Amine-carboxyboranes are potent anti-inflammatory agents reducing induced edema and pleural effusion at 8 mg/Kg, i.p. They protect against LPS (Salmonella) induced septic shock from 2-8 mg/Kg/day and are effective in blocking pain mediated both locally and centrally. The mode of action of these agents is by blocking release of cytokines from macrophages, thus reducing lysosomal hydrolytic and proteolytic enzyme activities of affected cells. The agents also reduce prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis by blocking the activities of regulatory enzymes of the respective pathways.

Heterocyclic thiosemicarbazones, thioureas and their copper, nickel, and cobalt complexes were shown to be potent hypolipidemic agents in male Sprague Dawley rats at 8 mg/kg/day, orally. These agents lowered the activity of rat hepatic rate limiting enzymes for the synthesis of cholesterol and triglycerides. The effects of these agnets on cytoplasmic ATP-dependent citrate lyase, acetyl CoA synthetase and HMG-CoA reductase activities were reduced by a magnitude to explain the reduction of serum cholesterol levels afforded by the compounds. The reduction of acetyl CoA carboxylase, sn-glycerol-3-phosphate synthetase and phosphotidylate phosphohydrolase activities caused by the derivatives is of sufficient magnitude to explain the observed reduction in serum triglycerides after administration of the agents.

The metal complexes and salts of amine carboxyboranes were shown to be potent antiinflammatory agents in rodents at 8 mg kg-'. They were effective in blocking induced edema, pleurisy and endotoxic shock while blocking both local and central pain processes. The ability of the agents to function as anti-inflammatory agents is multi-fold. First, lysosomal enzymes of specific cells, e.g. macrophages, were inhibited with ICw values in the range of M. Collagenase I and I1 activities were inhibited with ICI values approximately equal to lo-* M. The anti-inflammatory activity of these agents at the molecular levels appears to be due to inhibition of the release of TNFa and 11-1 from macrophages which indirectly control chemotaxic migration of white blood cells as indicated by the suppression of PMN and macrophage invasion into sponges implanted subcutaneously (SC) in mice. Furthermore, in these invading cells, the agents' blockage of TNFa and 11-1 or 11-2 release down-regulates prostaglandin and leukotriene enzymatic synthetic rates and, consequently, their release, resulting in a reduction of the inflammation process.

The boronated nucleosides with varying bases and sugar moieties were shown to be potent hypolipidemic agents in rodents. The 3′– aminocynaoborane dideoxythymidine derivative caused reductions in serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, tissue lipids, VLDL and LDL cholesterol levels while elevating HDL cholesterol levels in rodents. The agents suppressed rat hepatic acetyl CoA synthetase, HMG-CoA reductase, acyl-CoA cholesterol acyl transferase, phosphatidylate phosphohydrolase and lipoprotein lipase activities while elevating cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase activity from 25 to 100 μM.

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