Synthesis and biological activity of some cardiotonic compounds related to gitoxigenin

The four diastereomeric 3,16-diacetates 6, 9, 10 and 11 were prepared from gitoxin 1 by the routes shown in Schemes 1 and 2 and tested for inotropic activity in the isolated guinea-pig atrial preparation. In line with earlier findings in the digitoxigenin series, derivatives with a 3 alpha-acetoxy function, viz 9 and 10, possessed high biological activity.

Synthesis and biological activity of some 3-amino compounds related to digoxigenin

3 alpha-Amino 1a and 3 beta-amino 1b analogues of digoxigenin 14 and their 12 beta-acetate derivatives 2a and 2b were prepared and tested for inotropic activity in the isolated guinea-pig atrial preparation. The 3 alpha-amino compounds were inactive whereas the 3 beta-amino compounds showed comparable activity to their 3 beta-hydroxy counterparts. The replacement of the 17 beta-butenolide ring by other ring systems was investigated. Compounds with a 3'-furyl ring, 9b and 16 were found to possess appreciable activity. A compound with a 4'-pyridazinyl ring 13b exhibited weak activity, whereas the isomeric butenolide compound 11b proved inactive. N-monomethylation of the amine 2b reduced activity and N-dimethylation abolished activity. Acetylation of the 12 beta-hydroxyl function gave less active compounds.

Effect of oral aspirin dose on platelet aggregation and vascular prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis in humans and rabbits

Large doses of oral aspirin inhibit platelet aggregation and vascular synthesis of the antiaggregatory vasodilator prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) by irreversibly acetylating the cyclooxygenase enzyme. In order to determine if one can achieve selective inactivation of platelet cyclooxygenase using oral doses of aspirin, we studied human and rabbit platelet aggregation and rabbit aortic synthesis of PGI2 before and 3 hr after various doses of aspirin. In rabbits, lower doses of aspirin produced a major inhibition of platelet aggregation and a minor inhibition of PGI2 synthesis, while higher doses of aspirin inhibited both platelet aggregation and vascular PGI2 synthesis. In humans, we found that a dose equivalent to approximately 1/4 of one 300 mg aspirin tablet consistently produced a major inhibition of cyclooxygenase-dependent platelet aggregation in a pattern similar to the inhibition of rabbit platelet aggregation where the majority of rabbit PGI2 synthetic capacity was not inhibited. In another rabbit study, we found that it takes the vasculature over 24 hr to return to control PGI2 synthetic capacity following a single, high dose of oral aspirin. In conclusion, we speculate that approximately 1/4 of an aspirin tablet, which inhibits a major portion of cyclooxygenase-dependent human platelet aggregation, may not inhibit a major portion of vascular cyclooxygenase-dependent PGI2 synthesis and may be more efficacious as an antithrombotic agent in man than are higher doses of aspirin.