustafa; Abbadi, Jehad; Amro, Ahmad; Qurie, Mohannad; Ayyad, Ibrahim; Ayyash, Fatima; Hamarsheh, Omar; Yaqmour, Reem
      Kinetic studies on the stability of the pain killer paracetamol in Al-Quds activated sludge demonstrated that paracetamol underwent biodegradation within less than one month to furnish p-aminophenol in high yields. Characterizations of bacteria contained in Al-Quds sludge were accomplished. It was found that Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the bacterium most responsible for the biodegradation of paracetamol to p-aminophenol and hydroquinone. Batch adsorptions of paracetamol and its biodegradation product (p-aminophenol) by activated charcoal and a composite micelle (octadecyltrimethylammonium)-clay (montmorillonite) were determined at 25°C. Adsorption was adequately described by a Langmuir isotherm, and indicated better efficiency of removal by the micelle-clay complex. The ability of bench top reverse osmosis (RO) plant as well as advanced membrane pilot plant to remove paracetamol was also studied at different water matrixes to test the effect of organic matter composition. The results showed that at least 90% rejection was obtained by both plants. In addition, removal of paracetamol from RO brine was investigated by using photocatalytic processes; optimal conditions were found to be acidic or basic pH, in which paracetamol degraded in less than 5 min. Toxicity studies indicated that the effluent and brine were not toxic except for using extra low energy membrane which displayed a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC-50) value of 80%.