Evaluation of in silico pharmacokinetic properties and in vitro cytotoxic activity of selected newly synthesized N-succinimide derivatives.

Design of a new drug entity is usually preceded by analysis of quantitative structure activity (properties) relationships, QSA(P)R. Six newly synthesized succinimide derivatives have been determined for (i) in silico physico-chemical descriptors, pharmacokinetic and toxicity predictors, (ii) in vitro biological activity on four different carcinoma cell lines and on normal fetal lung cells and (iii) lipophilicity on liquid chromatography. All compounds observed were predicted for good permeability and solubility, good oral absorption rate and moderate volume of distribution as well as for modest blood brain permeation, followed by acceptable observed toxicity. In silico determined lipophilicity, permeability through jejunum and aqueous solubility were correlated with experimentally obtained lipophilic constants (by use of high pressure liquid chromatography) and linear correlations were obtained. Absorption rate and volume of distribution were predicted by chromatographic lipophilicity measurements while permeation through blood bran barrier was predicted dominantly by molecular size defined with molecular weight. Five compounds have demonstrated antiproliferative activity toward cervix carcinoma HeLa cell lines; three were cytotoxic against breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells, while one inhibited proliferation of colon carcinoma HT-29 cell lines. Only one compound was cytotoxic toward normal cell lines, while other compounds were proven as safe. Antiproliferative potential against HeLa cells was described as exponential function of lipophilicity. Based on obtained results, lead compounds were selected.

Reversed- and normal-phase liquid chromatography in quantitative structure retention-property relationships of newly synthesized seco-androstene derivatives.

The rational preselection of drug candidates includes also correlation between physico-chemical properties (lipophilicity, as the key one) and pharmacokinetic properties, as well as pharmacodynamic activity. Lipophilicity can be determined alternatively by chromatographic methods. Chromatographic behavior of nineteen newly synthesized derivatives of 16-cyano-16,17-seco-5-androstene has been studied by reversed-phase and normal-phase thin-layer chromatography (RP- and NP-TLC). Commercial plates RP-C18-HPTLC and water-dioxane and water-acetonitrile, as well as Lux(®) silica gel plates and toluene-dioxane and toluene-acetonitrile mixtures with different volume fractions of the solvents were used. Retention constants RM(0) and C0 for each compound were determined and correlated with (i) theoretical log P values and (ii) pharmacokinetic predictors determined in silico. Significant linear relationship was found between RP TLC retention constants, RM(0), and computational logP values as well as between NP TLC retention constants, C0, and logP. Lipophilicity values for the analytes, determined by RP TLC and NP TLC, were also correlated with computer calculated absorption constants, affinity for plasma proteins, volume of distribution and logarithm of blood-brain permeation. Significant linear relationships were obtained. These relations were further improved by introducing other regressors, as molecular size descriptors (molecular mass and/or volume) and a molecular polarity descriptor (total polar surface area). Retention parameters, RM(0) and C0, are recommended for lipophilicity expression of analyzed compounds. In silico pharmacokinetic descriptors for the analytes can be expressed as function of the lipophilicity determined by chromatographic methods, the size and the polarity of the molecules expressed as molecular mass/volume and total polar surface area. The analyzed seco-androstene derivatives have adequate lipophilicity which should provide druglikeness and good pharmacokinetic profiles and they can be recommended for further studies in which their biological activity would be examined.

RP TLC data in correlation studies with in silico pharmacokinetic properties of benzimidazole and benztriazole derivatives.

Reversed-phase thin-layer chromatographic (RP TLC) retention constants for a newly designed series benzimidazole/benztriazole with expected biological activity were determined as parameters of their lipophilicity and this series was recognized as congeneric. Pharmacokinetic descriptors of the compounds investigated were calculated in silico with the use of the established drug design software. The bioactivity descriptors, which are assumed to predicted drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination and toxicity (ADMETox) in humans, were correlated with retention constants and good statistical parameters were obtained. Multiple regression analysis which was introduced suggested that the absorption through different epithelial membranes (intestinal, blood-brain or erythrocyte membrane) and distribution process depend on retention constants (as measure of lipophilicty) and total polar surface area and molar weight/volume of the analyte. Finally, the compounds with halogen substituent (compounds A4/A7 and A5/A8 in Table 1), were suggested as the best drug candidates, because of their predicted proper pharmacokinetics and have been proposed for further biological tests.