Callypyrones from marine Callyspongiidae sponge Callyspongia diffusa: antihypertensive bis-γ-pyrone polypropionates attenuate angiotensin-converting enzyme.

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) catalyses the biosynthesis of angiotensin II, a potent blood vessel constrictor, from angiotensin I, and ACE inhibitors were recognised as medications for hypertension. Undescribed bis-γ-pyrone polypropionate compounds, callypyrones A and B were purified from the organic extract of Callyspongiidae sponge species Callyspongia diffusa by repeated chromatographic purification. Callypyrone A exhibited significantly greater attenuation potential against ACE (IC50 0.48 mM) than that displayed by callypyrone B (IC50 0.57 mM) and showed comparable activity with standard ACE inhibitor captopril (IC50 0.36 mM). Higher electronic parameters of callypyrone A (topological surface area of 108.36) combined with balanced hydrophilic-lipophilic parameter (octanol-water coefficient, log Pow 1.9), as deduced from the structure-activity relationship analyses, could further indicate the improved ligand-receptor interactions resulting in its prospective ACE inhibitory activity. In silico docking analyses of the callypyrones with ACE recorded lowest binding energy (-12.58 kcal mol-1) for callypyrone A, which further supported the antihypertensive potential of the compound.