Semicarbazone – a Versatile Therapeutic Pharmacophore for Fragment Based Anticonvulsant Drug Design
Acta Pharm. 62 (2012) 263–286 Review DOI: 10.2478/v10007-012-0030-1 Semicarbazone – a versatile therapeutic pharmacophore for fragment based anticonvulsant drug design SURENDRA NATH PANDEYA During the last fifteen years, semicarbazones have been extensively investigated for their anticonvulsant proper- Department of Pharmacy, Saroj Institute ties. 4-(4-Flurophenoxy) benzaldehyde semicarbazone of Technology and Management Ahimamau (C0102862, V102862) was discovered as a lead molecule Lucknow-226002 (U.P.), India and is being developed as a potent antiepileptic drug, with maximal electroshock (MES) ED50 of i.p. 12.9 mg kg-1. In MES (oral screen), this compound has a protec- tive index (PI = TD50/ED50 > 315) higher than carbama- zepine (PI 101), phenytoin (PI > 21.6) and valproate (PI 2.17). The compound is a potent sodium channel blocker. Other semicarbazones have demonstrated activity in va- rious chemoshock screens, like subcutaneous pentylene- tetrazole, subcutaneous strychnine, subcutaneous picro- toxin and subcutaneous bicculine. Semicarbazones are also GABA-transaminase inhibitors. Extensive structure- -activity relationship has demonstrated that F, Cl, Br and NO2 substituents in the arylhydrophobic pocket and a hydrogen bonding domain (HBD) are generally found in active anticonvulsant agents. Keywords: semicarbazone, anticonvulsant, Na+ channel Accepted July 17, 2012 blocker Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes people to have recurring seizures. Epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide, and 50 % of them live in the developing world (1, 2). Many options are available, from different chemical classes such as hydantoins (3) barbiturates (4), benzodiazepines (5), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogs (6), di- benzepines (7) and carbamates (8). All of these compounds are used in the treatment of epilepsy.
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