GB2080797A

GB2080797A - Amides of p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid

Info

Publication number: GB2080797A
Application number: GB8121623A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Laboratori Prophin SpA
Current assignee: Laboratori Prophin SpA
Priority date: 1980-07-22
Filing date: 1981-07-14
Publication date: 1982-02-10
Also published as: PT73400A; PT73400B; GB2080797B; KR840001072B1; LU83497A1; FR2491456B1; KR830006185A; IT1193955B; BE889699A; DE3128676C2; CH648292A5; AR226734A1; CA1181419A; FR2491456A1; ES8204414A1; DE3128676A1; ES504156A0; MX7038E; JPS5742663A; IN153746B

Abstract

The amide derivatives of p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid, having general formula <IMAGE> wherein X is the radical of a substituted amine, of the group comprising lysine, metatrifluorotoluidine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid, show a good anti- inflammatory activity, accompanied by favourable side properties. For the preparation of the compounds of the invention, the p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid is chlorinated, and the chlorinated derivative is reacted with the proper substituted amine.

Description

SPECIFICATION Amide derivatives of p-isobutyl-phenylpropionic acid, process for their preparation and related pharmaceutical compositions The present invention relates to amide derivatives of p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid, having general formula:

wherein X represents the radical of a substituted amine selected amongst lysine, metatrifluorotoluidine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid.

The anti-inflammatory properties of p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid are known.

It is also known that, like most drugs employed in the therapy of inflammatory states, this acid shows objectionable side effects, such as for instance a low tolerability at the gastric level and a not negligible toxicity, these factors being important in a long term therapy.

It has been now found that the amide derivatives of the present invention, besides the anti-inflammatory properties typically shown by the p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid, have lower toxicity and greater tolerability at the gastric level.

For the preparation of the amide derivatives of formula (I), the process of the present invention comprises the following steps: a) hot chlorination of the p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid with an excess chlorinating agent, preferably thionyl chloride or phosphorous pentachloride; b) reaction of the chloride of the p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid in a reaction medium selected amongst alkalinized water and pyridine, at low temperature, with the proper substituted amine.

There is also foreseen a further step of salification of the free acidic functions of the resulting amides by means of a pharmacologically acceptable, organic or inorganic base.

The process of the invention is further illustrated, without any limiting meaning, by the following examples.

EXAMPLE 1 a) chloride of the p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid 120 mls of thionyl chloride are addd with 50 g of p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid, and the reaction mixture is gradually heated up to 75"C. In order to control the reaction pattern, the gas development from the reaction mixture is monitored, by means of a gas trap, until it ceases, thus indicating the end of the reaction.

The excess thionyl chloride is removed by distillation, the chloride of the p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid being then recovered by vacuum. distillation.

b) glutamic amide of the p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid A solution of 14.7 g of glutamic acid in 20 mls water is supplemented with a solution of 8 g of solid NaOH in 20 mls water.

The mixture is cooled by ice addition (2 cubes) and under stirring the chloride of the p-isobutyl-phenylpropionic acid is added dropwise. The temperature is maintained at about 0 C and the mixture is maintained under stirring until, after few hours, the pH becomes acidic.

Further sodium hydroxide (1.6 g in aqueous solution) is added and the mixture is maintained at rest for 2 days.

By acidification with diluted HCI, a white, pasty product precipitates; cyclohexane is added and thoroughly admixed.

29 g of product are obtained, which is not soluble in water, diluted HCI and cyclohexane.

The bisodium salt of the product thus obtained is prepared in ethanol-acetone with a water solution of NaOH.

According to the same procedures there are prepared the amides of aspartic acid and of lysine, care being taken, as regards the lysinamide, of complexing the lysine, before the reaction, as copper complex.

EXAMPLE 2 p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionamide of metatrifluorotoluidine The chloride of p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid is prepared as described in the Example 1 and 27 g of chloride are dissolved in 50 mls of chloroform, 9.5 mls of pyridine being added to the solution.

This solution, maintained under stirring, is supplemented with 16.1 g of metatrifluorotoluidine in 50 mls of chloroform.

The reaction is hexothermic, and the temperature is spontaneously increased up to 60"C; then the reaction mixture is naturally cooled to room temperature and maintained for a night at rest.

The reaction mixture is then thoroughly washed with water; the chloroform extract is concentrated to dryness and an oil is obtained which crystallizes.

After the crystallization, 31 g of p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionamide of metatrifluorotoluidine are obtained, as a powder, insoluble in water and soluble in most organic solvents, having melting point of 84-86"C.

The compounds of the invention have been subjected to pharmacological tests, showing that they have a modeste or even negligible toxicity. In fact, for the all four compounds an LD50 value per os in the mouse greater than 900 mg/kg has been observed.

The anti-inflammatory activity has been tested by the classic tests of the oedema induced by kaolin and egg white, which repeat two significant and different phases in the pathogenesis of the inflammatory process.

The kaolin, injected in the tibio-tarsal connection of the rat, gives place to a chronic inflammation, whereas the egg white, injected in the subplantar area of the rat, causes an acute inflammatory state.

Kaolin test Egg white test increase % lysinamide of p-isobutyl phenyl-propionic acid (100 mg/kg p.o.) 7.1 j53 11 j5.6 p-isobutyl-phenyl-propion amide of metatrifluoro toluidine (100 mg/kg p.o.) 7 + 5.5 10 + 5.1 controls 13 20 Lastly, the compounds of the invention have shown a good tolerability at the gastric level.

On the basis of the results of the preliminary pharmacological tests, as above mentioned, relating to the compounds of the invention, deeper pharmacological tests have been carried out, among which, only for illustrative purpose, those relating to the p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionamide of metatrifluorotoluidine, indicated by the abbreviation BT-03, are hereinafter reported.

The said compound ha a very low acute toxicity both by oral and by intraperitoneal route. As a matter of fact, although in the rat by oral route even with dosages of 4000 mg/kg it has not been possible to determine a value of LD50, it has been found a LD50 value by intraperitoneal route of 1620 mg/kg in the male animals and of 1765 mg/kg in those of female sex. In the mouse the administration by oral route has not permitted as well to determine any LD50 value, whereas by intraperitoneal route it is 940 and 1190 mg/kg in the animals of male and female sex respectively.

The repeated administration to the rat for 28 days, when doses up to 100 mg/kg have been used, did not cause alternations of the body growth of the animals or of the hematological and hematochemical parameters as taken into consideration. Only for the dose of 200 mg/kg two animals died during the test period.

In the following Table 1 the data of acute toxicity in the rat are reported in comparison with the free acid (indicate by the common name of lbuprnfen) TABLE 1 Acute toxicity of BT-03 and Ibuprofen injected by intraperitoneal route in the rat Compound Doses Rats Mortality LD50 mg/kg mg/kg per dose after 7 days f f.l. (P 0,05) 700 6 1/6 1010 6 1/6 BT-03 1196 j 264 1455 6 5/6 2100 6 6/6 250 6 0/6 360 6 2/6 Ibuprofen 415l80 520 6 5/6 750 6 6/6 f.l. = fiduciary limits In the Table 2, there are reported the data of subacute toxicity in the rat (TD50) in the 28 day test, in comparison with Ibuprofen and Naproxene (i.e. d-2(6'-methoxy-2'-naphtyl)-propionic acid).

TABLE 2 Total mortality in the male and female rats

Treatment Mortality TD50 TD50 in 28 days mg/kg mM/kg TB-03 25mg/kg 0/10 186.69 BT-03 50 mg/kg 0/10 229.74 282.72 0.66 282.72 BT-03 100 mg/kg 0/10 BT-03 200 mg/kg 3/10 Naproxene 25 mg/kg 2/10 30.50 Naproxene 50 mg/kg 6/10 40.69 \ 0.18 54.08 Naproxene 100 mg/kg 10/10 Ibuprofen 25 mg/kg 0/10 / 84.29 Ibuprofen50mg/kg 3/10 123.11 84.29 0.59 179.83 Ibuprofen 100 mg/kg 4/10 Ibuprofen 200 mg/kg 5/10 In the comparison with a substance known for its anti-inflammatory activity, namely Naproxene, of widespread therapeutical use, the latter is much more toxic; as a matter of fact, the toxicitythereof is about 3,8 times greater than that of the compounds of the invention under consideration.

The investigations carried out in the mouse and in the rabbit have not demonstrated any teratogenic or embryotoxic action.

The pharmacodynamic tests permitted the evident anti-inflammatory and analgesic action of the compound being tested to be demonstrated.

The following experimental data are the confirmation thereof.

A) Inhibition of the oedema inducedbycarragenin in the rat paw.

(Coubon R., Carlier R., Wandersmissen L. Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn. 99,474, 1954).

The anti-inflammatory activity of the compound of the invention has been evaluated in comparison with compounds which are notoriously anti-inflammatory, namely Ibuprofen and Naproxene, with respect to the percent inhibition of the oedema induced by carragenin, reference being made to the oedema induced in control animals.

The subject oedema was induced in the rat and in the control animals caused a volume increase of the paw by 57.55%.

The ED50 value calculated for the compound BT-03 is 103 mg/kg, whereas the ED50 values of Naproxene and Ibuprofen were 47.9 and 170 mg/kg respectively.

However, if the molecular weight of the tested compounds is taken into consideration, the ED50 values for Naproxene, Ibuprofen and BT-03 become 0.21,0.82 and 0.29 mM/kg respectively.

Under this point of view BT-03 is about 1.4 times less active than Naproxene, but 2.8 times more active than Ibuprofen. It is however to be mentioned that for the repeated administration of the doses used in this test, the Naproxene is 3,8 times more toxic than BT-03, the latter having furthermore lower toxicity than Ibuprofen.

B) Inhibition ofthe arthritis induced by Freund adjuvantin the rat (Newbould B.B. Brit. Journ. of Pharmacol. 21,127, 1963).

Both the compound BT-03 and the comparison substance, namely Ibuprofen, inhibit the lesions directly induced by the Freund adjuvant in the injected paw. The ED50 value of BT-03, meant as the dose which causes the volume increase of the paw to be reduced by 50%, is 87 mg/kg.

On a molar basis, it corresponds to 0.25 mM/kg for BT-03, whereas for Ibuprofen the ED50 value is 0.30 mM/kg.

Consequently, although both BT-03 and the comparison substance are capable of inhibiting the development of the secondary lesions characteristic of the Freund adjuvant, the derivative of the invention, proportionally to the administered doses, is superior as regards the activity and of lower toxicity with respect to Ibuprofen.

C) Analgesic activity on the "stretching " induced by acetic acid in the mouse.

(Fennessy M.R., Lee C.R. "Meghods in Narcotic Research" Eds. Ehrenpreis e Neidle Dekker - New York 1975).

The compound BT-03 does inhibit the stretching induced by acetic acid proportionally to the administered dose. The calculated value of ED50 is 123 mg/kg.

The ED50 value of Ibuprofen is 105 mg/kg However, if account is taken of the different molecular weights, the ratio between the related ED50 values indicates that BT-03 is about 1,4 times more active than Ibuprofen, since, on molar basis, the ED50 of BT-03 corresponds to 0.35 mM/kg, whereas that of the reference compound is 0.50 mM/kg.

D) Analgesic activity in the Flinch-jump test in the rat Both the compound BT-03 and Ibuprofen include an increase of the algogenicthreshold, proportionally to the administered dose.

(Turner R.A. "Screening Methods in Pharmacology" Accademic Press-New York 1965).

The ED50 value of the compound BT-03, defined as the dose causing a 50% increase of the algogenic stimulus, is 129 mg/kg. The ED50 of Ibuprofen is 108 mg/kg. However in the comparison of these two values, if converted to molar basis (0.37 mM/kg and 0.52 mM/kg for BT-03 and Ibuprofen respectively), the conclusion can be drawn that the activity of BT-03 is about a 1.4 times greater than that of the reference substance. On the other hand, the repeated aministration, at the doses used in the present test, did show that Ibuprofen is more toxic than the compound BT-03.

The general view of pharmacological and pharmacodynamic properties of the compound BT-03, as above shortly set forth, demonstrates that it unforeseably involves a relevant improvement over the free acid.

As a confirmation, in the following Table 3, there are reported the therapeutical indexes, as obtained from the comparisons between the toxic dose TD50, found in the test of subacute toxicity of 28 days, and the effective doses ED50, found in the above tests. A constant advantage of the compound BT-03 can be observed.

TABLE 3 BT-03 Test Ibuprofen DT50 0.66 0.59 - =2.27 (A) ---- =0.72 DE50 0.29 0.82 DT50 0.66 0.59 =2.64 (B) ~~~~ =1.97 DE50 0.25 0.30 DT50 0.66 0.59 =1.88 ~~~~ =1.88 (C) = =1.16 DE50 0.35 0.51 DT50 0.66 0.59 ~~~~ ~~~~ =1.78 (D) =1.13 DE50 0.37 0.52

Claims

1. Amide derivatives of the p-isobutylphenyl-propionic acid, having general formula:

wherein X represents the radical of a substituted amine of the group comprising lysine, metatrifluorotoluidine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid.

2. Lysine p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionamide

3. p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionamide of metatrifluorotoluidine.

4. p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionamide of glutamic acid.

5. p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionamide of aspartic acid.

6. A process for the preparation of the compounds of claim 1, characterized in that p-isobutyl-phenyl- propionic acid is chlorinated with an excess of chlorinating agent, and the resulting chloride is reacted with the proper substituted amine.

7. A process according to claim 6, characterized in that said chlorinating agent is thionyl chloride or phosphorous pentachloride.

8. A process according to claim 6, characterized in that the reaction of the chloride of the p-isobutyl-phenyl-propionic acid with the substituted amine is carried out in alkaline aqueous medium and at low temperature.

9. A process according to claim 6, characterized in that the reaction of the chloride of p-isobytyl-phenyi- propionic acid with the substituted amine is carried out in pyridine.

10. Pharmaceutical composition having anti-inflammatory activity, characterized by containing, as the active ingredient, an amide derivative of p-isobutylphenylpropionic acid according to claims 1 to 5.