The histamine H1-receptor antagonist binding site. Part I: Active conformation of cyproheptadine

Prescribed drugs containing nitrogen heterocycles: an overview

Heteroatoms as well as heterocyclic scaffolds are frequently present as the common cores in a plethora of active pharmaceuticals natural products. Statistically, more than 85% of all biologically active compounds are heterocycles or comprise a heterocycle and most frequently, nitrogen heterocycles as a backbone in their complex structures. These facts disclose and emphasize the vital role of heterocycles in modern drug design and drug discovery. In this review, we try to present a comprehensive overview of top prescribed drugs containing nitrogen heterocycles, describing their pharmacological properties, medical applications and their selected synthetic pathways. It is worth mentioning that the reported examples are actually limited to current top selling drugs, being or containing N-heterocycles and their synthetic information has been extracted from both scientific journals and the wider patent literature.

Synthesis and antihistamine evaluations of novel loratadine analogues

A series of loratadine analogues containing hydroxyl group and chiral center were synthesized. The effect of the synthesized compounds on the histamine-induced contractions of guinea-pig ileum muscles was studied. In addition, the in vivo asthma-relieving effect of the analogues in the histamine induced asthmatic reaction in guinea-pigs was determined. Most of the compounds exhibited definite H(1) antihistamine activity. The S-enantiomers, compounds 2, 4 and 8, are more potent than the R-enantiomers, compounds 1, 3 and 7. Compound 6 was the most active one among the eight synthesized compounds.

Comparative structure-activity relationships of benztropine analogues at the dopamine transporter and histamine H(1) receptors

Benztropine (BZT) and its analogues inhibit dopamine uptake and bind with moderate to high affinity to the dopamine transporter (DAT). However, many of these compounds, in contrast to other monoamine uptake inhibitors, lack cocaine-like behavioral effects and fail to potentiate the effects of cocaine. The BZT analogues also exhibit varied binding affinities for muscarinic M(1) and histamine H(1) receptors. In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted of pharmacophoric features with respect to the activities of BZT analogues at the DAT and at the histamine H(1) receptor. The BZT analogues showed a wide range of histamine H(1) receptor (K(i)=16-37,600 nM) and DAT (K(i)=8.5-6370 nM) binding affinities. A stereoselective histamine H(1)-antagonist pharmacophore, using a five-point superimposition of classical antagonists on the template, cyproheptadine, was developed. A series of superimpositions and comparisons were performed with various analogues of BZT. In general, smaller substituents were well tolerated on the aromatic rings of the diphenyl methoxy group for both the DAT and H(1) receptor, however, for the H(1) receptor, substitution at only one of the aromatic rings was preferred. The substituents at the 2- and N-positions of the tropane ring were preferred for DAT, however, these groups seem to overlap receptor essential regions in the histamine H(1) receptor. Molecular models at the DAT and the histamine H(1) receptor provide further insight into the structural requirements for binding affinity and selectivity that can be implemented in future drug design.

Delineation of Receptor-Ligand Interactions at the Human Histamine H1 Receptor by a Combined Approach of Site-Directed Mutagenesis and Computational Techniques - or - How to Bind the H1 Receptor

Histamine H(1) antagonists or "antihistamines" are one of the most prescribed drug families in Western countries. They exert their effect by binding to the histamine H(1) receptor, a receptor belonging to the class of rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In this review, the binding of ligands to the human histamine H(1) receptor with respect to site-directed mutagenesis studies and molecular modeling techniques is described. The ligands described include agonists (histamine and histaprodifens), a stereoselective partial agonist (lisuride), and selected inverse agonists (mepyramine, acrivastine and triprolidine).

Optically active analogues of ebastine: synthesis and effect of chirality on their antihistaminic and antimuscarinic activity

A series of optically active analogues of the H1-antihistamine ebastine, with chiral center(s) at the benzhydryl and/or phenylbutyl part of the molecule, have been synthesized. Their in vitro antihistaminic and antimuscarinic activities were investigated, along with a molecular modelling study. It was found that introduction of the benzhydryl chiral center yielded significant stereoselectivity for both antihistaminic and antimuscarinic activities. The steric preferences of the benzhydryl chiral center for antihistaminic and antimuscarinic actions were mirror images of each other. The (-)-isomer of 4-methylebastine (6d) showed more than 10-fold higher in vitro antihistaminic potency than ebastine. Meanwhile the selectivity of 6d for histamine H1-receptors was also increased by more than 20 times in comparison with ebastine. The chirality at the phenylbutyl part of the molecule does not significantly alter the antihistaminic or antimuscarinic activity of the compounds although the (S)-isomers showed slightly but unanimously higher antihistaminic activity than the (R)-isomers. These results have been discussed with existing stereoselectivity data of antihistamines and an asymmetric pharmacophore model for H1-antagonists has been described.