Synthesis, Anti‐adipogenic, and Insulin‐sensitizing Potential of Benzosuberene‐alkyl Sulfone (BSAS) Analogues

Abstract Obesity and diabetes are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Promising modulators exhibiting insulin sensitivity and anti‐adipogenic actions are highly desirable. Organic sulfone analogues are prominent structural units present in diverse bioactive molecules. However, sulfones‐derived anti‐adipogenic agents are currently unavailable. Therefore, different benzosuberene‐alkyl sulfone (BSAS) analogues were synthesized inspired by the molecular diversity of the essential oil of Cedrus deodara . Among the series, five BSAS analogues were assessed in‐silico for their binding towards native Peroxisome Proliferator‐Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARγ) and further validated in‐vitro for their anti‐adipogenic potential in differentiated 3T3‐L1 pre‐adipocytes. Their ability to improve insulin sensitivity was also examined in L6 myotubes to ascertain their role in insulin resistance. Our results demonstrated that BSAS‐1 was the partial PPARγ agonist. It has reduced adipogenesis efficiently by downregulating adipogenic genes, resulting in lower triglyceride levels. BSAS‐1 lowered oxidative stress, protected myotubes from insulin resistance, and improved glucose uptake by promoting GLUT4 translocation. Overall, BSAS‐1 has the potential to treat obesity and obesity‐induced insulin resistance.