A new tridecapeptide with an octaarginine vector has analgesic therapeutic potential and prevents morphine-induced tolerance.

A growing body of evidence suggests that peptides may possess analgesic effects without tolerance development. The synthetic tetrapeptide Tyr-d-Arg-Phe-Gly-NH2 was modified with the inclusion of a (d-Arg)8 vector to prevent the action of endopeptidase and to increase the duration of the analgesic action of the tetrapeptide when administered orally. The aim of this study was to estimate the analgesic efficacy of the tetrapeptide with (d-Arg)8 (tridecapeptide, TDP) in experimental models of acute and chronic pain. The analgesic effects of TDP were estimated using a model of acute visceral pain in mice (writhing test) and a model of chronic neuropathic pain (chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve) in rats. The intravenous administration of morphine (0.32-1mg/kg) and TDP (0.32-1.8mg/kg) produced significant dose-related antinociceptive effects in the writhing test. The potency of TDP after i.g. administration was lower than that after i.v. administration but comparable with that of i.g. morphine. In the CCI model, TDP (0.1, 1 and 10mg/kg, i.g.) induced marked analgesia with repeated administration without any signs of tolerance. The single administration of TDP after morphine treatment (7days) produced a significant analgesic effect in morphine-tolerant rats, indicating the absence of cross-tolerance between these two drugs. The combined administration of TDP and morphine resulted in the reduction of analgesic tolerance to morphine. The absence of cross-tolerance to morphine and the ability to prevent morphine tolerance allows this compound to be a prospective candidate for chronic pain therapy. In order to find the target receptors for TDP, a docking study was performed. It was found that the molecule can bind to the NMDA receptor using electrostatic, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions.

Synthesis of new vasotocin analogues: effects on renal water and ion excretion in rats.

Vasopressin and nonmammalian hormone vasotocin are known to increase the water permeability of mammalian collecting ducts, frog skin and the urinary bladder. Neurohypophysial nonapeptides have also been shown to interfere with the regulation of renal ion transport. The subject of this study was a search for vasopressin and vasotocin analogues with selective effects on renal water, sodium and potassium excretion. During this study, we synthesised the following peptides: 13 vasotocin analogues modified at positions 4 (Thr or Arg), 7 (Gly or Leu) and 8 (D-Arg, Lys or Glu); 4 vasopressin analogues modified at positions 4 and 8; and 9 peptides shortened or extended at the C-terminal or with substitutions for Gly-NH2. Most of these peptides had mercaptopropionic acid (Mpa) instead of Cys in position 1. The effects of these nonapeptides on renal water, sodium and potassium transport were evaluated in in vivo experiments using Wistar rats. Some nonapeptides possessed antidiuretic, natriuretic and kaliuretic activities ([Mpa(1)]-arginine vasotocin, [Mpa(1), homoArg(8)]-vasotocin, [Mpa(1), Thr(4)]-arginine vasotocin and [Mpa(1), Arg(4)]-arginine vasopressin). Substitutions at positions 4 and 8 increased the selectivity of peptide actions. The antidiuretic [D-Arg(8)]-vasotocin analogues had no effects on sodium excretion. [Mpa(1), Arg(4)]-arginine vasotocin was antidiuretic and kaliuretic but not natriuretic. [Mpa(1), Glu(8)]-oxytocin had weak natriuretic activity without any effects on water and potassium transport. In accordance with the data obtained, synthesised vasotocin analogues could be good candidates for pharmaceuticals selectively regulating renal sodium and potassium transport, which is of clinical importance.

cis-Dichlorido(dimethyl sulfoxide-κS)(N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-guanidine-κN'')platinum(II).

In the title compound, cis-[PtCl(2)(C(5)H(13)N(3))(C(2)H(6)OS)], the four-coordinate Pt(II) atom is bonded to one N atom of the N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-guanidine ligand, one dimethyl sulfoxide S atom and two chloride ligands, forming a cis-square-planar geometry. The bond lengths and angles of the N-Pt-Cl functionality are typical for imine dichloridoplatinum(II) complexes. The H atom of the imino group is oriented towards the O atom of the sulfoxide group of a neighboring mol-ecule and forms an N-H⋯O hydrogen bond.