Antimalarial Benzimidazole Derivatives Incorporating Phenolic Mannich Base Side Chains Inhibit Microtubule and Hemozoin Formation: Structure-Activity Relationship and In Vivo Oral Efficacy Studies

J Med Chem. 2021 Apr 22;64(8):5198-5215. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00354. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Abstract

A novel series of antimalarial benzimidazole derivatives incorporating phenolic Mannich base side chains at the C2 position, which possess dual asexual blood and sexual stage activities, is presented. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that the 1-benzylbenzimidazole analogues possessed submicromolar asexual blood and sexual stage activities in contrast to the 1H-benzimidazole analogues, which were only active against asexual blood stage (ABS) parasites. Further, the former demonstrated microtubule inhibitory activity in ABS parasites but more significantly in stage II/III gametocytes. In addition to being bona fide inhibitors of hemozoin formation, the 1H-benzimidazole analogues also showed inhibitory effects on microtubules. In vivo efficacy studies in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice revealed that the frontrunner compound 41 exhibited high efficacy (98% reduction in parasitemia) when dosed orally at 4 × 50 mg/kg. Generally, the compounds were noncytotoxic to mammalian cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / chemistry*
  • Antimalarials / metabolism
  • Antimalarials / pharmacology
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use
  • Benzimidazoles / chemistry*
  • Benzimidazoles / metabolism
  • Benzimidazoles / pharmacology
  • Benzimidazoles / therapeutic use
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Resistance / drug effects
  • Drug Stability
  • Half-Life
  • Hemeproteins / drug effects
  • Hemeproteins / metabolism*
  • Life Cycle Stages / drug effects
  • Malaria / drug therapy
  • Malaria / parasitology
  • Male
  • Mannich Bases / chemistry*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism
  • Microtubules / drug effects
  • Microtubules / metabolism*
  • Plasmodium berghei / drug effects
  • Plasmodium berghei / physiology
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Benzimidazoles
  • Hemeproteins
  • Mannich Bases
  • hemozoin