Research Keywords:
- Cardiac Steroids
- Organic Synthesis
- Na+, K+-ATPase activity
- Bufalin Derivatives
- Antioxidant Activity
- HPLC and Mass Spectra
Research Highlights:
Prof. Deutsch has identified endogenous digitalis-like compounds in animal tissue. He was the first to combine HPLC and mass spectrometry methods in identifying of 19-norbufalin in human cataracts eye lenses. He has synthesized a large variety of 19-norbufalin isomers and analogs with biological activities.
Recently, in Deutsch’s laboratory, two new compounds isomers of a Cardiac steroid from toad skin, called Bufalin, lacking of an OH group at the 3 position, bufalin-2,3-ene and bufalin-3,4-ene, were synthesized. The biological activities of these compounds were evaluated by testing their ability to inhibit Na+, K+-ATPase activity in a pig brain microsomal fraction, to cause cytotoxicity in human cancer cells.