doi:10.1016/j.bmc.2005.04.030
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.
New selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitors designed from natural piperidine alkaloids
References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must
purchase this article.
Cláudio Viegas, Jr.a, b, Vanderlan S. Bolzanib, Luísa S.B. Pimentelc, Newton G. Castroc, Rafael F. Cabralc, Rodrigo S. Costac, Corinne Floydc, Mônica S. Rochac, Maria C.M. Youngd, Eliezer J. Barreiroa and Carlos A.M. Fragaa,
,
, 
aLaboratório de Avaliação e Síntese, de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CP 68023, 21944-910, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
bNúcleo de Bioensaios, Biossíntese e Ecofisiologia, de Produtos Naturais (NuBBE), Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista ‘Julio de Mesquita Filho’, CP 355, 14801-970, Araraquara, Brazil
cDepartamento de Farmacologia Básica e Clínica, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
dSeção de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Plantas, Instituto de Botânica, São Paulo, Brazil
Received 4 March 2005;
revised 13 April 2005;
accepted 13 April 2005.
Available online 5 May 2005.
Abstract
Five new piperidine alkaloids were designed from natural (−)-3-O-acetyl-spectaline and (−)-spectaline that were obtained from the flowers of Senna spectabilis (sin. Cassia spectabilis, Leguminosae). Two semi-synthetic analogues (7 and 9) inhibited rat brain acetylcholinesterase, showing IC50 of 7.32 and 15.1 μM, and were 21 and 9.5 times less potent against rat brain butyrylcholinesterase, respectively. Compound 9 (1 mg/kg, ip) was fully efficacious in reverting scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice. The two active compounds (7 and 9) did not show overt toxic effects at the doses tested in vivo.
Graphical abstract
The two new piperidine modified alkaloids 7 and 9 are described as selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, IC50 = 7.3 and 15.1 μM, respectively.
Keywords: Piperidine alkaloids; Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; Alzheimer’s disease; Senna spectabilis
Article Outline
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Results and discussion
- 2.1. Chemistry
- 2.2. Pharmacology
- 3. Conclusion
- 4. Experimental
- 4.1. Chemistry
- 4.2. (2R,3R,6S)-2-Methyl-6-(13-oxotetradecyl)piperidin-3-yl acetate (5) and 13-[(2S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-methylpiperidin-2-yl]tetradecan-2-one (6)
- 4.3. General procedure for the preparation of hydrochloride derivatives 7–10
- 4.3.1. (2R,3R,6S)-2-Methyl-6-(13-oxotetradecyl)piperidin-3-yl acetate hydrochloride (7)
- 4.3.2. 14-[(2S,5R,6R)-5-Hydroxy-6-methylpiperidin-2-yl]tetradecan-2-one hydrochloride (8)
- 4.3.3. tert-Butyl (2R,3R,6S)-2-methyl-6-(13-oxotetradecyl)piperidin-3-yl carbonate hydrochloride (9)
- 4.3.4. (2R,3R,6S)-6-(13-Hydroxytetradecyl)-2-methylpiperidin-3-yl acetate hydrochloride (10)
- 4.3.5. (2R,3R,6S)-1,2-Dimethyl-6-(13-oxotetradecyl)piperidin-3-yl acetate hydroiodide (11)
- 4.3.6. One-pot preparation of acetyl hydrochloride 7 from natural spectaline (6)
- 4.4. Pharmacology
- 4.4.1. Cholinesterase activity assays
- 4.5. Behavioral studies
- 4.5.1. Animals and drugs
- 4.5.2. Passive-avoidance test
- 4.5.3. Spatial memory test
- 4.5.4. Evaluation of cholinergic side effects and toxicity
- 4.5.5. Statistical analysis
- Acknowledgements
- Supplementary data
- References
Figure 1. Marketed cholinesterase inhibitors tacrine (1), donepezil (2), rivastigmine (3), and galanthamine (4).
Figure 2. Structural design of new piperidine derivatives (7–11) from natural Senna sp. alkaloids (5 and 6).
Scheme 1. Synthesis of piperidine derivatives 7–11. Reagents and conditions: (a) (Boc)2O, Et3N, 4-DMAP, CH2Cl2, rt, 72 h (60% yield of 12 after purification by column chromatography); (b) NaBH4, MeOH, rt, 2 h, 97%; (c) HCl, anhydrous CH2Cl2, rt, 0.5–1 h, 98–100%; (d) MeI, acetone, reflux, 5 days, 50% yield; (e) AcCl, CHCl3, 70 °C, 8 h, 95% yield.
Table 1.
IC50 of new piperidine analogues (7–11), THA (1), and galanthamine (4) for inhibition of rat brain cholinesterases (ChE) (μM)a
a Values are means ± SEM of the IC
50 from the indicated number of animals in parenthesis.
b Total cholinesterase (ChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activities were determined by Ellman’s method,
9 as described in the Experimental section.
c SI = selectivity index = IC
50 BuChE/IC
50 total ChE ratio.
d Data from Ref.
13.
Table 2.
Antagonism of amnesia induced by scopolaminea
a Latencies (seconds) are expressed as mean ± SEM. Asterisks denote statistical significance between saline/scopolamine and treated groups (compound/scopolamine); *
p < 0.01; **
p < 0.001.

Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +55 21 25626503