Pretreatment of CD-1 mice with 4-methylpyrazole blocks toxicity from the gamma-hydroxybutyrate precursor, 1,4-butanediol.

1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD) is the dihydroxy precursor of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a popular recreational drug that has been banned by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and controlled as a federal schedule I drug. 1,4-BD is enzymatically converted in vivo to GHB by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and overdoses can result in coma, severe respiratory depression, bradycardia, hypothermia, seizures, and death. Presently, there is no antidote. We pretreated CD-1 mice with the ADH antagonist, 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP), to determine if blocking ADH can prevent or decrease toxicity from 1,4-BD overdose. Pretreatment with 4-MP increased the Toxic Dose-50 (TD(50)) of 1,4-BD for the righting reflex from 585 mg/kg (95% CI, 484-707 mg/kg) in control mice to 5,550 mg/kg (95% CI, 5,353-5,756 mg/kg) in pretreated mice. Pretreatment with 4-MP also increased the TD(50) of 1,4-BD for the rotarod test from 163 mg/kg (95% CI, 136-196 mg/kg) in control mice to 4,900 mg/kg (95% CI, 4,812-4,989 mg/kg) in pretreated mice. Pretreatment with 4-MP significantly decreased the toxicity of 1,4-BD in CD-1 mice, presumably by inhibiting its ADH biotransformation to GHB. 4-MP warrants further investigation as a potential antidote for this increasingly abused drug.

Synthesis of a 11C-labeled NK1 receptor ligand for PET studies.

Changes in substance P (SP) receptor concentration have been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders, Parkinson's disease, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma. Since, SP and peptide analogs are rapidly metabolized and do not penetrate into the CNS, they are not useful for PET. Recently, a non-peptide SP antagonist, (+)-(2S,3S)-3-(2-methoxybenzylamino)-2-phenylpiperidine (CP-99,994) was developed. As a prelude to PET studies, this compound was radiolabeled with 11C and biodistribution was determined in hamsters. CP-99,994 was radiolabeled by methylation of tert-Boc, desmethyl CP-99,994 with 11CH3I followed by deprotection and HPLC purification. The time required for the synthesis was 40 min from the end of bombardment. Radiochemical purity of the final product was > 95% and specific activity was routinely > 1000 mCi/mumol [EOS]. The biodistribution of 11C-CP-99,994 was determined in groups of six Syrian hamsters at 5 and 30 min after injection. The results of these studies demonstrated that significant concentrations (%ID/g +/- SEM) of CP-99,994 accumulate in most tissues of the hamster. The highest levels of drug were detected in the lung: 21.04 +/- 1.26 (5 min) and 13.49 +/- 1.71 (30 min). Brain accumulation was: 1.44 +/- 0.06 (5 min), 1.32 +/- 0.05 (30 min). These results indicate that 11C-CP-99,994 can be prepared in high purity and specific activity. This new radiopharmaceutical may be useful for studying both central and peripheral SP receptors by PET.

Pharmacology of CP-99,994; a nonpeptide antagonist of the tachykinin neurokinin-1 receptor.

(+)-(2S,3S)-3-(2-methoxybenzylamino)-2-phenylpiperidine (CP-99,994) binds selectively and with high affinity (Ki = 0.25 nM) to neurokinin (NK)-1 tachykinin receptors in a human cell line and in guinea pigs where it acts as an antagonist as evidenced by its blockade of substance P-induced excitation of locus coeruleus neurons in vitro. Subcutaneously administered CP-99,994 antagonized locomotor activity in guinea pigs induced by intraventricular infusion of [Sar9,Met(O2)11]-substance P (50 micrograms) with an ID50 = 0.59 mg/kg, indicating that CP-99,994 penetrates into the central nervous system. Orally administered CP-99,994 potently blocked (ID50 = 4 mg/kg) the leakage of Evans blue dye into trachea and bronchi elicited by exposure of guinea pigs to aerosol capsaicin (1 mM). CP-99,994 has reduced affinity (IC50 = 3 microM) for the L-type calcium channel in contrast to CP-96,345 (IC50 = 27 nM) an earlier nonpeptide antagonist. Thus, CP-99,994 represents an important pharmacological tool for investigating the physiological role of substance P and a potentially novel therapeutic agent for treating a variety of diseases.

Synthesis, in vitro binding profile, and autoradiographic analysis of [3H]-cis-3-[(2-methoxybenzyl)amino]-2-phenylpiperidine, a highly potent and selective nonpeptide substance P receptor antagonist radioligand.

The synthesis of a highly potent and selective NK1 receptor antagonist radioligand, [3H]-cis-3-[(2-methoxybenzyl)amino]-2-phenylpiperidine (6a) is described. The in vitro binding pharmacology and autoradiographic distribution of 6a in guinea pig brain following peripheral administration are also reported.

A new NK1 receptor antagonist (CP-99,994) prevents the increase in tracheal vascular permeability produced by hypertonic saline.

The increase in tracheal vascular permeability evoked by hypertonic saline depends on capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves, which contain substance P and other neuropeptides. The present study was performed to determine whether a novel, nonpeptide, selective antagonist of the NK1 tachykinin receptor CP-99,994, [(+)-(2S-3S)-3-(2-methoxybenzylamino)-2-phenylpiperidine], can prevent the effect of substance P, capsaicin and hypertonic saline on tracheal vascular permeability. CP-99,994 was also tested against a nonpeptide inflammatory mediator, platelet-activating factor (PAF), to assess the selectivity of its action. Anesthetized F-344 rats were injected with either substance P (5 micrograms/kg i.v.), capsaicin (100 micrograms/kg i.v.) or PAF (10 micrograms/kg i.v.), or were exposed to ultrasonically nebulized 3.6% NaCl. In each group, some of the rats were pretreated with CP-99,994 (1 to 4 mg/kg i.v.), and some with its vehicle (0.9% NaCl). Groups of rats injected with substance P or exposed to hypertonic saline were pretreated with the (2R, 3R)-enantiomer CP-100,263, [(-)-(2R-3R)-3-(2-methoxybenzylamino)-2-phenylpiperidine] (2 or 4 mg/kg i.v.). The magnitude of the increase in tracheal vascular permeability was measured by quantifying the extravasation of Evans blue dye. CP-99,994 prevented the increase in tracheal vascular permeability produced by inhalation of hypertonic saline, by substance P and by capsaicin, but did not prevent the effect of PAF. CP-100,263 did not affect substance P- and hypertonic saline-induced increase in vascular permeability. These results indicate that the NK1 receptor antagonist CP-99,994 produces stereoselective inhibition of neurogenic plasma extravasation evoked by inhalation of hypertonic saline.

NK1 receptors mediate neurogenic inflammatory increase in blood flow in rat airways.

We studied the effect of neurogenic inflammation on airway blood flow in anesthetized F-344 rats. Three successive determinations of blood flow were made by injecting radionuclide-labeled microspheres suspended in 70% dextrose into the left ventricle. A selective agonist of the tachykinin receptor neurokinin 1 (NK1) increased airway blood flow, but NK2- and NK3-selective agonists were without effect. The natural agonist of NK1 receptors, substance P (1 micrograms/kg), increased airway blood flow, an effect that was abolished by the selective NK1 receptor antagonist CP-99,994 [(+)-(2S,3S)-3-(2-methoxybenzylamino)-2-phenylpiperidine] but not by the (2R,3R)-enantiomer CP-100,263. Capsaicin (25 micrograms/kg), a drug that releases tachykinins and calcitonin gene-related peptide from sensory nerves, increased airway blood flow, and again this effect was abolished by CP-99,994. We also studied the effect of a selective inhibitor (captopril, 2.5 mg/kg) of the tachykinin-degrading enzyme kininase II [or angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)] on substance P-induced airway vasodilation. Captopril potentiated and prolonged the vasodilator effect of substance P. We conclude that neurogenic vasodilation in rat airways is due to the release of substance P, acts via NK1 receptors, and may be modulated by ACE.

Neurogenic vasodilation in the rat nasal mucosa involves neurokinin1 tachykinin receptors.

We studied the role of different tachykinin receptors in mediating neurogenic vasodilation in the nasal mucosa of anesthetized pathogen-free rats. Three successive determinations of blood flow were made by injecting radionuclide-labeled microspheres suspended in 70% dextrose into the left ventricle. A selective agonist of the tachykinin NK1 receptor increased nasal blood flow, but neurokinin NK2- and NK3-selective agonists were without effect. The natural agonist of NK1 receptors, substance P (1 microgram/kg), increased nasal blood flow, an effect that was abolished by the selective NK1 receptor antagonist (+)-(2S,3S)-3-(2-methoxybenzylamino)-2-phenylpiperidine (CP-99,994). Capsaicin (25 micrograms/kg), a drug that releases tachykinins from sensory nerves, increased nasal blood flow, and this effect was significantly reduced by CP-99,994. We conclude that a significant component of neurogenic vasodilation in rat nasal mucosa is due to the stimulation of NK1 tachykinin receptors.

High-affinity [3H]THA (tetrahydroaminoacridine) binding sites in rat brain.

Tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA), an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that is reported to have significant effects on cognition and memory in Alzheimer's disease patients, binds to rat brain membranes in a saturable and reversible manner. Computer analysis of the binding data revealed high- and low-affinity sites with Kd values of 97.8 nM and 4.65 microM and Bmax values of 4.13 and 114 pmol/mg protein. Autoradiographic studies show that these binding sites are not co-localized with acetylcholinesterase activity. The binding of [3H]THA to membranes does not appear to be related to receptors for several neurotransmitters/neuromodulators, including acetylcholine and other acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Amiridin, a closely related acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, was able to block specific [3H]THA binding (IC50 = 1.05 microM). While the function of THA mediated by these sites is unknown, they may be responsible in part for the distinct clinical effects of tetrahydroaminoacridine compared to other acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.

A potent nonpeptide antagonist of the substance P (NK1) receptor.

CP-96,345 [(2S, 3S)-cis-2-(diphenylmethyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)- methyl]-1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-3-amine] is a potent nonpeptide antagonist of the substance P (NK1) receptor. CP-96,345 inhibited 3H-labeled substance P binding and was a classical competitive antagonist in the NK1 monoreceptor dog carotid artery preparation. CP-96,345 inhibited substance P-induced salivation in the rat, a classical in vivo bioassay, but did not inhibit NK2, NK3, or numerous other receptors; it is thus a selective NK1 antagonist. This compound may prove to be a powerful tool for investigation of the physiological properties of substance P and exploration of its role in diseases.

Temporal arteritis. The Indian scene.

We describe a series of 7 patients with temporal arteritis (TA), 5 of whom had undoubted TA and 2 almost certainly had TA. All presented with considerable morbidity but responded dramatically to treatment.