ABSTRACT Described herein the novel synthesis of the lead anti-inflammatory small molecule candidate 2,3,4a-trihydroxy-l l/M,10- dioxacyclopenta[5,l-a:l,2,3-c,d,]diindene-9,l l(4a#)-dione (DITB). The present invention discloses the preparation of small molecule DITB (Figure 2), a lead multi-target anti-inflammatory candidate. This compound was identified via in silico screening capable of inhibiting various approved drug targets (COX-1, COX-2, iNOS and AMPK) for inflammatory and related conditions. The docked model of compound has shown the expected interactions with the respective proteins. Further, the preliminary in vitro studies demonstrated the significant anti-inflammatory effects of DITB by inhibiting ROS and nitrite with IC50 1.3=1=0.1 and 1.0±0.1 uM in LPS treated macrophage cell lines. In addition, DITB did not display any symptoms of toxicity or death in mice at 2000 mg/kg/oral in acute toxicity studies. Subsequently, , in pre-clinical in vivo model of inflammation (carrageenan induced paw edema) the small molecule compound of the invention, DITB find application as anti-inflammatory agent similar to diclofenac.
