Synthesis of radioiodinated 1-deoxy-nojirimycin derivatives: novel glucose analogs

Synthesis and bio-evaluation of newer dihydropyridines and tetrahydropyridines based glycomimetic azasugars

This study presents the synthesis and bio-evaluation of new triazolylated dihydropyridine and tetrahydropyridine azasugar scaffolds (F1-14). Azasugar glycomimetics are the synthetic substances that mimic the structural and functional characteristics of natural carbohydrates showcasing promising potential as therapeutic agents for diabetes. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of synthesized final compounds were evaluated against the commercially available α-glucosidase enzyme. Majority of the screened compounds displayed excellent inhibition with IC50 values ranging from 2.12 to 75.11 μM, when compared to the standard drug Acarbose. Particularly, compound F5 with IC50 value of 2.12 μM was found to be the most active compound among the series. Further molecular docking studies of selected ligands were performed to investigate the binding interactions with enzyme active sites. Their specific binding patterns have been analysed with the binding sites of Saccharomyces cerevisiae α-glucosidase. These findings suggest these candidates as the potential leads for the anti-diabetic activity.

Synthesis of new N-substituted 3,4,5-trihydroxypiperidin-2-ones from d-ribono-1,4-lactone

d-Ribono-1,4-lactone was treated with ethylamine in DMF to afford N-ethyl-d-ribonamide 8a in quantitative yield. Using this reaction procedure, N-butyl, N-hexyl, N-dodecyl, N-benzyl, N-(3-methyl-pyridinyl)-, N-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-, and N-(2-cyano-ethyl)-d-ribonamides 8b-h were obtained in quantitative yield. Bromination of the amides 8a-e with acetyl bromide in dioxane followed by acetylation gave 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-5-bromo-5-deoxy-N-ethyl, N-butyl, N-hexyl, N-dodecyl, and N-benzyl-d-ribonamides 9a-e in 40-54% yields. To obtain 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-5-bromo-5-deoxy-N-(3-methyl-pyridinyl)-, N-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-, and N-(2-cyano-ethyl)-9f-h, the bromination is necessary before the amidation reaction. Treatment of the bromoamides 9a-h with NaH in DMF followed by methanolysis affords N-alkyl-d-ribono-1,5-lactams 12a-h in quantitative yield.

Antiobesity effects and improvement of insulin sensitivity by 1-deoxynojirimycin in animal models

The alpha-glucosidase inhibitor 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) is one of the simplest naturally occurring carbohydrate mimics, with promising biological activity in vivo. Although there is considerable interest in the pharmacological effects of DNJ, the antidiabetic effects of DNJ in type 2 diabetes mellitus have received little attention. In this work, DNJ was isolated from the silkworm (Bombyx mori), and its antidiabetic effects were evaluated in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, an established animal model of human type 2 diabetes mellitus, and in control Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats. DNJ treatment showed significant antidiabetic effects in OLETF rats, with significant improvements in fasting blood glucose levels and glucose tolerance and, especially, increased insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, there was significant loss of body weight in both groups. DNJ also showed significant antihyperglycemic effects in streptozotocin- and high-fat-diet-induced hyperglycemic rats. Its efficacy and dose profiles were better than those of acarbose, a typical alpha-glucosidase inhibitor in clinical use. Furthermore, a substantial fraction of DNJ was absorbed into the bloodstream within a few minutes of oral administration. DNJ was also detected in the urine. These findings suggest that its postprandial hypoglycemic effect in the gastrointestinal tract is a possible but insufficient mechanism of action underlying the antidiabetic effects of DNJ. Its antiobesity effect and improvement of insulin sensitivity are other possible antidiabetic effects of DNJ.

Studies on the Uptake of Glucose Derivatives by Red Blood Cells

Erythrocytes express the same glucose transporter (GLUT-1) as is present in the blood-brain barrier. With the aim of testing the viability of using this transport system to deliver glucosyl drug derivatives to the brain, the uptake of several dopamine-glucose conjugates and a few structurally related analogues by erythrocytes was studied with HPLC and (1)H MAS NMR spectroscopy. The results showed that slight structural changes determine the uptake of glycoconjugates by red blood cells. However, experiments in the presence of glucose transport inhibitors showed that none of the conjugates that efficiently crossed the cell membrane were transported by GLUT-1.

N-hydroxyethyl-piperidine and -pyrrolidine homoazasugars: preparation and evaluation of glycosidase inhibitory activity

An efficient and practical strategy for the synthesis of N-hydroxyethyl-1-deoxy-homonojirimycins 4 and 5 and N-hydroxyethyl-pyrrolidine homoazasugars 6 and 7 with full stereocontrol is being reported. The key step involved is the intermolecular Michael addition of benzylamine to D-glucose derived alpha,beta-unsaturated ester 8 followed by N-alkylation with ethyl bromoacetate. Reduction with LAH, acetylation, hydrogenation and protection with -Cbz group afforded compounds 14a and 14b. Removal of 1,2-acetonide functionality, hydrogenation and deacetylation afforded N-hydroxyethyl-D-gluco-1-deoxyhomonojirimycin (4) and N-hydroxyethyl-L-ido-1-deoxyhomonojirimycin (5), respectively. Compounds 14a and 14b on acetylation followed by removal of 1,2-acetonide functionality, sodium metaperiodate oxidation, hydrogenation and deacetylation gave 1,4,5-trideoxy-1,4-imino-N-hydroxyethyl-D-arabino-hexitol (6) and 1,4,5-trideoxy-1,4-imino-N-hydroxyethyl-L-xylo-hexitol (7), respectively. The glycosidase inhibition activity of compounds 4, 5, 6, 7, 16a and 16b was evaluated using sweet almond seed as a rich source of different glycosidases.

Preparation, biochemical characterization and biological properties of radiolabelled N-alkylated deoxynojirimycins

We have reductively alkylated deoxynojirimycin imino sugars using sodium cyanoborohydride to provide an efficient means of generating a series of N-alkylated compounds containing 4-18 carbon side chains. The yields were greater than 90% using a variety of aldehydes of different chain lengths, and after purification were >95% pure using (1)H-NMR. Radiolabelled compounds were prepared using sodium cyanoborotriti-ide to selectively label the first carbon atom in the alkyl chain and used in protein-binding and cell- and tissue-uptake experiments. Protein binding was chain-length-dependent with compounds of intermediate chain length (C(9)-C(12)), demonstrating an equal distribution between the aqueous and protein-bound phase. The extent of cell uptake also increased proportionally with increased chain length in a time-dependent manner. When administered to mice, the longer alkyl-chain compounds showed reduced absorption from the intestine and a marked deposition of compound in the liver and brain, suggesting that the more hydrophobic compounds were poorly cleared by the major tissues. In tissue-culture cells compounds with 8 or fewer carbon atoms were non-toxic and had CC(50) (the concentration at which the number of cells or cell proliferation is reduced by 50%) values greater than 1 mM. Compounds with chain lengths above C(8) showed a chain-length-dependent increase in cytotoxicity. N-alkylated deoxynojirimycins (C(4)-C(18)) were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on ceramide-specific glucosyltransferase and glycoprotein-processing alpha-glucosidase. Increasing the alkyl chain length had little effect on alpha-glucosidase activity, but inhibition of ceramide-specific glucosyltransferase increased 10-fold when C(4) and C(9)-C(18) compounds were compared. Overall these data provide further definition of the molecular features of alkylated imino sugars that influence tissue selectivity and efficacy for cellular enzyme inhibition.