Long-chain-substituted uric acid and 5,6-diaminouracil derivatives as novel agents against free radical processes: synthesis and in vitro activity.

A new series of N-alkylated uric acids (2,6,8-purinetrione) and 5,6-diaminouracils (5,6-diamino-2,4-pyrimidinedione) were synthesized, and their activities against free radicals were evaluated. Long-chain derivatives of both series exhibited a large inhibitory activity against oxygen radical induced lipid peroxidation in bovine heart mitochondria (IC50 lower than 1 microM), compared to the reference antioxidants trolox C or alpha-tocopherol. This activity appeared related to (i) the ability of these compounds to reduce the stable radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and (ii) their lipophilicity estimated by log P determination. In order to study the scavenging mechanisms of diaminouracils and urate derivatives against lipid radicals, they were also tested against the azo-initiated peroxidation of either methyl linoleate in organic solvents or a liposomal suspension of dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine. Urate derivatives reacted moderately with lipid radicals and were slowly consumed, significantly affecting the propagation of the peroxidation. Diaminouracils strongly reduced the propagation rate. They were quickly consumed and were able to deactivate about 1 mol of lipid radical per mole of compound in organic solvent. Dodecyl urates and decyl- and dodecyldiaminouracils were chosen for further in vitro investigation and in vivo evaluation.

Inhibition of the iron-catalysed formation of hydroxyl radicals by nitrosouracil derivatives: protection of mitochondrial membranes against lipid peroxidation.

A new series of metal ligands containing the 1,3-dimethyl-6-amino-5- nitrosouracil moiety has been synthesized and they have been studied as potential inhibitors of iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. For this purpose, these new derivatives have been tested in the Fenton induced deoxyribose degradation assay, which allows a quantitative measurement of their inhibitory effect towards hydroxyl radical generation. When iron(II) is complexed by these ligands, a strong inhibition of deoxyribose degradation is observed, especially in the case of tris-[2-(1,3-dimethyl-5-nitrosouracil-6-yl)aminoethyl] amine (5). This inhibitory effect is clearly related to a specific complexation of iron(II) and is not due to the direct scavenging of hydroxyl radical by the ligand. Inhibition of the iron mediated Fenton reaction presumably results from inactivation of the reactivity of the metal center towards hydrogen peroxide. These derivatives, as well as long alkyl chain substituted nitrosouracils were evaluated in the protection of biological membranes against lipid peroxidation (induced by iron(II)/dihydroxyfumaric acid and determined with the 2-thiobarbituric acid test). Ligand 5 inhibited lipid peroxidation at a rate similar to Desferal (desferrioxamine B) and slightly higher than bathophenanthroline sulphonate (BPS), which are respectively good iron(III) and iron(II) chelators. When covalently bound with a long alkyl chain, the increase of lipophilic character of the ligand allows its location near the mitochondrial membrane, where lipid peroxidation occurs. Lower concentrations (IC50 = 4 microM) are then necessary to inhibit lipid peroxidation. This IC50 concentration should be compared to those obtained for Trolox (IC50 = 3 microM) or the 21-aminosteroid U74500A (IC50 = 1 microM) described previously.