Evaluation of antioxidant activity and toxicity of sulfur- or selenium-containing 4-(arylchalcogenyl)-1H-pyrazoles.

Pyrazoles represent a significant class of heterocyclic compounds that exhibit pharmacological properties. The present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant potential of pyrazol derivative compounds in brain of mice in vitro and the effect of pyrazol derivative compounds in the oxidative damage and toxicity parameters in mouse brain and plasma of mice. The compounds tested were 3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-4-(phenylselanyl)-1H-pyrazol (1a), 3,5-dimethyl-4-(phenylselanyl)-1H-pyrazole (2a), 4-((4-methoxyphenyl)selanyl)-3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (3a), 4-((4-chlorophenyl)selanyl)-3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (4a), 3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-4-(phenylthio)-1H-pyrazole (1b), 3,5-dimethyl-4-(phenylthio)-1H-pyrazole (2b), 4-((4-methoxyphenyl)thio)-3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (3b), 4-((4-chlorophenyl)thio)-3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (4b), and 3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (1c). In vitro, 4-(arylcalcogenyl)-1H-pyrazoles, at low molecular range, reduced lipid peroxidation and reactive species in mouse brain homogenates. The compounds also presented ferric-reducing ability as well nitric oxide-scavenging activity. Especially compounds 1a, 1b, and 1c presented efficiency to 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl-scavenging activity. Compounds 1b and 1c presented 2,20 -azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)-scavenging activity. In vivo assays demonstrated that compounds 1a, 1b, and 1c (300 mg/kg, intragastric, a single administration) did not cause alteration in the of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity, an enzyme that exhibits high sensibility to prooxidants situations, in the brain, liver, and kidney of mice. Compound 1c reduced per se the lipid peroxidation in liver and brain of mice. Toxicological assays demonstrate that compounds 1a, 1b, and 1c did not present toxicity in the aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, urea, and creatinine levels in the plasma. In conclusion, the results demonstrated the antioxidant action of pyrazol derivative compounds in in vitro assays. Furthermore, the results showed low toxicity of compounds in in vivo assays.