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Potent inhibition of rat microsomal oxidosqualene cyclase-lanosterol synthase (OSC) was maintained after structural modification of the 4-piperidinopyridine OSC inhibitor series. These novel analogues with a much lower pK(a) range (5.8-6.7) gave potent oral inhibition of rat cholesterol biosynthesis (8 ED(80) 0.7 mg/kg), and diminished effects on rat feeding after a 100 mg/kg oral dose.

A novel series of 4-piperidinopyridines and 4-piperidinopyrimidines showed potent and selective inhibition of rat 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase-lanosterol synthase (OSC) (e.g. 26 IC(50) rat = 398 +/- 25 nM, human = 112 +/- 25 nM) and gave selective oral inhibition of rat cholesterol biosynthesis (26 ED(80) = 1.2 +/- 0.3 mg/kg, n = 5; HMGCoA reductase inhibitor simvastatin ED(80) = 1.2 +/- 0.3 mg/kg, n = 5). The piperidinopyrimidine OSC inhibitors have a significantly lower pK(a) than the corresponding pyridine or the previously reported quinuclidine OSC inhibitor series. This indicates that other novel OSC inhibitors may be found in analogues of this series across a broader pK(a) range (6.0-9.0). These series may yield novel hypocholesterolemic agents for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Novel 3-substituted quinuclidine inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis are reported. Compounds were optimized against oxidosqualene cyclase-lanosterol synthase (OSC) inhibition in vivo, rather than by the conventional optimization of structure-activity relationship information based on in vitro OSC inhibition. Thus, examination of HPLC lipid profiles from orally dosed rats showed cholesterol biosynthetic intermediates and whether cholesterol levels were reduced. A new substituted quinuclidine pharmacophore 18a-c was rapidly found for the inhibition of OSC, and the most promising inhibitors were validated by the confirmation of potent OSC inhibition. Compound 16 gave an IC50 value of 83 +/- 11 nM for human and an IC50 value of 124 +/- 14 nM, for rat, coupled with oral and selective inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis derived from OSC inhibition (rat, ED50 = 1.3 +/- 0.7 mg/kg, n = 5; marmoset, 15 mg/kg dose, n = 3, caused complete inhibition). These 3-substituted quinuclidines, which were derived from a quinuclidine series previously known to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis at the squalene synthase step, may afford a novel series of hypocholesterolemic agents acting by the inhibition of OSC.

Quinuclidines with a 3-biaryl substituent are a new class of potent, orally active squalene synthase (SQS) inhibitors. Variants around these rigid structures indicate key structural requirements for cationic SQS inhibitors. Thus the lower in vitro potency found for quinuclidines bearing 3-substituents, which did not overlay the biphenyl group of 3-(biphenyl-4-yl)-3-hydroxyquinuclidine (2) (IC50 = 16 nM, rat microsomal SQS), implied a directional requirement for the 3-substituent. Similarly, the lower potency of the 3-terphenyl analogue 6 (IC50 = 370 nM) indicated size constraints for this substituent. In compounds with a linking group between the quinuclidine and biphenyl ring, linking groups of lower lipophilicity were less well tolerated (e.g., 17, CH2CH2, IC50 = 5 nM vs 19, NHCO, IC50 = 1.2 microM). Replacement of the distal phenyl ring of 2 with a more polar pyridine heterocycle caused a reduction in in vitro potency. In general, good in vivo activity in the rat was restricted to 3-hydroxy analogues, with the 3-[4-(pyrid-4-yl)phenyl] derivative 39 (IC50 = 161 nM) showing the best inhibition (following oral dosing) of cholesterol biosynthesis from mevalonate (ED50 = 2.7 mg/kg).

A new class of dual-acting racemic thromboxane receptor antagonist/thromboxane synthase inhibitors is reported, based on the novel approach of linking the known thromboxane synthase inhibitors (TXSI) dazoxiben (2) or isbogrel (11) (separately) to thromboxane receptor antagonists (TXRA) from the 1,3-dioxane series, such as ICI 192605 (10). Dual activity was observed in vitro with inhibition of human microsomal thromboxane synthase in the range IC50 = 0.01-1.0 microM and receptor antagonist activity by inhibition of U46619-induced human platelet aggregation in the range pA2 = 5.5-7.0. The in vitro results also showed that very large groups could be tolerated at the selected substitution positions of the TXRA and TXSI components. Oral activity was observed in ex vivo tests in both rats and dogs at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Thus, (E)-7-[4-[[4-[(2SR,4SR,5RS)-5-[(Z)-5-carboxypent -2-enyl]-4-(2- hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-dioxan-2-yl]-benzyl]oxy]phenyl]-7-(3-pyridyl)he pt-6- enoic acid (110) was both an antagonist (pA2 = 6.7) and a synthase inhibitor (IC50 = 0.02 microM). On oral dosing (10 mg/kg) to rats and dogs, 110 showed significant TXRA activity [concentration ratio > 64 (rat, 3 h) and > 59 +/- 11.3 (dog, 2 h) vs ex vivo U46619-induced platelet aggregation]. Inhibition of thromboxane synthase at the respective time points in these experiments was 81 +/- 4.4% (rat) and 69 +/- 4.8% (dog).

The synthesis of 2-benzylmorpholine from allylbenzene together with its resolution into its (+)- and (-)-enantiomers is reported. Oral dosing of the racemate to dogs caused appetite suppression with an ED50 of 3 and 5.5 mg kg-1 at 1 and 2 h, respectively, after access to a meat meal. No stimulant activity was observed in dogs given oral doses of 200 mg kg-1 but the appetite suppressant effect in dogs declined during 20 days of chronic oral dosing at 10 mg kg-1. Appetite suppression activity was shown to reside in the (+)-enantiomer.

A study of the synthetic routes to the thromboxane receptor antagonist ICI 192605 4(Z)-6-(2-o-chlorophenyl-4-o-hydroxyphenyl-1,3-dioxan-cis-5-yl) hexenoic acid is described which led to an improvement in overall synthetic yield from 20 to 55%. Invitro thromboxane receptor antagonist data are reported for the novel 1,3-dioxane synthetic intermediates. These data indicated that shortening of the side chain in an appropriately substituted 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane (e.g. ICI 180080) from a heptenoic acid, to a hexenoic acid, had little effect on thromboxane receptor antagonist potency (pA2 = 7.5 rabbit thoracic aorta for the heptenoic acid ICI 180080 and pA2 = 6.9 for the corresponding hexenoic acid. Human platelet aggregation pA2 values were 6.7 and 7.0, respectively).

Synthesis of eight benzo-15-crown-5 derivatives I (R = H, CO2Me, CO2H, Me; R1 = H, CO2H, CO2Me, CHO, CH=CHCO2H, CH2CH2CO2H) designed as rigid cyclic analogues of the anticoccidial ionophores is described. No anticoccidial activity was observed in chickens, but moderate activity in tissue culture was found for I (R = Me, R1 = H; R = R1 = H) and dibenzo-18-crown-6.

The blood glucose level lowering activity of [(acylamino)ethyl]benzoic acids, such as p-[2-(5-chloro-2-methoxy-benzamido)ethyl]benzoic acid (HB699, 2), is discussed in terms of binding at putative insulin-releasing receptor sites of pancreatic beta cells. The hypoglycemic potencies found for synthetic analogues of 2 indicate that high hypoglycemic activity is only found when a carboxyl group or a group that is readily oxidized to carboxyl in vivo, such as methyl, is attached to the aromatic ring of the phenethyl group. It is proposed that this carboxyl group is able to bind at the same receptor site as the SO2NHCONH group of the sulfonylurea drugs, such as tolbutamide (3). The role of the benzamide group in 2 was attributed to protein binding.

Anticoccidial activity in vitro against Eimeria tenella is reported for crown polyethers with ring sizes from 14 to 30 atoms. The most potent compounds, 4 and 9, were found active at 0.33 ppm, but none were active in vivo. Test results are discussed in terms of lipophilic shielding of complexed cations.

The synthesis and appetite-suppressant activity of (S)-3-[(benzyloxy)methyl]morpholine hydrochloride in dogs are reported. The oral ED50 for appetite suppression in dogs of 3 was 12 mg/kg, and it was tolerated up to 200 mg/kg. 3 had no inhibitory effect on the release or uptake of noradrenaline, dopamine, or serotonin at 10(-5) M. The (R) enantiomer of 3 was not anorexiant.

The synthesis and summary pharmacology of a novel thromboxane receptor antagonist 4(Z)-6-(2-o-chlorophenyl-4-o-hydroxyphenyl-1, 3-dioxan-cis-5-yl) hexenoic acid (3) is reported. Compound 3 was competitive and selective with pA2 values of 8.0 +/- 0.1 (rabbit) and 8.4 +/- 0.05 (rat) on smooth muscle preparations and 8.16 +/- 0.01 on human platelets. In vivo activity of 3 was demonstrated in a Konzett Rossler guinea pig model at 0.01 mg/kg p.o.

The preparation of a novel potent thromboxane receptor antagonist ICI 180080, 5(Z)-7-[2,2-dimethyl-4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-dioxan-cis-5-yl] heptenoic acid, is described together with its methyl ether and methyl ester. Thromboxane antagonist pA2 data against U 46619 is presented for rabbit thoracic aorta in-vitro (ICI 180080, pA2 = 7.5). The relative antagonist pA2 values obtained are discussed in terms of the chemical structure of the molecules. The potent activity of ICI 180080 is attributed to a specific orientation of the phenolic oxygen, due to an intramolecular hydrogen bond.