Identification and evaluation of boronic compounds ameliorating cognitive deficit in orchiectomized rats

Background: Boron is a trace element with increasing importance in drug design. In this sense, boronic acids are emerging as therapeutic agents for several diseases. Methods: Herein, 3- and 4- acetamidophenylboronic acids and 4-acetamidophenylboronic acid pinacol ester were identified as potential inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase through docking assays on eel, rat, and human acetylcholinesterases indicating binding on the gorge region of the target enzymes. Then, these compounds were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results: It was found these compounds showed ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase as competitive and non-competitive inhibitors. But also, these compounds were non-toxic to PC12 cells at micromolar concentration, and they have the ability to protect those cells against damage by amyloid-beta. Conclusions: Noticeably, intraperitoneal administration of these boronic compounds to rats with the cognitive deficit induced by orchiectomy provided ameliorative effects on disrupted behavior and neuronal damage induced by hormonal deprivation. Additional approaches are required to evaluate the possibility of multiple mechanisms of action for the observed effects in the central nervous system.