In vitro antioxidant properties of 2-imino-benzimidazole and 1,3-thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazolone derivatives

Abstract

Antioxidant properties of 2-[2-imino-5-nitro-3-(2-oxo-2-phenylethyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-1-phenylethanone (compound 1) and 2-(4-fluorobenzylidene)-6-(phenylcarbonyl)[1,3]thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazol-3(2H)-one (compound 2) were evaluated in vitro. Compounds 1 and 2 did not show significant radical scavenging activity. It has been suggested that antioxidant strategies should not be based on direct scavengers but rather on the potentiation of endogenous antioxidant defenses, or on the reduction of the sources of reactive species. Although a direct scavenging mechanism is missing, the assayed compounds (1 and 2) as evidenced inhibitors of xanthine oxidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 might act antioxidatively by employing other mechanisms.