AMINOALKYLINDOLES - STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY-RELATIONSHIPS OF NOVEL CANNABINOID MIMETICS

Aminoalkylindoles (AAIs) are a novel series of cannabinoid receptor li gands. In this report we disclose the structural features of AAIs whic h are important for binding to this receptor as measured by inhibition of binding of [H-3]Win 55212-2 (5). Functional activity in the mouse vas deferens is also noted and used to distinguish agonists from poten tial antagonists. The key structural features for potent cannabinoid a ctivity in this series are a bicyclic (naphthyl) substituent at the 3- position, a small (II) substituent at the 2-position, and an aminoethy l (morpholinoethyl) substituent at the 1-position. A 6-bromo analog, W in 54461 (31), has been identified as a potential cannabinoid receptor antagonist. Modeling experiments were done to develop a pharmacophore and also to compare AAI structures with those of classical cannabinoi ds. The fact that the cannabinoid AAIs arose out of work on a series o f cyclooxygenase inhibitors makes sense now that an endogenous cannabi noid ligand has been identified which is a derivative of arachidonic a cid. Because of their unique structures and physical properties, AAIs provide useful tools to study the structure and function of the cannab inoid receptor(s).