PHARMACOLOGICAL PROFILE OF NON-HYDROXYLATED AND ETHER DERIVATIVES OF THE POTENT D2-SELECTIVE AGONIST N-0437

Derivatives of the potent dopamine D2-selective agonist 2-(N-propyl-N-2-thienylethylamino)-5-hydroxytetralin (N-0437) were designed, aimed at producing drugs with less sensitivity towards metabolic inactivation (in particular glucuronidation at the 5-OH position). Since aminotetralins with a 5-methoxy substituent or lacking the 5-hydroxy group have been reported to retain dopaminergic activity, the non-5-hydroxylated N-0437 (N-0918) and two ethers of N-0437 [5-methoxy-N-0437 (N-0724) and 5-cyclopentoxy-N-0437 (N-0953)] have been prepared and tested. Three indices for activity at central dopamine receptors are considered: (1) the displacement of (H-3)-SCH-23390 and (H-3)-spiperone from calf caudate membranes, (2) the effects on dopamine release and metabolism in the striatum of freely moving rats after systemic and intrastriatal administration as assessed by brain microdialysis, and (3) the ability to elicit contralateral turning in rats with a unilateral 6-OH-dopamine lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway. In order to differentiate between direct dopaminergic activity and metabolic activation, brain and plasma levels of N-0437 after administration of N-0724 and N-0953 were measured.

The results show the necessity of the 5-OH group for direct dopaminergic activity: N-0918, N-0724 and N-0953 are all inactive after intrastriatal administration in the microdialysis model and all three drugs show a weak in vitro affinity for both D1 and D2 receptors.

Although N-0918 is also inactive after systemic administration in the microdialysis and turning model, N-0724 and N-0953 do exhibit dopaminergic activity after systemic administration in these models. Because of the in vivo formation of N-0437 after N-0724 and N-0953 administration, it is hypothesized that this dopaminergic activity is the result of metabolic activation. The cyclopentoxy group (present in N-0953) then appears to be an interesting prodrug moiety because it seems to give rise to small (but sufficient) and constant N-0437 levels in the brain.