Synthesis, evaluation and QSAR studies of 16-(4 & 3,4-substituted) benzylidene androstene derivatives as anticancer agents.

In a systematic effort aimed at identifying new steroidal cytotoxic agents with potent antipoliferative activity against cancer cells and developing their QSAR models, series of 4-nitro, 4-isopropyl, 4-methoxy and 3,4-dimethoxy substituted benzylidene androst-5-ene derivatives were synthesized. The selected compounds were evaluated for antineoplastic activity against a panel of three human cell lines-breast, CNS and lungs at NCI, Bethesda, USA. The results presented herein reports that compounds 7, 9, 10, 15,16, 18, 20-25, 30, 32-36 and 44 have been found to be active anticancer agents. The QSAR of 20 compounds was performed separately for each cell line and best-fit QSAR models are developed. The QSAR models obtained have shown significant correlations (r(2) range: 0.9163 to 0.8164) and good predictive performance (q(2) range: 0.8499- 0.6320). The validation of models has also been performed using the test set of compounds 5, 15 and 44.

Synthesis of a new series of 4-aryl-1,4-dihydropyridines with calcium channel blocking and vasodilatory activity.

Synthesis of a new series of 4-aryl-1,4-dihydropyridines possessing potential calcium channel blocking activity along with good vasodilatory profile is reported. The compounds were synthesized using modified Hantzsch condensation of various aldehydes with methyl 3-aminocrotonate in the presence of a catalytic amount of trifluoroacetic acid and subsequent alkylation with various hydrochlorides of dialkylaminoalkyl chlorides. In vitro calcium channel blocking activity has been evaluated in cultures of neonatal rat cortical neurons by measuring the inhibitory response at L-type calcium channels activated by veratridine. Many compounds exhibited moderate to significant calcium channel blockade around 1 microM. The vasodilatory activity was assessed on isolated rat thoracic aortic rings precontracted by phenylephrine/KCl (30 mM). Most of the compounds produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of the contractile response.

Selective beta(1)-adrenoreceptor blocking activity of newly synthesized acyl amino-substituted aryloxypropanolamine derivatives, DPJ 955 and DPJ 890, in rats.

The in-vivo beta-adrenoreceptor antagonistic activity of test compounds DPJ 955 and DPJ 890 was assessed against beta-adrenoreceptor agonist (isoprenaline) induced tachycardia in anaesthetized rats. The selectivity to block isoprenaline responses on different &beta-adrenoreceptor subtypes (beta(1), beta(2) and beta(3)) of the test compounds was carried out on isolated rat right atria, isolated rat uterus and isolated rat colon preparations, respectively. Intravenous injection of isoprenaline alone in anaesthetized rats caused hypotension and tachycardia. DPJ 955 or DPJ 890 alone produced a fall in mean arterial pressure and bradycardia in a dose-dependent manner. Administration of isoprenaline to anaesthetized rats pre-treated with test compounds significantly blocked both the tachycardial and hypotensive responses induced by isoprenaline. The test compounds shifted the concentration response curves of isoprenaline towards the right for isolated rat right atrial preparations, rat uterus and rat colon, indicating beta(1), beta(2) and beta(3) adrenoreceptor blockade, respectively. The selectivity ratio for beta(1)/beta-adrenoreceptors to DPJ 955 and DPJ 890 was 64.6 and 83.2, respectively. DPJ 890 was more potent in blocking beta(1)-adrenoreceptors and was more selective towards beta(1) receptors than to other beta-adrenoreceptor subtypes. In conclusion, DPJ 955 and DPJ890 have beta-adrenoreceptor blocking activity with high selectivity for the beta(1)-adrenoreceptor subtype.

Heterosteroids and drug research.

PIP: This updated literature review on heterosteroids and drug research has information on chemical structure, pharmacology, and effects. It first discusses the anti-inflammatory heterosteroids, such as mometasone furoate and cortivazol. It also covers heterosteroidal antimineralocorticoids and anabolic hetero derivatives. The review discusses at length the 19-norsteroid, mifepristone (RU-486), which exhibits antiprogestational activity and is being used for fertility control in women. It also has antiglucocorticoid activity and shows promise as a treatment of diseases characterized by muscle atrophy. In vitro studies indicate that mifepristone inhibits growth of breast cancer cell lines and of endometrial cancer cell lines. It has already exhibited growth inhibitory effects in some breast cancer patients. Discussions of mifepristone's pharmacokinetics and structural modifications of mifepristone follow. Danazol is an antigonadotropin and is used to treat endometriosis, benign breast disease, precocious puberty, hereditary angioneurotic edema, menorrhagia, some types of infertility, and gynecomastia. Danazol effects considerable changes in lipid metabolism. Other hormonal, antihormonal, and/or antifertility heterosteroids and/or aspects include androgen antagonists (e.g., cyproterone acetate), estrogen activity, antiestrogens, STS-557, and oximinosteroids. Heterosteroidal inhibitors of steroid hormone biosynthesis discussed are aromatase inhibitors, 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitors (trilostane, epostane, and azastene). Heterosteroids affect the cardiovascular system, including the cardiac glycosides, antiarrhythmic agents, and antilipemic agents. Some heterosteroids affect central nervous system activity (e.g., RU-5135 causes convulsions in rodents). Pancuronium analogues and chandonium and analogues are neuromuscular blocking azasteroids. In addition to danazol and RU-486, several other antineoplastic heterosteroids exist (e.g., estramustine phosphate sodium, a prostate cancer drug).^ieng

Synthesis and study of some 4-aza and 17a-azasteroidal isoxazoles.

4-Aza-5 alpha-androstano[2,3-d]isoxazole 4 and 17a-aza-D-homo-5-androsteno[17,16-c]isoxazole 7 have been prepared by treating alpha,beta-unsaturated-beta-chloroaldehydes 3 and 6 [1, 2] with hydroxylamine hydrochloride in pyridine. [16,17-d]Isoxazole derivatives 4 and 8 were found to be unstable in most of the organic solvents. beta-Cyanolactam derivatives 5 and 9 have also been prepared in both the series.

Synthesis and neuromuscular blocking activity of 16beta-piperidinosteroidal derivatives.

The synthesis and pharmacological profiles of some new steroidal mono- and bisquaternary ammonium derivatives have been described. The compounds featured have been conceptually derived structurally from two lead structures: pancuronium bromide 1 and chandonium iodide 2. In vitro and in vivo neuromuscular blocking studies have indicated the monoquaternary compound 15 to be less active than the bisquaternary compounds 10 and 11. The compound 11 has been found to be more active than d-tubocurarine.

Studies of the thiadiazine, taurolidine-I. Identification of the molecular species present in aqueous solutions by (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectroscopy.

The equilibria in deuterium oxide solutions of the diamine, 4,4'-methylenebis(tetrahydro-1,2,4-thiadiazine-1,1-dioxide), were studied using highfield (1)H- and (13)C-NMR with the aid of solutions of tetrahydro-2H-1,2,4-thiadiazine-1,1-dioxide (taurultam), its two N-methyl detivatives and methylene glycol. Comparison of the (1)H-NMR spectrum of taurolidine with the one obtained from a mixture of taurultam and methylene glycol indicated that the same equilibria exists in both these solutions. It was concluded that taurolidine, taurultam and its 4-hydroxymethyl adduct and methylene glycol are the major components present. To facilitate the interpretation of the (13)C-spectra, (13)C-enriched methylene glycol was added to solutions of taurultam. The (13)C-studies confirmed the (1)H-NMR study.

Synthesis and neuromuscular blocking activity of 16-(2- and 3-pyridylmethylene) dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives.

The interonium distance plays a major role in neuromuscular blocking activity of bis-quaternary ammonium compounds. In this study we tried to alter the distance between two quaternary nitrogens in some of the steroidal derivatives synthesized and evaluated them for neuromuscular blocking activity using in vivo (in chicks) and in vitro models (rectus abdominus and chick biventer cervis muscle) for their mechanism of action. All the synthesized compounds have shown to possess good depolarizing, competitive neuromuscular blocking activity, particularly the 17-acetoxy derivative and the increase in the distance between two quaternary nitrogens decreased the activity.

Study of beta-adrenoreceptor antagonistic activity of DPJ 904 in rats.

beta-Adrenoreceptor antagonistic activity of a newly synthesized compound was evaluated in vivo by measuring the mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate of urethane-anesthetized rats treated with isoprenaline. In vitro beta(1)-, beta(2)- and beta(3)-antagonism was studied using isolated rat right atria, isolated rat uterus and isolated rat colon preparations, respectively, in comparison to isoprenaline response. DPJ 904 (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg, i.v.) produced dose-dependent hypotensive and bradycardia response in anesthetized rat. DPJ 904 (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly inhibited both the tachycardial effects and hypotensive response induced by isoprenaline. DPJ 904-antagonized isoprenaline induced positive chronotropic effects of isolated rat right atria and a uterine relaxant effect indicating beta(1)- and beta(2)-blockade. The parallel shift to the right of the concentration-response curve of isoprenaline in the presence of DPJ 904 in KCl (30 mmol/l) induced contraction of the rat colon suggesting that DPJ 904 also possessed beta(3)-adrenoreceptor antagonistic activity. The selectivity to beta(1)-adrenoreceptor was nearly 20.5 times greater than to beta(2)-adrenoreceptor. The present study indicates that DPJ 904 possesses beta-adrenoreceptor antagonistic activity with slightly more affinity to the beta(1)-adrenoreceptor subtype.

Two androst-5-ene derivatives: 16-[4-(3-chloropropoxy)-3-methoxybenzylidene]-17-oxoandrost-5-en-3 beta-ol and 16-[3-methoxy-4-(2-pyrrolidin-1-ylethoxy)benzylidene]-3 beta-pyrrolidinoandrost-5-en-17 beta-ol monohydrate.

In the steroidal nucleus of 16-[4-(3-chloropropoxy)-3-methoxybenzylidene]-17-oxoandrost-5-en-3 beta-ol, C(30)H(29)ClO(4), (I), the outer two six-membered rings are in chair conformations, while the five-membered ring and the central six-membered ring of the steroidal nucleus adopt half-chair and envelope conformations, respectively. In 16-[3-methoxy-4-(2-pyrrolidin-1-ylethoxy)benzylidene]-3 beta-pyrrolidinoandrost-5-en-17 beta-ol monohydrate, C(37)H(54)N(2)O(3).H(2)O, (II), one C atom of one of the outer six-membered rings of the steroid nucleus and the four C atoms of the ethoxypyrrolidine ring are disordered over two sites. The five-membered ring, and the central and one of the outer six-membered rings of the steroidal nucleus exhibit distorted half-chair, chair and envelope conformations, respectively. In (I), intermolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into chains via a co-operative O-H...O-H...O-H pattern. In (II), intermolecular O-H...O and O-H...N hydrogen bonds link the steroid and water molecules alternately into extended chains.

16-(4-Isopropylbenzylidene)androst-4-ene-3,17-dione.

In the title compound, C(29)H(36)O(2), the outer cyclohexene ring of the steroid nucleus has a conformation that lies about half-way between a half-chair and an envelope, while the central and outer cyclohexane rings of the steroid nucleus have slightly distorted chair conformations. The steroidal cyclopentane ring adopts a 13beta,14alpha-half-chair conformation. The benzylidene moiety has an E configuration with respect to the carbonyl group on the cyclopentane ring. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of the steroid nucleus and the benzylidene moiety is 35.54 (9) degrees. The packing of the molecules is assumed to be dictated mainly by weak intermolecular C-H.O interactions.

An aza-steroidal [17,16-c]pyrazole derivative: 2'-(p-fluorophenyl)-17a-aza-2'H-pyrazolo[4',3':16,17]-D-homoandrost-4-en-3-one.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(26)H(30)FN(3)O, contains two crystallographically independent molecules, the core skeletons of which have the same absolute configuration and almost identical conformations, except for differences in the orientation of the p-fluorophenyl ring. The tetrahydropyridine ring adopts a half-chair conformation, while the cyclohexenone ring has a slightly distorted envelope conformation. The cyclohexane rings have chair conformations, sometimes slightly distorted. Intermolecular N-H.O, N-H.N and C-H.F interactions and an intramolecular C-H.N interaction are observed.

16-Cyano-13alpha-(5-methyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-13,16-seco-17-norandrost-5-en-3beta-yl acetate.

In the title compound, C(23)H(31)N(3)O(3), the outer cyclohexane rings have chair conformations, while the central cyclohexene ring adopts a half-chair conformation. In the solid state, intra- and intermolecular C-H.N interactions are observed.

16-(4-Cyanobenzylidene)-17-oxoandrost-5-en-3beta-ol.

In the title compound, 4-(3beta-hydroxy-17-oxoandrost-5-en-16-ylidenemethyl)benzonitrile, C(27)H(31)NO(2), rings A and C of the steroid nucleus are in chair conformations. The central six-membered ring B is in an 8beta,9alpha-half-chair conformation, while the five-membered ring D adopts a 13beta,14alpha-half-chair conformation. The cyanobenzylidene moiety has an E configuration with respect to the carbonyl group at position C17. The dihedral angle between the planes of the steroid nucleus and the cyanobenzylidene moiety is 22.61 (15) degrees. Intermolecular O-H.N hydrogen bonds formed between the hydroxyl group of the steroid and the N atom of the cyanobenzylidene moiety of symmetry-related molecules link the steroid molecules into chains which run parallel to the b axis.

2'-(4-Fluorophenyl)-[1,2,3]triazolo[4',5':16,17]androst-5-en-3beta-ol methanol hemisolvate.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(25)H(30)FN(3)O.0.5CH(3)OH, contains four symmetry-independent steroid and two methanol molecules. The conformations of the independent steroid molecules are very similar. Intermolecular O-H.O hydrogen bonds create two independent chains, each of which links two of the independent steroid molecules plus one methanol molecule via a co-operative O-H.O-H.O-H pattern. Intermolecular C-H.O and C-H.F interactions are also observed.

2-(2-Naphthyloxy)acetate derivatives. I. A new class of antiamnesic agents.

The title compounds 1-(2-naphthyloxymethylcarbonyl)piperidine, C(17)H(19)NO(2), (I), and 3-methyl-1-(2-naphthyloxymethylcarbonyl)piperidine, C(18)H(21)NO(2), (II), are potential antiamnesics. In (II), the methyl-substituted piperidine ring is disordered over two conformations. The piperidine ring has a chair conformation in both compounds. In (I), the molecules are linked by weak intermolecular C-H.O interactions to give networks represented by C(4), C(6) and R(4)(4)(18) graph-set motifs, while in (II), weak intermolecular C-H.O interactions generate R(1)(2)(5), C(4) and C(7) graph-set motifs. The dihedral angle between the naphthalene moiety and the piperidine ring is 33.83 (7) degrees in (I), while it is 31.78 (11) and 19.38 (19) degrees for the major and minor conformations, respectively, in (II).

2-(2-Naphthyloxy)acetate derivatives. II. A new class of antiamnesic agents.

The title compounds, 4-(2-naphthyloxymethylcarbonyl)morpholine, C(16)H(17)NO(3), (I), and 4-methyl-1-(2-naphthyloxymethylcarbonyl)piperazine, C(17)H(20)N(2)O(2), (II), are potential antiamnesics. The morpholine ring in (I) and the piperazine ring in (II) adopt chair conformations. In (I), the molecules are linked by weak intermolecular C-H.O interactions into chains that have a graph-set motif of C(10), while in (II), the molecules are linked by weak intermolecular C-H.O interactions that generate two C(7) graph-set motifs. The dihedral angle between the naphthalene moiety and the best plane through the morpholine ring is 20.62 (4) degrees in (I), while the naphthalene moiety is oriented nearly perpendicular to the mean plane of the piperazine ring in (II).

3Beta-(1-allyl-1-pyrrolidinio)-16-(2-pyridylmethylene)androst-5-en-17beta-ol bromide hemihydrate.

The title compound, C(32)H(45)N(2)O(+).Br(-).0.5H(2)O, has the outer two six-membered rings in chair conformations, while the central ring is in an 8beta,9alpha-half-chair conformation. The five-membered ring of the steroid nucleus adopts a slightly deformed 14alpha-envelope conformation. The pyridylmethylene moiety has an E configuration with respect to the hydroxyl group at position 17. The structure is stabilized by a network of O-H...Br-type intermolecular hydrogen bonds.

1-[2-(4-nitrophenoxy)acetyl]pyrrolidin-2-one: an antiamnesic agent.

The title compound, C(12)H(12)N(2)O(5), is a potential antiamnesic agent. The pyrrolidinone ring has an envelope conformation, and the central moiety is almost coplanar with the planes of the phenyl and pyrrolidinone rings. In the crystal structure, weak intermolecular C--H...O interactions link the molecules into a complex network that can be described by R(2)(2)(X) rings (X = 16, 20 and 26) and a C(12) chain.

4-(3,17-Dioxoandrost-4-en-16-ylidenemethyl)benzonitrile.

The title compound, C(27)H(29)NO(2), has the outer six-membered ring in a sofa conformation, while the central rings are in chair conformations. The five-membered ring adopts a slightly distorted 13 beta,14 alpha-half-chair conformation. The cyanobenzylidene moiety has an E configuration with respect to the carbonyl group at position 17.