Merging the structural motifs of functionalized amino acids and alpha-aminoamides: compounds with significant anticonvulsant activities

J Med Chem. 2010 May 13;53(9):3756-71. doi: 10.1021/jm100185c.

Abstract

Functional amino acids (FAAs) and alpha-aminoamides (AAAs) are two classes of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) that exhibit pronounced anticonvulsant activities. We combined key structural pharmacophores present in FAAs and AAAs to generate a new series of compounds and document that select compounds exhibit activity superior to either the prototypical FAA (lacosamide) or the prototypical AAA (safinamide) in the maximal electroshock (MES) seizure model in rats. A representative compound, (R)-N-4'-((3''-fluoro)benzyloxy)benzyl 2-acetamido-3-methoxypropionamide ((R)-10), was tested in the MES (mice, ip), MES (rat, po), psychomotor 6 Hz (32 mA) (mice, ip), and hippocampal kindled (rat, ip) seizure tests providing excellent protection with ED(50) values of 13, 14, approximately 10 mg/kg, and 12 mg/kg, respectively. In the rat sciatic nerve ligation model (ip), (R)-10 (12 mg/kg) provided an 11.2-fold attenuation of mechanical allodynia. In the mouse biphasic formalin pain model (ip), (R)-10 (15 mg/kg) reduced pain responses in the acute and the chronic inflammatory phases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Acetamides
  • Alanine / analogs & derivatives
  • Amides / chemistry*
  • Amides / therapeutic use
  • Amino Acids / chemistry*
  • Amino Acids / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Anticonvulsants / chemistry*
  • Benzylamines
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Lacosamide
  • Mice
  • Pain / drug therapy
  • Rats
  • Seizures / drug therapy
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Acetamides
  • Amides
  • Amino Acids
  • Anticonvulsants
  • Benzylamines
  • Lacosamide
  • safinamide
  • Alanine