Design, synthesis and evaluation of novel indandione derivatives as multifunctional agents with cholinesterase inhibition, anti-ß-amyloid aggregation, antioxidant and neuroprotection properties against Alzheimer's disease.

A series of novel 2-(4-(4-substituted piperazin-1-yl)benzylidene)-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-diones were designed, synthesized and appraised as multifunctional anti-Alzheimer agents. In vitro studies of compounds 27-38 showed that these compounds exhibit moderate to excellent AChE, BuChE and Aß aggregation inhibitory activity. Notably, compounds 34 and 38 appeared as most active multifunctional agents in the entire series and exhibited excellent inhibition against AChE (IC50=0.048µM: 34; 0.036µM: 38), Aß aggregation (max% inhibition 82.2%, IC50=9.2µM: 34; max% inhibition 80.9%, IC50=10.11µM: 38) and displayed significant antioxidant potential in ORAC-FL assay. Both compounds also successfully diminished H2O2 induced oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y cells. Fascinatingly, compounds 34 and 38 showed admirable neuroprotective effects against H2O2 and Aß induced toxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. Additionally, both derivatives showed no considerable toxicity in neuronal cell viability assay and represented drug likeness properties in the primarily pharmacokinetics study. All these results together, propelled out that compounds 34 and 38 might serve as promising multi-functional lead candidates for treatment of AD in the future.

Cyclization into Hydrindanes Using Samarium Diiodide: Stereochemical Features Depending on the Protecting Group.

Monocyclic compounds bearing ketone and enone moieties in the same molecule can be cyclized to bicyclic compounds initiated by samarium diiodide. The stereochemistry of the products depended on the reaction conditions and also the protecting group of the hydroxy group existed in the molecule. A cyclization mechanism-is discussed.

Formulation and evaluation of transdermal patches of donepezil.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Donepezil (DNZ) is a centrally acting reversible acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor. The main therapeutic use of donepezil is in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The present research work pertains to the preparation of transdermal patches of donepezil with the objective to improve its patient compliance, therapeutic efficacy and to reduce the frequency of dosing and side effects as well as to avoid its extensive first pass metabolism. The recent patents on Rivastigmine (WO2013150542A2), Xanomeline (US5980933A) and Propentofylline (CA2255580A1) helped in selecting the drug and polymers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The transdermal patches were prepared using various polymers in combination with the plasticizer and penetration enhancers. The physicochemical parameters like folding endurance, thickness, drug content, content uniformity, moisture absorption, weight variation, and drug permeation studies of the optimized patches were studied. RESULTS: The system containing Eudragit S -100, Eudragit E -100 and HPMC as matrix forming agent and glycerine as plasticizer was the best formulation. The in vitro release data was treated with kinetic equations and it followed zero order release. The diffusion study was carried out using rat skin showed 89% drug was released within 72 hours. Tween-80 (0.83 % w/w) was found to be the best among all penetration enhancers. All the transdermal patches had the desired physical properties like tensile strength, folding endurance, flatness and water vapor transmission rate etc. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that that transdermal patch can extend the release of donepezil for many hours and also ensure enhanced bioavailability, further it also helps in avoiding the first pass effect.

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors: structure based design, synthesis, pharmacophore modeling, and virtual screening.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a main drug target, and its inhibitors have demonstrated functionality in the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, a series of novel AChE inhibitors were designed and their inhibitory activity was evaluated with 2D quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) studies using a training set of 20 known compounds for which IC50 values had previously been determined. The QSAR model was calculated based on seven unique descriptors. Model validation was determined by predicting IC50 values for a test set of 20 independent compounds with measured IC50 values. A correlation analysis was carried out comparing the statistics of the measured IC50 values with predicted ones. These selectivity-determining descriptors were interpreted graphically in terms of principal component analyses (PCA). A 3D pharmacophore model was also created based on the activity of the training set. In addition, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) descriptors were also determined to evaluate their pharmacokinetic properties. Finally, molecular docking of these novel molecules into the AChE binding domain indicated that three molecules (6c, 7c, and 7h) should have significantly higher affinities and solvation energies than the known standard drug donepezil. The docking studies of 2H-thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidines (6a-6j) and 5H-thiazolo[3,2-a] pyrimidines (7a-7j) with human AChE have demonstrated that these ligands bind to the dual sites of the enzyme. Simple and ecofriendly syntheses and diastereomeric crystallizations of 2H-thiazolo [3,2-a]pyrimidines and 5H-thiazolo[3,2-a] pyrimidines are described. The solid-state structures for the HBr salts of compounds 6a, 6e, 7a, and 7i have been determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques, and X-ray powder patterns were measured for the bulk solid remaining after solvent was removed from solutions containing 6a and 7a. These studies provide valuable insight for designing more potent and selective inhibitors for the treatment of AD.

Property-based design of a glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor that reduces glucosylceramide in the brain.

Synthesis inhibition is the basis for the treatment of type 1 Gaucher disease by the glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) inhibitor eliglustat tartrate. However, the extended use of eliglustat and related compounds for the treatment of glycosphingolipid storage diseases with CNS manifestations is limited by the lack of brain penetration of this drug. Property modeling around the D-threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-propanol (PDMP) pharmacophore was employed in a search for compounds of comparable activity against the GCS but lacking P-glycoprotein (MDR1) recognition. Modifications of the carboxamide N-acyl group were made to lower total polar surface area and rotatable bond number. Compounds were screened for inhibition of GCS in crude enzyme and whole cell assays and for MDR1 substrate recognition. One analog, 2-(2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl)-N-((1R,2R)-1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-1-hydroxy-3-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)propan-2-yl)acetamide (CCG-203586), was identified that inhibited GCS at low nanomolar concentrations with little to no apparent recognition by MDR1. Intraperitoneal administration of this compound to mice for 3 days resulted in a significant dose dependent decrease in brain glucosylceramide content, an effect not seen in mice dosed in parallel with eliglustat tartrate.

The discovery of furo[2,3-c]pyridine-based indanone oximes as potent and selective B-Raf inhibitors.

Virtual and high-throughput screening identified imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines as inhibitors of B-Raf. We describe the rationale, SAR, and evolution of the initial hits to a series of furo[2,3-c]pyridine indanone oximes as highly potent and selective inhibitors of B-Raf.

MIND-BEST: Web server for drugs and target discovery; design, synthesis, and assay of MAO-B inhibitors and theoretical-experimental study of G3PDH protein from Trichomonas gallinae.

Many drugs with very different affinity to a large number of receptors are described. Thus, in this work, we selected drug-target pairs (DTPs/nDTPs) of drugs with high affinity/nonaffinity for different targets. Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models become a very useful tool in this context because they substantially reduce time and resource-consuming experiments. Unfortunately, most QSAR models predict activity against only one protein target and/or they have not been implemented on a public Web server yet, freely available online to the scientific community. To solve this problem, we developed a multitarget QSAR (mt-QSAR) classifier combining the MARCH-INSIDE software for the calculation of the structural parameters of drug and target with the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) method in order to seek the best model. The accuracy of the best LDA model was 94.4% (3,859/4,086 cases) for training and 94.9% (1,909/2,012 cases) for the external validation series. In addition, we implemented the model into the Web portal Bio-AIMS as an online server entitled MARCH-INSIDE Nested Drug-Bank Exploration & Screening Tool (MIND-BEST), located at http://miaja.tic.udc.es/Bio-AIMS/MIND-BEST.php . This online tool is based on PHP/HTML/Python and MARCH-INSIDE routines. Finally, we illustrated two practical uses of this server with two different experiments. In experiment 1, we report for the first time a MIND-BEST prediction, synthesis, characterization, and MAO-A and MAO-B pharmacological assay of eight rasagiline derivatives, promising for anti-Parkinson drug design. In experiment 2, we report sampling, parasite culture, sample preparation, 2-DE, MALDI-TOF and -TOF/TOF MS, MASCOT search, 3D structure modeling with LOMETS, and MIND-BEST prediction for different peptides as new protein of the found in the proteome of the bird parasite Trichomonas gallinae, which is promising for antiparasite drug targets discovery.

Spiroindenes and spiroindanes as antagonists of CC chemokine receptor 2: WO 2009023754.

BACKGROUND: CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) is a GPCR involved in the migration and activation of inflammatory monocytes. A number of studies have highlighted a role for CCR2 in preclinical animal models of atherosclerosis, restenosis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and insulin resistance. Accordingly, pharmaceutical scientists have been investigating the antagonism of CCR2 as a potential therapy. OBJECTIVE: This patent evaluation examines the report of a new chemical subseries of CCR2 antagonists. METHODS: The compounds of the title invention are compared to the related earlier work in the area of CCR2 antagonism. CONCLUSIONS: The compounds disclosed in PCT application WO 2009023754 extend previous work in a dipiperidine series of CCR2 antagonists through the introduction of both a 1,2-disubstituted ethanol spacer and a 1'H-spiro[indene-1,4'-piperin]-1'-yl group. These compounds may represent a means of treating diseases driven by CCR2-bearing leukocytes.

Thiazoloindans and thiazolobenzopyrans: a novel class of orally active central dopamine (partial) agonists.

The 2-aminothiazole moiety has proven its value in medicinal chemistry as a stable and lipophilic bioisosteric replacement of a phenol group. This approach has provided dopamine (DA) agonists with good oral availability. To further explore its use in the development of DA agonists, we have combined the 2-aminothiazole moiety with 2-aminoindans and 3-aminobenzopyrans, which are known templates for DA agonists. In this study we have synthesized 6-amino-3-(N,N-di-n-propylamino)-3,4-dihydro-2H-thiazolo[5, 4-f]-[1]benzopyran (12) and 6-amino-2-(N, N-di-n-propylamino)thiazolo[4,5-f]indan (20) and several analogues (13, 17, and 21). The affinity of the thiazolobenzopyrans and thiazoloindans for DA receptors was evaluated, which revealed compound 20 to have high affinity for DA D(3) receptors. In addition, the compounds were screened for their potential to inhibit lipid peroxidation, to determine their radical scavenging properties. Compounds 12, 20, and 21 were subjected to further pharmacological evaluation in a functional assay to determine intrinsic activity. Compound 20 was also studied with microdialysis (to determine effects on DA turnover in striatum) and in unilaterally 6-OH-DA lesioned rats (to determine their potential as DA agonists). These studies selected compound 20 (GMC 1111) as particularly interesting. Compound 20 caused a rotation activation in unilaterally 6-OH-DA lesioned rats and an increase in DA turnover in rat striatum. This dual agonist/antagonist action is best accounted for by its partial agonism at striatal DA D(2) receptors. Interestingly, 20 displayed long-lasting activity and excellent oral availability in 6-OH-DA lesioned rats, making this compound potentially useful for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Identification of MK-944a: a second clinical candidate from the hydroxylaminepentanamide isostere series of HIV protease inhibitors.

Recent results from human clinical trials have established the critical role of HIV protease inhibitors in the treatment of acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, the emergence of viral resistance, demanding treatment protocols, and adverse side effects have exposed the urgent need for a second generation of HIV protease inhibitors. The continued exploration of our hydroxylaminepentanamide (HAPA) transition-state isostere series of HIV protease inhibitors, which initially resulted in the identification of Crixivan (indinavir sulfate, MK-639, L-735,524), has now yielded MK-944a (L-756,423). This compound is potent, is selective, and competitively inhibits HIV-1 PR with a K(i) value of 0.049 nM. It stops the spread of the HIV(IIIb)-infected MT4 lymphoid cells at 25.0-50.0 nM, even in the presence of alpha(1) acid glycoprotein, human serum albumin, normal human serum, or fetal bovine serum. MK-944a has a longer half-life in several animal models (rats, dogs, and monkeys) than indinavir sulfate and is currently in advanced human clinical trials.