ABSTRACT-We investigated the effects of YM060 {(R)-5-[(1-methyl-3-indolyl)carbonyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-benzimidazole hydrochloride} and YM114 (KAE-393) {(R)-5-[(2,3-dihydro-l-indolyl)-carbonyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-benzimidazole hydrochloride} on 5-HT4 receptors and gastric emptying in normal and cisplatin-treated rats and compared results with those for ondansetron and granisetron. YM060, YM114, ondansetron and granisetron dose-dependently inhibited the specific binding of-4-piperidin-yl]methyl 1-methyl-lH-indole-3-carboxylate} in guinea pig striatum, with pK; values of 5.53, 5.13, 5.21 and 5.63, respectively. According to the pK; values reported in 5-HT3-receptor binding of [3H]GR65630 to rat cortical membranes, the affinity of YM060, YM114, ondansetron and granisetron for 5-HT4 receptors was approximately 5, 5, 3.5 and 3.5 log units lower than that for 5-HT3 receptors, respectively. In the guinea pig longitudinal muscle with myenteric plexus and rat esophageal tunica muscularis mucosae, YM060 and YM114 showed neither 5-HT4-agonistic nor antagonistic properties. Although ondansetron produced concentration-dependent increases in the magnitude of the twitch response in longitudinal muscle, it did not possess 5-HT3-and 5-HT4-agonistic activity. Granisetron antagonized 5-HT-induced relaxation of the rat esophagus with an apparent pA2 value of 5.39. Intravenous YM060, YM114, ondansetron and granisetron significantly enhanced gastric emptying of glass beads and improved cisplatin-induced slowing of gastric emptying in rats. These results indicate that the selectivity of YM060 and YM 114 for 5-HT3 receptors is higher than that of ondansetron and granisetron and that these 5-HT3 antagonists have gastroprokinetic activity in normal and cisplatin-treated rats without affecting 5-HT4 receptors.
Keywords: YM060, YM114 (KAE-393), 5-HT4 receptor, Gastric emptyingThe use of cisplatin in the treatment of cancer is usually accompanied by the side effects of severe nausea and vomiting. Recently, a number of compounds that inhibit these side effects have been developed. These compounds all act via inhibition of 5-HT3 receptors. YM060 and YM114 (KAE-393) are 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzimidazole derivatives. These compounds have been reported to be potent and selective 5-HT3-receptor antagonists of 5-HTinduced von Bezold-Jarisch reflex in rats (1, 2), contraction of the guinea pig colon (3, 4) and depolarization of the rabbit nodose ganglion (2, 5).To date, a number of 5-HT3-receptor antagonists have been synthesized. Among these, tropisetron (6), cisapride (7), zacopride (8), ondansetron (9) and renzapride (10) have been reported to possess gastroprokinetic activities in rats or guinea pigs. Compounds that block the 5-HT3 receptor are therefore suggested to increase the rate of gastric emptying.Recent studies have revealed that the peripheral 5-HT4-receptor subtype is involved in the control of gastrointestinal motility through the release of acetylcholine (11-13) and that 5-HT4-receptor agonists facilitate gastric emptying (14, 1...