Safety, pharmacokinetics and biodistribution studies of a beta-galactoside prodrug of doxorubicin for improvement of tumor selective chemotherapy.

Anthracycline antibiotics, particularly doxorubicin (DOX) and daunorubicin, have been used extensively in the treatment of human malignancies. However, cardiotoxicity and multidrug resistance are significant problems that limit the clinical efficacy of such agents. Rational design to avoid these side effects includes strategies such as drug targeting and prodrug synthesis. The DOX prodrug N-(beta-D-glucopyranosylbenzyloxycarbonyl)-doxorubicin (prodrug 1) was synthesized for specific activation by beta-galactosidase, which is expected to release in necrotic areas of tumor lesions. Described here is the safety, pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution studies of a beta-galactoside prodrug of DOX. In vivo safety evaluation was done in the Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) tumor model. The dose of DOX was 8 mg/kg and the dose of prodrug was 8 mg/kg and 24 mg/kg of DOX equivalents. Our results on cytotoxicity, which demonstrated compression in the number of EAC cells and their viability, substantiate these data. Prodrug 1 was safe up to a dose of 24 mg/kg of DOX equivalents in EAC mice. The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of prodrug (300 mg/kg) in normal mice were determined and compared with DOX (20 mg/kg). Administration of DOX in normal mice resulted in a peak plasma concentration of 19.45 microM (t = 30 minutes). Prodrug injection resulted in 3- to 16-fold lower concentrations in the tissues of normal mice. As it is more polar, lower levels were observed in tissues and plasma in contrast to the parent compound DOX. In vivo safety studies have shown that prodrug 1 had a maximum tolerated dose compared with DOX and led to improved pharmacokinetics in normal mice.

Synthesis and adenosine receptor binding studies of some novel triazolothienopyrimidines.

A new series of 5-alkyl/aryl-8,9-dimethyl/8,9,10,11-tetrahydro[1]benzothieno[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-c]pyrimidine-3(2H)-thiones (4a-k) have been synthesized through a facile cyclization reaction of 4-hydrazino-2-alkyl/aryl-5,6-dimethyl/5,6,7,8-tetrahydro[1]benzothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines (3a-k) using carbon disulphide under basic conditions. 4-Hydrazino-2-alkyl/aryl-5,6-dimethyl/5,6,7,8-tetrahydro[1]benzothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines (3a-k) were prepared by replacing the chloro group of 4-chloro-2-substituted-5,6-dimethyl/5,6,7,8-tetrahydro[1]benzothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines (2a-k) with hydrazine hydrate which were obtained by a known one-pot synthesis. The affinities of these compounds for adenosine A(1)/A(2A) receptors were determined at 1 microM concentration. The test compounds which exhibited more than 20% inhibition were selected and further screened at six different concentration levels to estimate their EC(50)/K(i) values. The most potent compounds in the series were 4c and 4d having an ethyl side chain at C(5) position with dimethyl and cyclohexyl substitution at the C(8)-C(9) positions, exhibiting K(i) values of 2.1 and 1.1 microM, respectively, at A(1)ARs. The SAR indicates that by increasing or decreasing the alkyl chain length at C(5) led to reduced affinity. The remaining aryl/arylalkyl derivatives of the series were inactive showing that a simple alkyl side chain at C(5) is necessary for these ligands to bind at A(1)ARs. However, none of the compounds showed inhibition on A(2A) receptors at 1 microM concentration indicating their selectivity. This communication describes the design, synthesis and evaluation of these new molecules.