The Protective Effects of 5-Methoxytryptamine-α-lipoic Acid on Ionizing Radiation-Induced Hematopoietic Injury.

Antioxidants are prospective radioprotectors because of their ability to scavenge radiation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). The hematopoietic system is widely studied in radiation research because of its high radiosensitivity. In the present study, we describe the beneficial effects of 5-methoxytryptamine-α-lipoic acid (MLA), which was synthesized from melatonin and α-lipoic acid, against radiation-induced hematopoietic injury. MLA administration significantly enhanced the survival rate of mice after 7.2 Gy total body irradiation. The results showed that MLA not only markedly increased the numbers and clonogenic potential of hematopoietic cells but also decreased DNA damage, as determined by flow cytometric analysis of histone H2AX phosphorylation. In addition, MLA decreased the levels of ROS in hematopoietic cells by inhibiting NOX4 expression. These data demonstrate that MLA prevents radiation-induced hematopoietic syndrome by increasing the number and function of and by inhibiting DNA damage and ROS production in hematopoietic cells. These data suggest MLA is beneficial for the protection of radiation injuries.

Synthesis and preliminary screening of novel tryptamines as 5-HT4 receptor ligands.

For the development of novel 5-HT(4) receptor ligands we have designed and synthesized two series of 5-methoxytryptamine derivatives varying the substitution on the primary amine. Their biological activities were evaluated in a receptor binding assay where a subset of compounds showed comparable potency to the agonists serotonin and 5-methoxytryptamine. Structure-activity analyses have highlighted promising avenues for further synthetic work and binding modes were proposed by docking these compounds into a homology model of the 5-HT(4) receptor.

Analytical chemistry of synthetic routes to psychoactive tryptamines. Part I. Characterisation of the Speeter and Anthony synthetic route to 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine using ESI-MS-MS and ESI-TOF-MS.

5-Methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT), a new psychoactive tryptamine derivative, has been synthesised by the Speeter and Anthony procedure. This synthetic route was characterised by ESI-MS-MS, ESI-TOF-MS and NMR. Side products have been identified as 3-(2-N,N-diisopropylamino-ethyl)-1H-indol-5-ol (5), 2-N,N-diisopropylamino-1-(5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)-ethanol (6), 2-(5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)-ethanol (7) and 2-N,N-diisopropylamino-1-(5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)-ethanone (8).

Effect of carrier excipient and processing on stability of indorenate hydrochloride/excipient mixtures.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the solid-state chemical stability of a model drug, indorenate hydrochloride, as a function of carrier excipient and mixing process. Physical mixtures and granules were prepared by tumble mixing and alcoholic granulation with and without binder. Stability of the mixtures was estimated using differential scanning calorimetry and isothermal degradation studies at 40, 50, and 60 degrees C. Average first-order degradation constants at 25 degrees C, extrapolated from isothermal studies, were much lower for indorenate hydrochloride after tumbling mixing with microcrystalline cellulose (3.45 x 10(-5) day-1) than those obtained after tumbling mixing with lactose (112.0 x 10(-5) day-1). Distribution of the drug on the excipient's surface, through granulation with and without Povidone, increased the average drug degradation rates in granules with microcrystalline cellulose (36.2 x 10(-5) day-1) as well as in granules with lactose (326 x 10(-5) day-1). Partially amorphous lactose (spray-dried lactose) showed higher average degradation rates (310.5 x 10(-5) day-1) than crystalline lactose (199.3 x 10(-5) day-1). It appears that the amorphous portion of the drug as well as that of reacting excipients play a major role in affecting the reaction rate. The calorimetric studies showed a strong solid-solid interaction between indorenate hydrochloride and lactose, suggesting chemical incompatibility. This strong solid-solid interaction was characterized by disappearance of typical transition peaks of lactose at temperatures above 200 degrees C and the development of new peaks at about 130-170 degrees C. No major changes in transition peaks were observed in mixtures of microcrystalline cellulose and indorenate hydrochloride, suggesting chemical compatibility. Calorimetric results allow the prediction of the chemical incompatibility between indorenate hydrochloride and lactose observed in isothermal degradation studies.

Synthesis of 3-amino-2-(3-indolyl)propanol and propanoate derivatives and preliminary cardiovascular evaluation in rats.

A series of tryptamine analogues has been prepared and tested for their 5-HT1 receptor agonist properties. The incorporation of an alkoxy group at the C-5 position of the indole nucleus resulted in a short-lived and dose-dependent immediate antihypertensive and bradycardic response in anaesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In addition, a carbomethoxy function at the beta-position of the side-chain of the tryptamines significantly increased the mean resting arterial blood pressure (MAP) in pithed rats and also produced contraction of the canine basilar artery in a dose-dependent fashion. Structure-activity relationships (SAR) suggest that the 5-alkoxy group is an important pharmacophore in the production of the antihypertensive effect and that the introduction of a hydroxymethylene group on the side-chain, instead of the carbomethoxy group, changed the receptor affinity profile.

Potential radioprotective agents. 1. Homologs of melatonin.

Homologs of melatonin were prepared by acylation of 5-methoxytryptamine with the appropriate acid chloride or anhydride. The products were administered as solutions or suspensions in soybean oil by ip injection to mice 30 min prior to irradiation with 950 cGy of 6 mV photons. Protection was achieved with all compounds, survival rate being maximal for mice treated with the hexanoic amide 5 and the octanoic amide 6.

Selectivity of sterically fixed tryptamine and 5-methoxytryptamine derivatives for serotonin receptor subtypes, II: Structure-activity relationships and in vitro pharmacology of N-alkyl- and N,N-dialkyl-3- indolylbicyclo-[2.2.1]-heptane-2-amines.

Twenty-four norbornane analogues of tryptamine and 5-methoxytryptamine were investigated for affinity at 5-HT2 receptors of the rat tail artery and proved to be weak non-competitive antagonists of 5-HT. Compound 12 which displayed a marked depression of the concentration-effect curves, was examined for potential interaction with the allosteric binding site of the 5-HT2 receptor. The effects elicited by 12, in the presence and absence of the allosteric activator ketanserin, were atypical and must be attributed to a mechanism, unknown up to now. In radioligand displacement experiments binding data for a set of nine compounds were determined at 5-HT1-like, 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors, indicating subtype selectivity for some analogues. The binding affinity of 8 at 5-HT3 receptors which was comparable with the affinity of the selective 5-HT3 agonist 2-methyl-5-HT, could not be demonstrated on the longitudinal muscle strip of the guinea-pig ileum, partially due to the M3 antimuscarinic activity of 8. Functional studies on the rat oesophageal tunica muscularis mucosae did not reveal 5-HT4 agonist properties for two analogues of 5-methoxytryptamine (8, 16).

[Monoamine oxidase inhibitors. I. Synthesis of N-cyclopropyltryptamines]. / Richerche su sostanze inibitrici delle monoaminossidasi. Nota I. Sintesi di N-ciclopropiltriptamine.

The synthesis of two new N-cyclopropyltryptamines is described. By treating 5,6-dimethoxyindole with oxalyl chloride and N-benzylcyclopropylamine, N-benzyl-N-cyclopropyl-5,6-dimethoxyindole-3-glyoxalamide is obtained. The reduction of this compound by LiAlH4, gives N-benzyl-N-cyclopropyl-5,6-dimethoxytryptamine, which is hydrogenated to N-cyclopropyl-5,6-dimethoxytryptamine. Similarly N-cyclopropyl-6,7-dimethoxytryptamine is prepared. Preliminary results indicate a different specificity of the inhibitors used on mitochondrial and bovine plasma enzyme (monoamine oxidase) attributable to the position of the methoxy groups.