1,4-Dihydropyridine derivatives with T-type calcium channel blocking activity attenuate inflammatory and neuropathic pain.

We have recently identified a class of dihydropyridine (DHP) analogues with 30-fold selectivity for T-type over L-type calcium channels that could be attributed to a modification of a key ester moiety. Based on these results, we examined a second series of compounds with similar attributes to determine if they had enhanced affinity for T-type channels. Whole-cell patch clamp experiments in transfected tsA-201 cells were used to screen these DHP derivatives for high affinity and selectivity for Cav3.2 over Cav1.2 L-type channels. The effects of the two lead compounds, termed N10 and N12, on Cav3.2 channel activity and gating were characterized in detail. When delivered intrathecally or intraperitoneally, these compounds mediated analgesia in a mouse model of acute inflammatory pain. The best compound from the initial screening, N12, was also able to reverse mechanical hyperalgesia produced by nerve injury. The compounds were ineffective in Cav3.2 null mice. Altogether, our data reveal a novel class of T-type channel blocking DHPs for potential pain therapies.

Analgesic effect of a broad-spectrum dihydropyridine inhibitor of voltage-gated calcium channels.

Voltage-activated calcium channels are important facilitators of nociceptive transmission in the primary afferent pathway. Consequently, molecules that block these channels are of potential use as pain therapeutics. Our group has recently reported on the identification of a novel class of dihydropyridines (DHPs) that included compounds with preferential selectivity for T-type over L-type channels. Among those compounds, M4 was found to be an equipotent inhibitor of both Cav1.2 L- and Cav3.2 T-type calcium channels. Here, we have further characterized the effects of this compound on other types of calcium channels and examined its analgesic effect when delivered either spinally (i.t.) or systemically (i.p.) to mice. Both delivery routes resulted in antinociception in a model of acute pain. Furthermore, M4 was able to reverse mechanical hyperalgesia produced by nerve injury when delivered intrathecally. M4 retained partial activity when delivered to Cav3.2 null mice, indicating that this compound acts on multiple targets. Additional whole-cell patch clamp experiments in transfected tsA-201 cells revealed that M4 also effectively blocks Cav3.3 (T-type) and Cav2.2 (N-type) currents. Altogether, our data indicate that broad-spectrum inhibition of multiple calcium channel subtypes can lead to potent analgesia in rodents.

Synthesis and evaluation of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives with calcium channel blocking activity.

1,4-Dihydropyridines (DHPs) are an important class of L-type calcium channel blockers that are used to treat conditions such as hypertension and angina. Their primary target in the cardiovascular system is the Cav1.2 L-type calcium channel isoform, however, a number of DHPs also block low-voltage-activated T-type calcium channels. Here, we describe the synthesis of a series of novel DHP derivatives that have a condensed 1,4-DHP ring system (hexahydroquinoline) and report on their abilities to block both L- and T-type calcium channels. Within this series of compounds, modification of a key ester moiety not only regulates the blocking affinity for both L- and T-type channels, but also allows for the development of DHPs with 30-fold selectivity for T-type channels over the L-type. Our data suggest that a condensed dihydropyridine-based scaffold may serve as a pharmacophore for a new class of T-type selective inhibitors.

Migraine and Its Treatment from the Medicinal Chemistry Perspective.

Migraine is a disease of neurovascular origin that affects the quality of life of more than one billion people and ranks sixth among the most common diseases in the world. Migraine is characterized by a moderate or severe recurrent and throbbing headache, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and photo-phonophobia. It usually starts in adolescence and is twice as common in women as in men. It is classified as with or without aura and has chronic or acute treatment types according to the frequency of occurrence. In acute treatment, analgesics that relieve pain in the fastest way are preferred, while there are different options in chronic treatment. While non-specific methods were used in the treatment of migraine until the 1950s, triptans, ditans, and CGRP-receptor-dependent therapies (monoclonal antibodies and gepants) started to be used in the clinic more recently. In this Review, we focus on the synthesis, side effects, and pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties of FDA-approved drugs used in acute and preventive-specific treatment of migraine.

Syntheses, characterizations, crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analyses of methyl 4-[4-(di-fluorometh-oxy)phen-yl]-2,7,7-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate, isopropyl 4-[4-(di-fluoro-meth-oxy)phen-yl]-2,6,6-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate and tert-butyl 4-[4-(di-fluoro-meth-oxy)phen-yl]-2,6,6-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate.

The crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analyses of three similar compounds are reported. Methyl 4-[4-(di-fluoro-meth-oxy)phen-yl]-2,7,7-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate, (C21H23F2NO4), (I), crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with Z = 8, while isopropyl 4-[4-(di-fluoro-meth-oxy)phen-yl]-2,6,6-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carb-oxyl-ate, (C23H27F2NO4), (II) and tert-butyl 4-[4-(di-fluoro-meth-oxy)phen-yl]-2,6,6-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate, (C24H29F2NO4), (III) crystallize in the ortho-rhom-bic space group Pbca with Z = 8. In the crystal structure of (I), mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O inter-actions, forming a tri-periodic network, while mol-ecules of (II) and (III) are linked by N-H⋯O, C-H⋯F and C-H⋯π inter-actions, forming layers parallel to (002). The cohesion of the mol-ecular packing is ensured by van der Waals forces between these layers. In (I), the atoms of the 4-di-fluoro-meth-oxy-phenyl group are disordered over two sets of sites in a 0.647 (3): 0.353 (3) ratio. In (III), the atoms of the dimethyl group attached to the cyclo-hexane ring, and the two carbon atoms of the cyclo-hexane ring are disordered over two sets of sites in a 0.646 (3):0.354 (3) ratio.

Ethyl 2,7,7-trimethyl-4-(1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate.

In the title mol-ecule, C24H28N2O3, the cyclo-hexene ring is in a sofa conformation and the 1,4-dihydro-pyridine ring is in a slight boat conformation. In the indole ring system, the pyrrole and benzene rings form a dihedral angle of 2.63 (7)°. In the crystal, N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect the mol-ecules into C(6) chains parallel to the b axis and pairs of weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link inversion-related chains into a ladder motif through R2(2)(18) rings. A weak intra-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bond is also observed.

2,2,7,7-Tetra-methyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octa-hydro-acridine-1,8-dione.

The whole molecule of the title compound, C17H21NO2, is generated by twofold rotational symmetry. The N atom and the C and H atoms in position 4 of the pyridine ring lie on the twofold axis. The cyclohexene ring has a sofa conformation with the CH2 C atom adjacent to the dimethyl-substituted C atom displaced by 0.5949 (16) Šfrom the mean plane of the other five C atoms. In the crystal, weak C-H⋯O inter-actions link the mol-ecules into chains parallel to the a axis. In addition, π-π stacking inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.8444 (7) Å] contribute to the stabilization of the crystal structure.

Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of tert-butyl 4-[4-(di-fluoro-meth-oxy)phen-yl]-2,7,7-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate.

The 1,4-di-hydro-pyridine ring of the title compound, C24H29F2NO4, adopts a distorted boat conformation, while the cyclo-hexene ring is in an almost twist-boat conformation. In the crystal, N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds as well as C-H⋯π inter-actions connect mol-ecules, forming layers parallel to the (100) plane. These layers are linked by van der Waals forces and C-H⋯F inter-actions, which consolidate the crystal structure. Hirshfeld surface analysis shows the major contributions to the crystal packing are from H⋯H (54.1%), F⋯H/H⋯F (16.9%), O⋯H/H⋯O (15.4%) and C⋯H/H⋯C (12.6%) contacts.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of isopropyl 4-[2-fluoro-5-(tri-fluoro-meth-yl)phen-yl]-2,6,6-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate.

In the title compound, C23H25F4NO3, the 1,4-di-hydro-pyridine ring adopts a distorted boat conformation, while the cyclo-hexene ring is almost showing a half-chair conformation. In the crystal, inter-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect the mol-ecules into chains with graph-set motif C(6) parallel to the a-axis. These chains are linked together by C-H⋯O and C-H⋯F inter-actions, forming a three-dimensional network. In addition, C-H⋯π inter-actions link the mol-ecules into layers parallel to the (100) plane. A Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed to further investigate the inter-molecular inter-actions.

Synthesis, characterization, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of isobutyl 4-[4-(di-fluoro-meth-oxy)phen-yl]-2,6,6-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate.

In the title compound, C24H29F2NO4, which crystallizes in the ortho-rhom-bic Pca21 space group with Z = 4, the 1,4-di-hydro-pyridine ring adopts a distorted boat conformation, while the cyclo-hexene ring is in a distorted half-chair conformation. In the crystal, the mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O inter-actions, forming supra-molecular chains parallel to the a axis. These chains pack with C-H⋯π inter-actions between them, forming layers parallel to the (010) plane. The cohesion of the crystal structure is ensured by van der Waals inter-actions between these layers. Hirshfeld surface analysis shows the major contributions to the crystal packing are from H⋯H (56.9%), F⋯H/H⋯F (15.7%), O⋯H/H⋯O (13.7%) and C⋯H/H⋯C (9.5%) contacts.

Exploring novel fluorine-rich fuberidazole derivatives as hypoxic cancer inhibitors: Design, synthesis, pharmacokinetics, molecular docking, and DFT evaluations.

Sixteen fuberidazole derivatives as potential new anticancer bioreductive prodrugs were prepared and characterized. The in vitro anticancer potential was examined to explore their cytotoxic properties by employing apoptosis, DNA damage, and proliferation tests on chosen hypoxic cancer cells. Eight substances (Compound 5a, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5g, 5h, 5i, and 5m) showed promising cytotoxicity values compared to the standard control. The potential of compounds was also examined through in silico studies (against human serum albumin), including chem-informatics, to understand the structure-activity relationship (SAR), pharmacochemical strength, and the mode of interactions responsible for their action. The DFT calculations revealed that only the 5b compound showed the lowest ΔET (2.29 eV) while 5i showed relatively highest ßtot (69.89 x 10-31 esu), highest αave (3.18 x 10-23 esu), and dipole moment (6.49 Debye). This study presents a novel class of fuberidazole derivatives with selectivity toward hypoxic cancer cells.

9-(5-Bromo-1H-indol-3-yl)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10-deca-hydro-acridine-1,8-dione dimethyl sulfoxide monosolvate.

In the title compound, C21H19BrN2O2·C2H6OS, the indole ring system is essentially planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.050 (3) Šfor the non-bridgehead C atom adjacent to the N atom. The two cyclo-hex-2-enone rings adopt half-chair conformations. An intra-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs. The solvent mol-ecule exhibits minor disorder of the S atom [site occupancies = 0.8153 (16) and 0.1847 (18)]. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to the bc plane.

3,3,6,6-Tetra-methyl-9-(1-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10-deca-hydro-acridine-1,8-dione.

In the acridine system of the title mol-ecule, C26H30N2O2, both cyclo-hex-2-enone rings adopt sofa conformations. The indole ring system is essentially planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.017 (2) Šfor a bridgehead C atom. An intra-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs. The mol-ecules assemble into C(6) chains in the crystal by way of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

Ethyl 4-(5-bromo-1H-indol-3-yl)-2,6,6-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate.

The title compound, C23H25BrN2O3, crystallizes with two independent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit (Z' = 2) which differ in the twist of the 5-bromo-1H-indole ring with respect to the plane of the 4-methyl-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline ring [dihedral angles of 78.55 (9) and 89.70 (8)° in molecules A and B, respectively]. The indole ring is planar in both molecules [maximum deviations = 0.021 (3) and -0.020 (3) Šfor the N atom] while the cyclo-hexene ring has adopts a sofa conformation. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by pairs of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming dimers with R1(2)(6) ring motifs. These dimers are connected by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, generating chains along [110]. A C-H⋯O contact occurs between the independent mol-ecules.

Neurological Effects of SARS-CoV-2 and Neurotoxicity of Antiviral Drugs Against COVID-19.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is caused by different SARS viruses. In 2020, novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) led to an ongoing pandemic, known as "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)". The disease can spread among individuals through direct (via saliva, respiratory secretions, or secretion droplets) or indirect (through contaminated objects or surfaces) contact. The pandemic has spread rapidly from Asia to Europe and later to America. It continues to affect all parts of the world at an increasing rate. There have been over 92 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 by mid-January 2021. The similarity of homological sequences between SARS-CoV-2 and other SARSCoVs is high. In addition, clinical symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 and other SARS viruses show similarities. However, some COVID-19 cases show neurologic signs like headache, loss of smell, hiccups and encephalopathy. The drugs used in the palliative treatment of the disease also have some neurotoxic effects. Currently, there are approved vaccines for COVID-19. However, there is a need for specific therapeutics against COVID-19. This review will describe the neurological effects of SARS-CoV-2 and the neurotoxicity of COVID-19 drugs used in clinics. Drugs used in the treatment of COVID-19 will be evaluated by their mechanism of action and their toxicological effects.

Synthesis, characterization, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of a hexa-hydro-quinoline derivative: tert-butyl 4-([1,1'-biphen-yl]-4-yl)-2,6,6-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexa-hydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate.

The title compound, C29H33NO3, crystallizes with three mol-ecules (A, B and C) in the asymmetric unit. They differ in the twist of the phenyl and benzene rings of the 1,1'-biphenyl ring with respect to the plane of the 1,4-di-hydro-pyridine ring. In all three mol-ecules, the 1,4-di-hydro-pyridine ring adopts a distorted boat conformation. The cyclo-hexene ring has an envelope conformation in mol-ecules A and B, while it exhibits a distorted half-chair conformation for both the major and minor components in the disordered mol-ecule C. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by C-H⋯O and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to (100) defining R 1 4(6) and C(7) graph-set motifs. Additional C-H⋯π inter-actions consolidate the layered structure. Between the layers, van der Waals inter-actions stabilize the packing, as revealed by Hirshfeld surface analysis. The greatest contributions to the crystal packing are from H⋯H (69.6% in A, 69.9% in B, 70.1% in C), C⋯H/H⋯C (20.3% in A, 20.6% in B, 20.3% in C) and O⋯H/H⋯O (8.6% in A, 8.6% in B, 8.4% in C) inter-actions.

Adverse Effects of COVID-19 Treatments: A Special Focus on Susceptible Populations.

On December 2019, the world faced a new pandemic caused by a novel type of coronavirus, namely severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This disease is named as "coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)." This RNA virus infected millions of people around the world causing millions of deaths. It takes approximately 8-10 years to develop a new drug and it seems hard to have a specific pharmaceutical agent against COVID-19. So far, there is only one drug that has applied for registration. The drugs used in clinics against COVID-19 were approved for malaria, human immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV), influenza A and B, and other viral diseases. All these drugs for COVID-19 treatment are being applied according to "drug repurposing (drug repositioning)" strategy. However, they could cause some severe adverse effects on susceptible populations. In some cases, patients can survive after disease. However, the adverse effects of these drugs may lead to morbidity and mortality later. In this review, drugs used against COVID-19 in clinics, their mechanisms of action and possible adverse effects on susceptible populations will be discussed.

Two 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives with potential calcium-channel antagonist activity.

The title compounds, benzyl 4-(3-chloro-2-fluorophenyl)-2-methyl-5-oxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]pyridine-3-carboxylate, C(23)H(19)ClFNO(3), (I), and 3-pyridylmethyl 4-[2-fluoro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-2,6,6-trimethyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinoline-3-carboxylate, C(26)H(24)F(4)N(2)O(3), (II), belong to a class of 1,4-dihydropyridines whose members sometimes display calcium modulatory properties. The 1,4-dihydropyridine ring in each structure has a shallower than usual shallow-boat conformation and is nearly planar in (I). In each structure, the halogen-substituted benzene ring is oriented such that the halogen substituents are in a synperiplanar orientation with respect to the 1,4-dihydropyridine ring plane. The oxocyclopentene ring in (I) is planar, while the oxocyclohexene ring in (II) has a half-chair conformation, which is less commonly observed than the envelope conformation usually found in related compounds. In (I), the frequently observed intermolecular N-H···O hydrogen bond between the amine group and the carbonyl O atom of the oxocyclopentene ring of a neighbouring molecule links the molecules into extended chains; there are no other significant intermolecular interactions. By contrast, the amine group in (II) forms an N-H···N hydrogen bond with the pyridine ring N atom of a neighbouring molecule. Additional C-H···O interactions complete a two-dimensional hydrogen-bonded network. The halogen-substituted benzene ring has a weak intramolecular π-π interaction with the pyridine ring. A stronger π-π interaction occurs between the 1,4-dihydropyridine rings of centrosymmetrically related molecules.

Evaluation of myorelaxant activity of 7-substituted hexahydroquinoline derivatives in isolated rabbit gastric fundus.

In this article, 16 new methyl(ethyl) 4-(dichlorophenyl)-2,7-dimethyl-5-oxo-l,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinoline-3-carboxylates and methyl(ethyl) 2-methyl-4-(dichlorophenyl)-5-oxo-7-phenyl-l,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinoline-3-carboxylate derivatives have been synthesized by the Hantzsch reaction and screened for their myorelaxant and potassium channel opening activities. The maximum relaxant effects (E(max)) and pD(2) values on exogenous noradrenaline precontracted tissues and inhibitory effects on cholinergic neurotransmission of the compounds and pinacidil were determined on isolated strips of rabbit gastric fundus smooth muscle. Obtained results indicated that some compounds and pinacidil produced concentration-dependent relaxation on rabbit gastric fundus smooth muscle strips in the two test conditions.

Spectroscopic study of hexahydroquinoline derivatives--a potential group of calcium antagonists.

Spectral properties of 2, 6, 6-trimethyl-3-carbmethoxy-4-phenyl-5-oxo -1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinoline derivatives (HHQ) with different substituents in the phenyl ring (-Cl, -NO2, -CF3, -CH3, -OCH3) have been studied. Their emission and absorption spectra have been analyzed and quantum yields of emission were determined. The quantum yield of emission was found to depend on the kind, number, and position of substituents in the phenyl ring: it was the highest for the chlorine derivatives of HHQ, and the lowest for the compounds containing -NO2 group.