Inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase

Figure 10.1-12. Distribution of compounds in the layer of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors neurons colored m black and marked with a circle contain i inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, and neurons in light gray contain other compounds.

Mode of Action. All of the insecticidal carbamates are cholinergic, and poisoned insects and mammals exhibit violent convulsions and other neuromuscular disturbances. The insecticides are strong carbamylating inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase and may also have a direct action on the acetylcholine receptors because of their pronounced stmctural resemblance to acetylcholine. The overall mechanism for carbamate interaction with acetylcholinesterase is analogous to the normal three-step hydrolysis of acetylcholine however, is much slower than with the acetylated enzyme. 

An adjacent tnfluoromethyl group sharply increases the electrophilic character of the carbonyl carbon Compounds that readily form hydrates and hemiacetals show a time-dependent reversible mhibition of the en yme acetylcholinesterase (equation 2), in which the tight complex makes inhibition only partially reversible [75] In comparison with a nonfluormated analogue, several aliphatic ketones flanked by CFj and CF2 groups, are exceptionally potent reversible inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, as documented by companson of inhibition constants shown in equation 3 [16 ... 

Kitz, R. and Wilson, I.B. (1962) Esters of methane sulfonic acid as irreversible inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 237, 3245-3249. 

Disulfoton causes neurological effects in humans and animals. The mechanism of action on the nervous system depends on the metabolism of disulfoton to active metabolites. The liver is the major site of metabolic oxidation of disulfoton to disulfoton sulfoxide, disulfoton sulfone, demeton S-sulfoxide and demeton S-sulfone, which inhibit acetylcholinesterase in nervous tissue. These four active metabolites are more potent inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase than disulfoton. Cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase and flavin adenine dinucleotide monooxygenase are involved in this metabolic activation. The active metabolites ultimately undergo nonenzymatic and/or enzymatic hydrolysis to more polar metabolites that are not toxic and are excreted in the urine. 

Pastorin G, Marchesan S, Hoebeke J, Da Ros T, Ehret-Sabatier L, Briand J-P, Prato M, Bianco A (2006) Design and activity of cationic fullerene derivatives as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase. Org. Biomol. Chem. 4 2556-2562. 

Phosphinates are a class of organophosphorus compounds, the metabolism of which has received less attention than that of phosphates (see above) or phosphorothioates and P-halidc compounds (see below). Many phosphinates are rapid but transient inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase and carboxyl-esterases. And like organophosphates and phosphonates, phosphinates are substrates of arylesterases (EC 3.1.1.2). This is exemplified by 4-nitrophen-yl ethyl(phenyl)phosphinate (9.62), whose (-)-enantiomer was hydrolyzed by rabbit serum arylesterase almost 10 times faster than the (+)-enantiomer [133],... 

Inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase are useful as pesticides and for treatment of Alzheimer s disease. In addition, they are chemical warfare agents. 

Galantamine is a reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase that also possesses nicotinic receptor agonist properties, and which is used in mild-to-moderate dementia in Alzheimer s disease. 

Many phosphorus derivatives function as irreversible inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, and are thus potentially toxic. These include a range of organophosphorus insecticides, such as malathion and parathion, and nerve gases such as sarin. 

As a result, the penicillin occupies the active site of the enzyme, and becomes bound via the active-site serine residue. This binding causes irreversible enzyme inhibition, and stops cell-wall biosynthesis. Growing cells are killed due to rupture of the cell membrane and loss of cellular contents. The binding reaction between penicillinbinding proteins and penicillins is chemically analogous to the action of P-lactamases (see Boxes 7.20 and 13.5) however, in the latter case, penicilloic acid is subsequently released from the P-lactamase, and the enzyme can continue to function. Inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (see Box 7.26) also bind irreversibly to the enzyme through a serine hydroxyl. 

Pharmacology Galantamine is a competitive and reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. While the precise mechanism of galantamine s action is unknown, it may exert its therapeutic effect by enhancing cholinergic function. Pharmacokinetics ... 

Parathion is one of a class of phosphorothionate triesters widely used as insecticides. These compounds exert their toxic effects in insects and mammals by inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. The phosphorothionates, in general, are relatively poor inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase but are converted by the cytochrome P-450-containing monooxygenase enzyme systems in insects and mammals to the corresponding phosphate triesters that are potent inhibitors of this enzyme. 

It Is well known that phosphorothlonate insecticides such as parathlon (, 0-diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphorothloate) and malathion [0, -dimethyl -(l,2 -dlcarbethoxy)ethyl phosphoro-dithioate] are Intrinsically poor inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase and in vivo activation to the respective anticholinesterases paraoxon and malaoxon is required before animals exposed to the phosphorothionates are intoxicated. Since metabolic activation is essential to the biological activity of these thiono sulfur-containing organophosphorus insecticides, compounds of this type may be considered as propesticides or, more specifically, prolnsectlcldes. 

The results with the recently introduced centrally acting inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase like tacrine and rivastigmine for the treatment of Alzheimer s disease are modest at best. 

Donepezil is a selective, reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. Its long half-hfe allows for once-daUy dosing. Several stud-... 

The devastating mental deterioration that characterizes Alzheimer s disease has been attributed to a mishandling of the neurotransmitter acetylchohne. Inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that catabolizes that substance, would be expected to help restore deficient acetylcholine levels. Several partly reduced acridines have shown some activity in treating Alzheimer s disease. At least one of these, tacrine (14-5), is now approved for use in patients. The initial step in the synthesis of the first of these consists of the sodium amide catalyzed condensation of isatin (14-1) with cyclohexanone. The reaction can be visualized by assuming the first step to involve an attack of amide on isatin to give an amido-amide such as (14-2) (note that no attempt has been made to account for charges). This can then react with... 

Dopamine is oxidized to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde by the enzyme monoamine oxidase. Inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase are widely used as insecticides inhibitors of monoamine oxidase are helpful in treating some neurological disorders. 

Donepezil is currently approved worldwide as a first-line treatment for improving memory or at least slowing the rate of memory loss in Alzheimer s disease. It is a reversible, long-acting, selective piperidine inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AchE)... 

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