Design, synthesis, and evaluation of multitarget-directed ligands against Alzheimer’s disease based on the fusion of donepezil and curcumin

By fusing donepezil and curcumin, a novel series of compounds were obtained as multitarget-directed ligands against Alzheimer's disease. Among them, compound 11b displayed potent acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition (IC50=187nM) and the highest BuChE/AChE selectivity (66.3). Compound 11b also inhibited 45.3% Aβ1-42 self-aggregation at 20μM and displayed remarkable antioxidant effects. The metal-chelating property of compound 11b was elucidated by determining the 1:1 stoichiometry for the 11b-Cu(II) complex. The excellent blood-brain barrier permeability of 11b also indicated the potential for the compound to penetrate the central nervous system.