CHED 426 |
| Curcumin is the active ingredient in curry that has been shown to inhibit the enzyme aminopeptidase N (APN), an enzyme that promotes angiogenesis. It is postulated that curcumin's activity stems from a Michael-type reaction of nucleophilic aminoacids in APN's active site and the (beta)-carbons of curcumin. The proposed research project is to measure the kinetics of nucleophilic attack of a model thiol nucleophile on the (beta)-carbon of curcumin. The rate of reaction between L-cysteine as the model amino acid nuclephile and curcumin will also be measured in 100%H2O. Reaction will be followed by monitoring the loss of curcumin overtime by conventional UV-Vis spectroscopy(biological pH), or by stopped flow spectroscopy (thiolate as its own buffer). This project will serve as the biginning point for a larger structure-reactivity study. In this latter study the effect of ring substitution on the reactivity of the (beta)-carbon toward thiol nucleophile attack will be measure kinetically. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Organic Chemistry
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, 27 March 2006 Georgia World Congress Center -- Ex. Hall B4, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |