Anticonvulsant and Toxicological Evaluation of Parafluorinated/Chlorinated Derivatives of 3-Hydroxy-3-ethyl-3-phenylpropionamide

Biomed Res Int. 2016:2016:3978010. doi: 10.1155/2016/3978010. Epub 2016 Feb 24.

Abstract

Although the anticonvulsant activity of 3-hydroxy-3-ethyl-3-phenylproionamide (HEPP) is well-known, its use is limited by the pharmacotoxicological profile. We herein tested its fluorinated and chlorinated derivatives (F-HEPP and Cl-HEPP) with two seizure models, maximal electroshock seizures (MES), and intraperitoneal pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) administration. Neurotoxicity was examined via the rotarod test. With in silico methods, binding was probed on possible protein targets-GABAA receptors and the sodium channel Nav1.2. The median effective doses (ED50) of HEPP, F-HEPP, and Cl-HEPP in the MES seizure model were 129.6, 87.1, and 62.0 mg/kg, respectively, and 66.4, 43.5, and in the PTZ seizure model 43.5 mg/kg. The HEPP-induced neurotoxic effect, which occurred at twice the ED50 against MES (p < 0.05), did not occur with F-HEPP or Cl-HEPP. Docking studies revealed that all tested ligands bound to GABAA receptors on a site near to the benzodiazepine binding site. However, on the sodium channel open pore Nav1.2, R-HEPP had interactions similar to those reported for phenytoin, while its enantiomer and the ligands F-HEPP and Cl-HEPP reached a site that could disrupt the passage of sodium. Our results show that, as anticonvulsant agents, parahalogen substituted compounds have an advantageous pharmacotoxicological profile compared to their precursor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anticonvulsants* / adverse effects
  • Anticonvulsants* / chemistry
  • Anticonvulsants* / pharmacology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Electroshock
  • Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated* / adverse effects
  • Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated* / pharmacology
  • Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated* / adverse effects
  • Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated* / chemistry
  • Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated* / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • NAV1.2 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / metabolism
  • Phenylpropionates* / adverse effects
  • Phenylpropionates* / chemistry
  • Phenylpropionates* / pharmacology
  • Receptors, GABA-A / chemistry
  • Receptors, GABA-A / metabolism
  • Seizures / drug therapy*
  • Seizures / metabolism

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated
  • Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated
  • NAV1.2 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • Phenylpropionates
  • Receptors, GABA-A
  • beta-hydroxy-beta-ethyl-phenylpropionamide