Identification of tetracyclic lactams as NMDA receptor antagonists with potential application in neurological disorders.

N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are crucial for the normal function of the central nervous system (CNS), and fundamental in memory and learning-related processes. The overactivation of these receptors is associated with numerous neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Therefore, NMDAR is considered a relevant therapeutic target for many CNS disorders. Herein, we report the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of a new scaffold with antagonistic activity for NMDAR. Specifically, a chemical library of eighteen 1-aminoindan-2-ol tetracyclic lactams was synthesized and screened as NMDAR antagonists. The compounds were obtained by chiral pool synthesis using enantiomerically pure 1-aminoindan-2-ols as chiral inductors, and their stereochemistry was proven by X-ray crystallographic analysis of two target compounds. Most compounds reveal NMDAR antagonism, and eleven compounds display IC50 values in a Ca2+ entry-sensitive fluo-4 assay in the same order of magnitude of memantine, a clinically approved NMDAR antagonist. Docking studies suggest that the novel compounds can act as NMDAR channel blockers since there is a compatible conformation with MK-801 co-crystallized with NMDAR channel. In addition, we show that the tetracyclic 1-aminoindan-2-ol derivatives are brain permeable and non-toxic, and we identify promising hits for further optimization as modulators of the NMDAR function.

Augmentation of catecholamine release elicited by an Eugenia punicifolia extract in chromaffin cells

Plant extracts of Eugenia punicifolia (Kunth) DC., Myrtaceae, are used in Amazon region of Brazil to treat diarrhea and stomach disturbances, and as hypoglycemic medicine. We have recently shown that an aqueous extract of E. punicifolia augmented cholinergic neurotransmission in a rat phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation. In this study, we investigated the effects of an E. punicifolia dichloromethane extract (EPEX) in a neuronal model of cholinergic neurotransmission, the bovine adrenal chromaffin cell. EPEX augmented the release of catecholamine triggered by acetylcholine (ACh) pulses but did not enhance ACh-evoked inward currents, which were inhibited by 30 percent. Since EPEX did not cause a blockade of acetylcholinesterase or butyrylcholinesterase, it seems that EPEX is not directly activating the cholinergic system. EPEX also augmented K+-elicited secretion without enhancing the whole-cell inward calcium current. This novel and potent effect of EPEX in enhancing exocytosis might help to identify the active component responsible for augmenting exocytosis. When elucidated, the molecular structure of this active principle could serve as a template to synthesise novel compounds to regulate the exocytotic release of neurotransmitters.

Synthesis and pharmacological assessment of diversely substituted pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline, and benzo[b]pyrazolo[4,3-g][1,8]naphthyridine derivatives.

The synthesis and pharmacological analyses of a number of pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline and benzo[b]pyrazolo[4,3-g][1,8]naphthyridine derivatives are reported. We have synthesized the diversely substituted tacrine analogues 1-6, by Friedländer-type reaction of readily available o-amino-1-methyl-pyrazole-dicarbonitriles with cyclohexanone. The biological evaluation showed that pyrazolotacrines 1-6 are inhibitors of Electrophorus electricus acetylcholinesterase (EeAChE), in the micromolar range, and quite selective in respect to serum horse butyrylcholinesterase (eqBuChE) inhibition; the most interesting inhibitor is N-(5-amino-1-methyl-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-1H-benzo[b]pyrazolo[4,3-g][1,8]naphthyridin-3-yl)acetamide (5) [IC(50) (EeAChE) = 0.069 ± 0.006 µM; IC(50) (eqBuChE) = 6.3 ± 0.6 µM]. Kinetic studies showed that compound 5 is a mixed-type inhibitor of EeAChE (K(i) = 155 nM). Inhibitor 5 showed a 45% neuroprotection value against rotenone/oligomycin A-induced neuronal death.

Multipotent drugs with cholinergic and neuroprotective properties for the treatment of Alzheimer and neuronal vascular diseases. I. Synthesis, biological assessment, and molecular modeling of simple and readily available 2-aminopyridine-, and 2-chloropyridine-3,5-dicarbonitriles.

The synthesis, molecular modeling, and pharmacological analysis of new multipotent simple, and readily available 2-aminopyridine-3,5-dicarbonitriles (3-20), and 2-chloropyridine-3,5-dicarbonitriles (21-28), prepared from 2-amino-6-chloropyridine-3,5-dicarbonitrile (1) and 2-amino-6-chloro-4-phenylpyridine-3,5-dicarbonitrile (2) is described. The biological evaluation showed that some of these molecules were modest inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), in the micromolar range. The 2-amino (3, 4), and 2-chloro derivatives 21-23, 25, 26 were AChE selective inhibitors, whereas 2-amino derivatives 5, 14 proved to be selective for BuChE. Only inhibitor 24 was equipotent for both cholinesterases. Kinetic studies on compound 23 showed that this compound is a mixed-type inhibitor of AChE showing a K(i) of 6.33 microM. No clear SAR can be obtained form these data, but apparently, compounds bearing small groups such as the N,N'-dimethylamino or the pyrrolidino, regardless of the presence of a 2-amino, or 6-chloro substituent in the pyridine ring, preferentially inhibit AChE. Molecular modeling on inhibitors 4, 5, 22, and 23 has been carried out to give a better insight into the binding mode on the catalytic active site (CAS), and peripheral anionic site (PAS) of AChE. The most important differences in the observed binding relay on the modifications of the group at C2, as the amino group forms two hydrogen bonds that direct the binding mode, while in the case of compounds with a chlorine atom, this is not possible. The neuroprotective profile of these molecules has been investigated. In the LDH test, only compounds 26, 3, 22, and 24 showed neuroprotection with values in the range 37.8-31.6% in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells stressed with a mixture of oligomycin-A/rotenone, but in the MTT test only compound 17 (32.9%) showed a similar profile. Consequently, these compounds can be considered as attractive multipotent therapeutic molecules on two key pharmacological receptors playing key roles in the progress of Alzheimer, that is, cholinergic dysfunction and oxidative stress, and neuronal vascular diseases.