Design, synthesis, and evaluation of NDGA analogues as potential anti-ischemic stroke agents

Eur J Med Chem. 2018 Jan 1:143:1165-1173. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.09.028. Epub 2017 Oct 16.

Abstract

Exogenous supplementation of antioxidants with ROS scavenging activity would be a potential therapy to cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in stroke. In the present study, a series of NDGA analogues with attenuation oxidative stress by directly scavenging ROS and indirectly through keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway activation were designed and synthesized. All analogues were found to effectively remove ROS directly by DPPH radical scavenging assay, and compound 3a conferred potent protection from the oxidative injury in PC12 cells via promoting Nrf2 to translocate into nucleus and increasing expression of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), where strongly reduced intracellular ROS level indirectly. More importantly, 3a significantly reduced brain infarction after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Overall, our findings shown compound 3a could serve as a promising compound for the treatment of stroke.

Keywords: Anti-ischemic stroke agent; Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway; ROS; Synthesis.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Ischemia / drug therapy*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Design*
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Masoprocol / chemical synthesis
  • Masoprocol / chemistry
  • Masoprocol / pharmacology*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Neuroprotective Agents / chemistry
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology*
  • PC12 Cells
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Stroke / drug therapy*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Masoprocol
  • Hydrogen Peroxide