Bioisosteric Development of Multitarget Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug-Carbonic Anhydrases Inhibitor Hybrids for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

J Med Chem. 2020 Mar 12;63(5):2325-2342. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01130. Epub 2019 Nov 15.

Abstract

Multitarget nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (CAI) agents for the management of rheumatoid arthritis are reported. The evidence of the plasma stability of the amide-linked hybrids previously reported prompted us to investigate their pain-relieving mechanism of action. A bioisosteric amide to ester substitution yielded a series of derivatives showing potent target CAs inhibition and to undergo cleavage in rat or human plasma depending on the NSAID portion. A selection of derivatives were assayed in vitro to indirectly evaluate their effect on COX-1 and COX-2. MD simulations demonstrated that the entire hybrids are also able to efficiently bind the COX active site. In a rat model of RA, the most promising derivative (5c) showed major antihyperalgesic action compared with the equimolar coadministration of the single agents. The gathered data provided new insights on the action mechanism of these multitarget compounds, which induce markedly improved pain relief compared with the parent NSAIDs.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / chemistry
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacology
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy*
  • Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Development
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Pain / drug therapy
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors