For the development of new drugs, the investigation of
their metabolism
is of central importance. In the past, the focus was mostly on the
consideration of established enzymes leading to oxidations such as
cytochrome P450. However, reductive metabolism by the mARC enzyme
system can play an important role in particular for nitrogen containing
functional groups. A rapid test was established to give developers
of new drugs in the preclinical stage the opportunity to test the
metabolism by mARC. To demonstrate the relevance and validity of the
new test system, known and potential substrates were applied to this
new assay. All known substrates could be detected by the system. Furthermore,
several new substrates were found including long-established drugs
such as hydroxyurea and new compounds in development such as epacdadostat.
Under different pathological conditions, aberrant induction of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) generates overproduction of NO that can cause irreversible cell damage. The aim of this study was to develop an amidoxime prodrug of a potent nNOS inhibitor, the benzhydryl acetamidine. We synthesized the benzhydryl acetamidoxime, which was evaluated in vitro to ascertain the potential NOS inhibitory activity, as well as conducting bioconversion into the parent acetamidine. The prodrug was also profiled for in vitro physicochemical properties , by determining the lipophilicity, passive permeation through the human gastrointestinal tract and across the bloodbrain barrier by PAMPA, and chemical, enzymatic, and plasma stability. The obtained data demonstrate that the amidoxime prodrug shows an improved pharmacokinetic profile with respect to the acetamidine nNOS inhibitor, thus suggesting that it could be a promising lead compound to treat all those pathological conditions in which nNOS activity is dysregulated.
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