Compounds from two novel series of spirosuccinimides were prepared. Analogs of series 2 possessed a spiro-fused isoindolone moiety while those of series 3 contained a spiro-fused benzisothiazole S,S-dioxide group. These compounds were evaluated as aldose reductase inhibitors (ARI) in vitro by their ability to inhibit glyceraldehyde reduction using a partially purified bovine lens aldose reductase preparation and in vivo as inhibitors of galactitol accumulation in the lens, sciatic nerve, and diaphragm of galactose-fed rats. Many members from the isoindolone series 2, particularly those containing an isoindolone N-methyl moiety, showed good in vitro and in vivo potency. The most potent member, the 6-chloro analog 32, was resolved, and aldose reductase activity was found to reside almost exclusively in the (+)-enantiomer. Compound 32 was approximately equipotent in the sciatic nerve of the galactose-fed rat to other cyclic imide ARI's of similar in vitro activity, namely sorbinil and ADN-138 and also to tolrestat, an acetic acid-based ARI (ED50's 4-8 mg/kg). Compounds from both series, 2 and 3, were also found to lower plasma glucose levels of genetically obese db/db and ob/ob mice with potency similar to that of ciglitazone. However, members from these series failed to lower insulin levels of the ob/ob mouse at the doses tested.
A series of aldose reductase inhibitors were prepared which were analogues of the potent, orally active inhibitor tolrestat (1). These compounds (5, 7, 9, and 10) have an extra substituent on one of the unoccupied positions on the naphthalene ring of 1. Primary amide prodrugs of several members from the series 5 and 7, namely 6 and 8, respectively, were also prepared. These compounds were evaluated in two in vitro systems: an isolated enzyme preparation from bovine lens to assess their intrinsic inhibitory activity and an isolated sciatic nerve assay to determine their ability to penetrate membranes of nerve tissue. These compounds were also evaluated in vivo as inhibitors of galactitol accumulation in the lens, sciatic nerve, and diaphragm of galactose-fed rats. In general, compounds in series 5, 7, 9, and 10 were potent inhibitors of bovine lens aldose reductase. 2-Halo-substituted analogues from the series 5, 7, and 9 exhibited high activity in the nerve of the 4-day-galactose-fed rat, and in several instances, the primary amide prodrug 8 enhanced the in vivo potency of the respective carboxylic acid 7. Two 2-fluoro-derivatives, 8a and 9a, had especially high activity in vivo and were chosen for additional studies. These compounds were found to be approximately equipotent to tolrestat in the sciatic nerve of the galactose-fed rat and the STZ rat, as judged by their ED50's in these assays. Although primary amide analogue 8a did not have intrinsic inhibitory activity toward aldose reductase, it was metabolized to an active form in vivo and also in vitro within the sciatic nerve.
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