Thirty-one N-derivatives of cytisine were prepared in order to modify its p
harmacological profile and to obtain compounds of potential therapeutic int
erest either at a peripheral or central level, particularly as nicotinic li
gands with improved ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Actually, wit
h the introduction of different kinds of substituent on the basic nitrogen
of cytisine a variety of activities were observed, both in vivo (analgesic,
dopamine antagonism, antihypertensive, inhibition of stress-induced ulcers
, antiinflammatory, protection from PAF-induced mortality, hypoglycemic) an
d in vitro (positive cardio-inotropic, beta-adrenergic antagonism, alpha(1)
- and alpha(2)-antagonism, inhibition of PAF-induced platelet aggregation).
Six randomly selected compounds were tested for the ability to recognize a
central nicotinic receptor and four of them exhibited K-i values; In the r
ange 30-163 nM. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.