Structural potency

An alternative viewpoint for structure-activity investigations is to utilize quantitative models as probes into the mechanism of action of the set of compounds being studied. In this case it is most useful if the molecular descriptors are explicitly meaningful in terms of chemical reactivity or physiological behavior, e.g., distribution of the compound in an organism (see Table II). In a previous symposium, (18), we described our application of this approach toward the development of a quantitative structure-potency expression, equation 1,... 

Interspecies Variations in Susceptibility. An Important assumption in the development of both the structure-potency model (eq, 1) and the structure-target-organ model (eq, 2) was that all of the test compounds were administered at equal daily... 

Because the goal of hit triage is to identify chemical series that hold promise for further optimization, an approach to characterize the ADME properties of a series, not just individual compounds is often useful. Where possible, characterizing the structure-ADME property relationship, in much the same way that a structure-potency relationship is defined, can be valuable for assessing the probability that a given structural series can be successfully optimized. The goals of this ADME property characterization are twofold (1) to identify specific structural features that may be liabilities (benefits), and (2) to identify general structure-ADME property correlations. 

Several assays have been described by investigators in the field and they are used for different purposes. Assays involving purified Cox-1 and Cox-2 are used for convenience and speed or to obtain an estimate of the relative intrinsic potency and selectivity of inhibitors. Selectivity based on intrinsic affinity for the catalytic site permits the development of structure-potency relationships that one can interpret in terms of structural features of the inhibitors and the catalytic sites of the target enzymes (Bayly et al., 1999). Cell-based assays are used to determine whether the inhibitors can enter cells and inhibit Cox, as well as to determine inhibitor potency in a more biologically relevant environment than provided by purified enzyme assays. At Merck, CHO cell lines that overexpressed human Cox-1 or Cox-2 were developed and used for screening cell-based assays (Kargman et al., 1996). 

Correlation of Structure, Potency, and Duration. From the acute potency data shown, it will be noted that in Class IV sulfonylureas—i.e., in the semicarbazide derivaties—potency was far greater than the other three classes. In this group of compounds, the presence of an amino or chloro group in the... 

The second application of the CFTI protocol is the evaluation of the free energy differences between four states of the linear form of the opioid peptide DPDPE in solution. Our primary result is the determination of the free energy differences between the representative stable structures j3c and Pe and the cyclic-like conformer Cyc of linear DPDPE in aqueous solution. These free energy differences, 4.0 kcal/mol between pc and Cyc, and 6.3 kcal/mol between pE and Cyc, reflect the cost of pre-organizing the linear peptide into a conformation conducive for disulfide bond formation. Such a conformational change is a pre-requisite for the chemical reaction of S-S bond formation to proceed. The predicted low population of the cyclic-like structure, which is presumably the biologically active conformer, agrees qualitatively with observed lower potency and different receptor specificity of the linear form relative to the cyclic peptide. 

Lead structure According to Valler and Green s definition a lead structure is a representative of a compound series with sufficient potential (as measured by potency, selectivity, pharmacokinetics, physicochemical properties, absence of toxicity and novelty) to progress to a full drug development program [12]. 

Saponins. Although the hypocholesterolemic activity of saponins has been known since the 1950s, thek low potency and difficult purification sparked Htde interest in natural saponins as hypolipidemic agents. Synthetic steroids (292, 293) that are structurally related to saponins have been shown to lower plasma cholesterol in a variety of different species (252). Steroid (292) is designated CP-88,818 [99759-19-0]. The hypocholesterolemic agent CP-148,623 [150332-35-7] (293) is not absorbed into the systemic ckculation and does not inhibit enzymes involved in cholesterol synthesis, release, or uptake. Rather, (293) specifically inhibits cholesterol absorption into the intestinal mucosa (253). As of late 1996, CP-148,623 is in clinical trials as an agent that lowers blood concentrations of cholesterol (254). 

Fig. 3. Structure—activity summary of dipeptide sweeteners, where n may be 0 or 1 (62). There are no known replacements for the acid or amide groups denoted by arrows, although thioamide has some sweetness. If the NH2 is replaced by NHC(0)R, the potency is increased when...

Structure—Activity Relationships. In spite of the considerable synthetic and bioassay effort involved in estabhshing the thyromimetic potency of thyroid-hormone analogues, more than 100 compounds have been studied (Table 2). The main stmctural requirements for thyromimetic activity can be summarized as follows (6,12—16). 

The steroids as a class represent a structurally complex problem for the synthetic chemist. Even a relatively simple compound such as estrone possesses three ring fusions, two of which can lead to isomers and four chiral centers (identified below by ). Only one of the sixteen possible isomers possesses the desired activity in satisfactory potency. 

Replacement of the methyl group of the piperazine-substituted phenothiazines by some more polar group such as hydroxyethyl fragment leads to a further small increase in potency. It should be noted at this point that all phenothiazines manifest a series of side effects. The given set of these varies, however, with the side chains. The availability of the great variety of such structural variations makes it more likely that some drug will be found that a given individual will tolerate. 

It is a hallmark of the structure activity relationships of the corticoids that the effects of structural modifications that lead to increased potency are usually additive. The fact that more than half a dozen such modifications each lead to increased potency opens ever new possibilities for combinations and permutations. Meclorisone dibutyrate (74) thus combines the known... 

Dezocine (30) represents a class of bridged aminotetralins possessing morphine-like analgesic properties. It appears to be roughly equivalent in potency and addiction potential to morphine. The molecule combines molecular features of precedent aminotetralins and benzomor-phans and its structure fits the classical Morphine Rule. The 1-enantiomer is the more active and the p-epimer (equatorial NHj) is the active diastereomer. 

The generally accepted structure-activity relationships developed in the early work in the quinolone series held that the N-1 substituent needed to be small and aliphatic. This picture was upset in a dramatic way with the discovery of the excellent potency and antimicrobial spectrum of difloxacin (45) and its congeners in which the substituent on N-1 is an aromatic ring. The synthe-... 

FIGURE 8.19 Small changes in the chemical structure of N-propyl tetramethylammonium and pheniramine produce 145-fold and tenfold increases in potency, respectively. 

Adenosine Receptors. Figure 1 Structures of widely used AR agonists, both nonselective and selective. Affinities/potencies at the ARs are found in Table 2. (a) Nucleoside derivatives that are either nonselective or selective for A receptors (1-12). (b) Nucleoside derivatives that are selective for A2a. A2a/A2b (mixed), or A3 receptors (13-19). 

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