Hepatoprotective Effect of ψ-Glutathione in a Murine Model of Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Toxicity.

Ψ-Glutathione (ψ-GSH) is an orally bioavailable and metabolism-resistant glutathione analogue that has been shown previously to substitute glutathione in most of its biochemical roles. Described here in its entirety is the preclinical evaluation of ψ-GSH as a rescue agent for acetaminophen (APAP) overdose: an event where time is of essence. By employing a murine model, four scenarios commonly encountered in emergency medicine are reconstructed. ψ-GSH is juxtaposed against N-acetylcysteine (NAC), the sole clinically available drug, in each of the scenarios. While both agents appear to be equally efficacious when timely administered, ψ-GSH partly retains its efficacy even in the face of substantial delay in administration. Thus, implied is the ability of ψ-GSH to intercept secondary toxicology following APAP insult. Oral availability and complete lack of toxicity as evaluated by liver function tests and survival analysis underscored ψ-GSH as a safer and more efficacious alternative to NAC. Finally, the pharmacodynamic mimicry of GSH by ψ-GSH is illustrated through the isolation and chemical characterization of an entity that can arise only through direct encounter of ψ-GSH with N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine, the primary toxic metabolite of APAP.

Restoration of glyoxalase enzyme activity precludes cognitive dysfunction in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Pathologically high brain levels of reactive dicarbonyls such as methylglyoxal or glyoxal initiate processes that lead ultimately to neurodegeneration, presented clinically as Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive or motor impairment disorders. Methylglyoxal and glyoxal result from glycolysis and normal metabolic pathways. Their reaction products with proteins (advanced glycation end products), and their primary chemical toxicities are both linked unequivocally to the primary pathologies of Alzheimer's disease, namely, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Generation of dicarbonyls is countered through the reduction of dicarbonyls by the glutathione-dependent glyoxalase enzyme system. Although glyoxalase-I is overexpressed in early and middle stages of Alzheimer's disease, glutathione depletion in the Alzheimer's afflicted brain cripples its efficacy. Due to the lack of a suitable pharmacological tool, the restoration of glyoxalase enzyme activity in pre-Alzheimer's or manifest Alzheimer's remains yet unvalidated as a means for anti-Alzheimer's therapy development. Disclosed herein are the results of a preclinical study into the therapeutic efficacy of ψ-GSH, a synthetic cofactor of glyoxalase, in mitigating Alzheimer's indicators in a transgenic mouse model (APP/PS1) that is predisposed to Alzheimer's disease. ψ-GSH administration completely averts the development of spatial mnemonic and long-term cognitive/cued-recall impairment. Amyloid ß deposition and oxidative stress indicators are drastically reduced in the ψ-GSH-treated APP/PS1 mouse. ψ-GSH lacks discernible toxicity at strikingly high doses of 2000 mg/kg. The hypothesis that restoring brain glyoxalase activity would ameliorate neurogeneration stands validated, thus presenting a much needed new target for design of anti-Alzheimer's therapeutics. Consequently, ψ-GSH is established as a candidate for drug-development.

Design, synthesis and interaction at the vesicular monoamine transporter-2 of lobeline analogs: potential pharmacotherapies for the treatment of psychostimulant abuse.

The vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT2) is considered as a new target for the development of novel therapeutics to treat psychostimulant abuse. Current information on the structure, function and role of VMAT2 in psychostimulant abuse are presented. Lobeline, the major alkaloidal constituent of Lobelia inflata, interacts with nicotinic receptors and with VMAT2. Numerous studies have shown that lobeline inhibits both the neurochemical and behavioral effects of amphetamine in rodents, and behavioral studies demonstrate that lobeline has potential as a pharmacotherapy for psychostimulant abuse. Systematic structural modification of the lobeline molecule is described with the aim of improving selectivity and affinity for VMAT2 over neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and other neurotransmitter transporters. This has led to the discovery of more potent and selective ligands for VMAT2. In addition, a computational neural network analysis of the affinity of these lobeline analogs for VMAT2 has been carried out, which provides computational models that have predictive value in the rational design of VMAT2 ligands and is also useful in identifying drug candidates from virtual libraries for subsequent synthesis and evaluation.

3-O-phosphate ester conjugates of 17-ß-O-{1-[2-carboxy-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-3-carboxamido)anilido]ethyl}1,3,5(10)-estratriene as novel bone-targeting agents.

A series of 3-O-phosphorylated analogs (4-10) of a novel bone-targeting estradiol analog (3) were synthesized after a thorough study of the reaction of 3 with a selection of phosphoryl chlorides under a variety of reaction conditions. Evaluation of these novel phosphate analogs for affinity for hydroxyapatite revealed that they bind with equal or higher affinity when compared to the bone tissue accumulator, tetracycline.

Quinlobelane: a water-soluble lobelane analogue and inhibitor of VMAT2.

Replacing the phenyl groups in the structure of the VMAT2 inhibitor, lobelane with either pyridyl, quinolyl or indolyl groups affords novel analogues with improved water solubility. The synthetic methodologies reported herein also underscore the paucity of hydrogenation methods that offer selectivity in the synthesis of the different classes of heteroaromatic lobelane analogues. The quinolyl group was the only replacement for the phenyl group in lobelane that retained VMAT2 inhibition.