Migraine is a common neurological disorder often treated with triptans. Triptan overuse can lead to increased frequency of headache in some patients, a phenomenon termed medication overuse headache. Previous preclinical studies have demonstrated that repeated or sustained triptan administration for several days can elicit persistent neural adaptations in trigeminal ganglion cells innervating the dura, prominently characterized by increased labelling of neuronal profiles for calcitonin gene related peptide. Additionally, triptan administration elicited a behavioural syndrome of enhanced sensitivity to surrogate triggers of migraine that was maintained for weeks following discontinuation of drug, a phenomenon termed 'triptan-induced latent sensitization'. Here, we demonstrate that triptan administration elicits a long-lasting increase in identified rat trigeminal dural afferents labelled for neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the trigeminal ganglion. Cutaneous allodynia observed during the period of triptan administration was reversed by NXN-323, a selective inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase. Additionally, neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibition prevented environmental stress-induced hypersensitivity in the post-triptan administration period. Co-administration of NXN-323 with sumatriptan over several days prevented the expression of allodynia and enhanced sensitivity to stress observed following latent sensitization, but not the triptan-induced increased labelling of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in dural afferents. Triptan administration thus promotes increased expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in dural afferents, which is critical for enhanced sensitivity to environmental stress. These data provide a biological basis for increased frequency of headache following triptans and highlight the potential clinical utility of neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibition in preventing or treating medication overuse headache.

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitors are effective in preclinical models of many neurological disorders. In this study, two related series of compounds, 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline, containing a 6-substituted thiophene amidine group were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of human nitric oxide synthase (NOS). A structure–activity relationship (SAR) study led to the identification of a number of potent and selective nNOS inhibitors. Furthermore, a few representative compounds were shown to possess druglike properties, features that are often difficult to achieve when designing nNOS inhibitors. Compound (S)-35, with excellent potency and selectivity for nNOS, was shown to fully reverse thermal hyperalgesia when given to rats at a dose of 30 mg/kg intraperitonieally (ip) in the L5/L6 spinal nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain (Chung model). In addition, this compound reduced tactile hyperesthesia (allodynia) after oral administration (30 mg/kg) in a rat model of dural inflammation relevant to migraine pain.

[reaction: see text] Addition of a variety of arylboronic acids to peracetylated glycals takes place in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(OAc)(2). The reaction involves the syn addition of a sigma-aryl-Pd complex to the glycal double bond followed by anti elimination of Pd(OAc)(2) to provide a carbon-Ferrier type product. This method provides a practical and convenient stereoselective synthesis of C-arylglycosides.

The first total asymmetric synthesis of (+)-xestoquinone (1) has been accomplished in 68% ee by a palladium(0)-catalyzed polyene cyclization of naphthyl triflate 44 using (S)-(+)-BINAP as the chiral ligand. Attempts at an asymmetric polyene cyclization using the corresponding naphthyl bromide 41 gave poor enantioselectivities even in the presence of silver salts, thus exemplifying the effect of the coordination state of palladium on the enantioselectivity. A new method for the preparation of 6,7-dihydroisobenzofurans is also described using a [1,2]-Wittig rearrangement on a seven-membered cyclic ether precursor.

No abstract