Design, synthesis and evaluation of 3-methylene-substituted indolinones as antimalarials

Eur J Med Chem. 2011 Mar;46(3):927-33. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2011.01.008. Epub 2011 Jan 15.

Abstract

The design, synthesis and evaluation of 3-methylene-substituted indolinones as falcipain inhibitors and antiplasmodial agents are described. These compounds react readily with thiols via an addition-elimination mechanism, indicating their potential as cysteine protease inhibitors. Several indolinones containing a Leu-i-amyl recognition moiety were found to be moderate inhibitors of the Plasmodium falciparum cysteine protease falcipain-2, but not of the related protease falcipain-3, and displayed antiplasmodial activity against the chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum W2 strain in the low micromolar range. Coupling a 7-chloroquinoline moiety to the 3-methylene-substituted indolinone scaffold led to a significant improvement in antiplasmodial activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antimalarials / chemical synthesis
  • Antimalarials / chemistry*
  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Indoles / chemical synthesis
  • Indoles / chemistry*
  • Indoles / pharmacology*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / drug therapy
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / enzymology

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Indoles
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • falcipain 2