Cholinesterase-like organocatalysis by imidazole and imidazole-bearing molecules.

ABSTRACT: Organocatalysis, which is mostly explored for its new potential industrial applications, also represents a chemical event involved in endogenous processes. In the present study, we provide the first evidence that imidazole and imidazole derivatives have cholinesterase-like properties since they can accelerate the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine and propionylthiocholine in a concentration-dependent manner. The natural imidazole-containing molecules as L-histidine and histamine show a catalytic activity, comparable to that of imidazole itself, whereas synthetic molecules, as cimetidine and clonidine, were less active. In the experimental conditions used, the reaction progress curves were sigmoidal and the rational of such unexpected behavior as well as the mechanism of catalysis is discussed

SUBMITTER: Nieri P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5377937 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature