Synthesis of curcumin analogs under ultrasound irradiation for inhibiting α-amylase

Curcumin has biological properties because of its special characteristic structure. Mono-ketone analogs curcumin show better pharmacokinetics than curcumin itself. Curcumin analogs 1 and 2 were synthesized from 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde and acetone (analog 1) and cyclohexanone (analog 2) under ultrasound irradiation at room temperature for 15-30 minutes and were obtained in 82.40 and 77.52, respectively. Analog curcumin 1 and 2 were tested for their inhibitory activity towards α-amylase enzyme with acarbose as the positive control. The inhibitory activity of α-amylase is determined by measuring the descent of iodine-starch complex using Tecan Spark-Multimode Microplate Reader. Acarbose gives 42.9 inhibition activity at 12.5 mg/L whereas analog 1 shows an inhibition activity 48.5 at 50 mg/L and analog 2 gives 45.8 inhibition activity at 25 mg/L. Therefore, analog 1 and analog 2 has a potential as inhibitory agents of α-amylase which performs a better activity than acarbose. © 2019 Trans Tech Publications Ltd, Switzerland.