Inhibition of hepatitis C virus NS3 protease activity by product-based peptides is dependent on helicase domain.

Structure activity relationships (SARs) of product-based inhibitors of hepatitis C virus NS3 protease were evaluated using an in vitro assay system comprising the native bifunctional full-length NS3 (protease-helicase/NTPase). The results were compared to previously reported data derived from the corresponding NS3 protease domain assay. Shortening the length of the protease inhibitors from hexapeptides to tripeptides revealed that the decrease in potency was much less when determined in the assay system with the full-length NS3 protein. Disagreements in SARs at different positions (P5 P2) were also discovered. Taken together, the results suggest that the impact of the helicase domain upon protease inhibitor binding is substantial.

Correlation of human jejunal permeability (in vivo) of drugs with experimentally and theoretically derived parameters. A multivariate data analysis approach.

The effective permeability (Peff) in the human jejunum (in vivo) of 22 structurally diverse compounds was correlated with both experimentally determined lipophilicity values and calculated molecular descriptors. The permeability data were previously obtained by using a regional in vivo perfusion system in the proximal jejunum in humans as part of constructing a biopharmaceutical classification system for oral immediate-release products. pKa, log P, and, where relevant, log Pion values were determined using the pH-metric technique. On the basis of these experiments, log D values were calculated at pH 5.5, 6.5, and 7.4. Multivariate data analysis was used to derive models that correlate passive intestinal permeability to physicochemical descriptors. The best model obtained, based on 13 passively transcellularly absorbed compounds, used the variables HBD (number of hydrogen bond donors), PSA (polar surface area), and either log D5.5 or log D6.5 (octanol/water distribution coefficient at pH 5.5 and 6.5, respectively). Statistically good models for prediciting human in vivo Peff values were also obtained by using only HBD and PSA or HBD, PSA, and CLOGP. These models can be used to predict passive intestinal membrane diffusion in humans for compounds that fit within the defined property space. We used one of the models obtained above to predict the log Peff values for an external validation set consisting of 34 compounds. A good correlation with the absorption data of these compounds was found.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of deazaxanthines: analogs of potent A1- and A2-adenosine receptor antagonists.

A set of 22 9-deazaxanthines (pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine-2,4-diones) and three 7-deazaxanthines (pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-diones) with various substituents in the 1-, 3-, 7- or 9-, and 8-positions was synthesized and investigated in A1 and A2a adenosine receptor binding assays at rat brain cortical membranes and rat brain striatal membranes, respectively. 9-Deazaxanthines showed structure-activity relationships that were similar to those of xanthines. They were about equipotent to the corresponding xanthines at A2a adenosine receptors. 9-Deazaxanthines were generally at least 2-3-fold more potent than xanthines at A1 receptors and therefore exhibited higher A1 selectivities compared to the xanthines. 1,3-Dimethyl-8-(2-naphthyl)-9- deazaxanthine (19e) showed high affinity (Ki = 26 nM) and selectivity for A1 adenosine receptors. A hydroxyl function at N7 of 9-deazaxanthines was unfavorable for A1 and A2a receptor binding. 7-Deazaxanthines were considerably less potent compared to xanthines and to 9-deazaxanthines at both receptor subtypes.

The Top Ten NSAIDS. A molecular modelling study.

In the present study the Top Ten NSAIDs are investigated with the aid of molecular modelling methods. Conformational analyses are performed, electronic and lipophilic properties are examined and correlated with the antiinflammatory effectivity of the respective compounds.

Surface comparisons of some odour molecules: conformational calculations on sandalwood odour V.

Molecular surface comparison seems to be a very suitable tool for the investigation of small differences between biologically active and inactive compounds of the same structural type. A fast method for such comparisons, based on volume matching followed by the estimation of comparable surface dots, is presented and applied on a few selected sandalwood odour molecules.