Analgesic activity of cyclic imides: 1,8-naphthalimide and 1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide derivatives

In early studies, we have reported the synthesis and biological activities of several cyclic imides. The present study describes the analgesic activit y of 1,8-naphthalimide and 1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide derivatives in a stan dard murine model of analgesia. The pharmacological results show that all c ompounds studied, given intraperitoneally, produced significant inhibition of acetic acid-induced abdominal constrictions. At the ID50 (mu mol/kg) lev el, these cyclic imide derivatives were about 40-270-fold more potent in th is assay than aspirin and acetaminophen, two well-known and widely used ana lgesics. These results extend previous studies on the analgesic activity of cyclic imides. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.