Exploring the Antiparasitic Activity of Tris-1,3,4-Thiadiazoles against Toxoplasma gondii-Infected Mice

Abstract

Nitrogen-containing atoms in their core structures have been exclusive building blocks in drug discovery and development. One of the most significant and well-known heterocycles is the 1,3,4-thidiazole nucleus, which is found in a wide range of natural products and therapeutic agents. In the present work, certain tris-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives (6, 7) were synthesized through a multi-step synthesis approach. All synthesized compounds were characterized using different spectroscopic tools. Previously, thiadiazole compounds as anti-Toxoplasma gondii agents have been conducted and reported in vitro. However, this is the first study to test the anti-Toxoplasma gondii activity of manufactured molecular hybrids thiadiazole in an infected mouse model with the acute RH strain of T. gondii. All the observed results demonstrated compound (7)’s powerful activity, with a considerable reduction in the parasite count reaching 82.6% in brain tissues, followed by liver and spleen tissues (65.35 and 64.81%, respectively). Inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines assessments proved that Compound 7 possesses potent antiparasitic effect. Furthermore, docking tests against TgCDPK1 and ROP18 kinase (two major enzymes involved in parasite invasion and egression) demonstrated compound 7’s higher potency compared to compound 6 and megazol. According to the mentioned results, tris-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives under test can be employed as potent antiparasitic agents against the acute RH strain of T. gondii.