Structure and anticoccidial activity among some 4-hydroxyquinolinecarboxylates

Synthesis of 14 C- and 2 H-labelled CHF6001: A new potent PDE4 inhibitor

An 8-step preparation of ¹⁴ C-labelled CHF6001, a potent phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor in the treatment of respiratory diseases, is described. An overall yield of approximately 9% was obtained starting from copper[¹⁴ C]cyanide. The synthesis of a stable labelled version of CHF6001 is also reported using the commercially available trideuterated bromomethylcyclopropane as starting material.

Cell-based medicinal chemistry optimization of high-throughput screening (HTS) hits for orally active antimalarials. Part 1: challenges in potency and absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion/pharmacokinetics (ADME/PK)

Malaria represents a significant health issue, and novel and effective drugs are needed to address parasite resistance that has emerged to the current drug arsenal. Antimalarial drug discovery has historically benefited from a whole-cell (phenotypic) screening approach to identify lead molecules. This approach has been utilized by several groups to optimize weakly active antimalarial pharmacophores, such as the quinolone scaffold, to yield potent and highly efficacious compounds that are now poised to enter clinical trials. More recently, GNF/Novartis, GSK, and others have employed the same approach in high-throughput screening (HTS) of large compound libraries to find novel scaffolds that have also been optimized to clinical candidates by GNF/Novartis. This perspective outlines some of the inherent challenges in cell-based medicinal chemistry optimization, including optimization of oral exposure and hERG activity.

Exploration of a New Type of Antimalarial Compounds Based on Febrifugine

Febrifugine (1), a quinazoline alkaloid, isolated from Dichroa febrifuga roots, shows powerful antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum. The use of 1 as an antimalarial drug has been precluded because of side effects, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and liver toxicity. However, the potent antimalarial activity of 1 has stimulated medicinal chemists to pursue compounds derived from 1, which may be valuable leads for novel drugs. In this study, we synthesized a new series of febrifugine derivatives formed by structural modifications at (i) the quinazoline ring, (ii) the linker, or (iii) the piperidine ring. Then, we evaluated their antimalarial activities. Thienopyrimidine analogue 15 exhibited a potent antimalarial activity and a high therapeutic selectivity both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that 15 is a good antimalarial candidate.

Metabolites of Febrifugine and Its Synthetic Analogue by Mouse Liver S9 and Their Antimalarial Activity against Plasmodium Malaria Parasite

Quinazolinone type alkaloids, febrifugine (1) and isofebrifugine (2), isolated from Dichroa febrifuga roots, show powerful antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Unfortunately, their emetic effect and other undesirable side effects have precluded their clinical use for malaria. Because of their antimalarial potency, analogues were searched for, with the goal of preserving the strong antimalarial activity, while dramatically reducing side effects. We expected that compounds useful in drug development would exist in metabolites derived from 1 and Df-1 (3), the condensation product of 1 with acetone, by mouse liver S9. Feb-A and -B (4 and 5) were isolated as the major metabolites of 1. In addition to 4 and 5, feb-C and -D (6 and 7) were also purified from the metabolic mixture of 3. Compounds 4 and 5 were compounds oxidized at C-6 and C-2 of the quinazolinone ring of 1, respectively. Compounds 6 and 7, derived from 3, also bear febrifugine type structures in which the 4' '- and 6' '-positions of the piperidine ring of 1 were oxidized. In vitro antimalarial and cytotoxic tests using synthetically obtained racemic 4-6 and enantiomerically pure 7 demonstrated that 4 and 6 had antimalarial activity against P. falciparum, of similar potency to that of 1, with high selectivity. The antimalarial activity of 5 and 7, however, was dramatically decreased in the test. The in vitro antimalarial activity of analogues 22 and 43, which are stereoisomers of 4 and 6, was also evaluated, showing that 22 is active. The results suggest that basicity of both the 1- and the 1' '-nitrogen atoms of 1 is crucial in conferring powerful antimalarial activity. Racemic 4 and 6 exhibited powerful in vivo antimalarial activity against mouse malaria P. berghei, and especially, no serious side effects were observed with 4. Thus, the metabolite 4 appears to be a promising lead compound for the development of new types of antimalarial drugs.

Potent antimalarial febrifugine analogues against the plasmodium malaria parasite

Although febrifugine (1) and isofebrifugine (2), alkaloids isolated from roots of the Dichroa febrifuga plant, show powerful antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, strong side effects such as the emetic effect have precluded their clinical use against malaria. However, their antimalarial potency makes them attractive substances as leads for developing new types of chemotherapeutic antimalarial drugs. Thus, we have evaluated the in vitro antimalarial activity of the analogues of febrifugine (1) and isofebrifugine (2). The activities of the analogues derived from Df-1 (3) and Df-2 (4), condensation products of 1 and 2 with acetone, respectively, were also obtained. The 3' '-keto derivative (7, EC(50) = 2.0 x 10(-8) M) of 1 was found to exhibit potential antimalarial activity with high selectivity against P. falciparum in vitro. The in vitro activities of the reduction product (8, EC(50) = 2.0 x 10(-8) M) of 1 at C-2' and its cyclic derivatives 9 and 10 (EC(50) = 3.7 x 10(-9) and 8.6 x 10(-9) M, respectively) were found to be strongly active and selective. Additionally, the Dess-Martin oxidation product of 3 was found to be strongly active with high selectivity against P. falciparum. A structure-activity relationship study (SAR) demonstrates that the essential role played by the 4-quinazolinone ring in the appearance of activity and the presence of a 1' '-amino group and C-2', C-3' ' O-functionalities are crucial in the activity of 1. For 7, 8, and 9, prepared as racemic forms, an in vivo study has also been conducted.

Enhancement of NO production in activated macrophages in vivo by an antimalarial crude drug, Dichroa febrifuga

The effect of an antimalarial crude drug, Dichroafebrifuga Lour. on nitric oxide (NO) production in bacillus Calmette Guérin-induced mouse peritoneal macrophages activated by lipopolysaccharide was investigated. The NO production was significantly enhanced by an oral administration of a MeOH extract of D. febrifuga. Febrifugine (1) was isolated as the main active compound, and the activation was dose-dependent in the dosage range of 0.1-1 mg/kg/day.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors. 8. An unusually steep structure-activity relationship for analogues of 4-(3-bromoanilino)-6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline (PD 153035), a potent inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor

4-(3-Bromoanilino)-6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline (32, PD 153035) is a very potent inhibitor (IC50 0.025 nM) of the tyrosine kinase activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), binding competitively at the ATP site. Structure-activity relationships for close analogues of 32 are very steep. Some derivatives have IC50s up to 80-fold better than predicted from simple additive binding energy arguments, yet analogues possessing combinations of similar phenyl and quinazoline substituents do not show this "supra-additive" effect. Because some substituents which are mildly deactivating by themselves can be strongly activating when used in the correct combinations, it is proposed that certain substituted analogues possess the ability to induce a change in the conformation of the receptor when they bind. There is some bulk tolerance for substitution in the 6- and 7-positions of the quinazoline, so that 32 is not the optimal inhibitor for the induced conformation. The diethoxy derivative 56 [4-(3-bromoanilino)-6,7-diethoxyquinazoline] shows an IC50 of 0.006 nM, making it the most potent inhibitor of the tyrosine kinase activity of the EGFR yet reported.