Enantioselective determination of dimethindene in urine after oral administration of racemic dimethindene

Structure-activity relationships of dimethindene derivatives as new M2-selective muscarinic receptor antagonists

A series of 2,3-disubstituted indenes, which are analogues of the widely used histamine H(1) receptor antagonist dimethindene, have been synthesized and studied as muscarinic and histamine receptor antagonists. The affinities of these compounds for the five human muscarinic receptor subtypes (M(1)-M(5)) and for human histamine H(1) receptors were determined in radioligand binding studies using membranes from transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and [(3)H]N-methylscopolamine ([(3)H]NMS). The results demonstrate that the diisopropyl analogue 19 has a similar high affinity as (S)-dimethindene at M(2) receptors ((S)-dimethindene: pK(i) = 7.52; (-)-19: pK(i) = 7.37) with an improved selectivity pattern ((S)-dimethindene: M(2)/M(1) = 6-fold, M(2)/M(3) = 5-fold, M(2)/M(4) = 10-fold, M(2)/M(5) = 25-fold; (-)-19: M(2)/M(1) = 36-fold, M(2)/M(3) = 96-fold, M(2)/M(4) = 42-fold, M(2)/M(5) = 275-fold). In addition, compound (-)-19 showed 35-fold lower affinity at histamine H(1) receptors (pK(i) = 5.61) than (S)-dimethindene (pK(i) = 7.16). Another interesting compound is the fluoroethyl derivative 20 (pK(i)/M(2) = 7.49), which also exhibits a higher M(2) selectivity (M(2)/M(1) = 19-fold; M(2)/M(3) = 22-fold; M(2)/M(4) = 13-fold; M(2)/M(5) = 62-fold) than (S)-dimethindene. Unfortunately, compound 20 also shows a high affinity for histamine H(1) receptors (pK(i) = 8.14). The compound with the highest affinity for M(2) receptors (pK(i) = 7.91), the dimethylaminomethylene analogue 31, displayed only a small preference for M(2) receptors. In conclusion, compound (-)-19 might be useful to test the hypothesis that blockade of muscarinic M(2) receptors in the brain is a viable mechanism by which to produce improved cognition. This second-generation dimethindene analogue might also be the starting point for the development of M(2)-selective muscarinic antagonists useful for quantifying M(2) receptors in the central nervous system with positron emission tomography imaging.

Coupled achiral/chiral column techniques in subcritical fluid chromatography for the separation of chiral and nonchiral compounds

A multicolumn approach was developed to address the limited achiral selectivity of chiral stationary phases. Groups of structurally related compounds, including beta-blockers and 1,4-benzodiazepines, were separated using coupled achiral/chiral stationary phases under subcritical fluid conditions. The achiral selectivity of amino and cyano stationary phases was used to modify the resolution of compounds on a Chiralcel OD chiral stationary phase by combining the achiral and chiral columns in series. In the case of the benzodiazepines, separation of achiral compounds was performed concurrently with the enantioseparation of chiral molecules. The separation of components of a multidrug cough and cold medication was also demonstrated on a cyano column coupled with a Chiralpak AD chiral stationary phase. The use of modified carbon dioxide eluents eliminated the mobile phase incompatibility problems associated with column coupling in liquid chromatography and incorporated the high efficiency of sub- and supercritical fluid chromatography.

Studies of the metabolism of the antihistaminic drug dimethindene by high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis including enantioselective aspects

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of dimethindene and its main metabolites N-demethyldimethindene, 6-hydroxydimethindene and 6-hydroxy-N-demethyldimethindene in human urine was developed. The assay was also applied to the quantification of dimethindene-N-oxide in rat urine. Conjugates of the hydroxylated metabolites were determined after enzymatic deconjugation. Moreover the direct determination of dimethindene and its metabolites without prior extraction from urine was performed by capillary electrophoresis. The direct simultaneous determination of the enantiomers of dimethindene and N-demethyldimethindene was achieved on a Chiralcel OD column. Urinary data after oral administration of dimethindene are presented. The assays were used to study dimethindene and it metabolites in urine upon oral administration of the drug to rats and human volunteers.

The (S)-(+)-enantiomer of dimethindene: a novel M2-selective muscarinic receptor antagonist

The present study was designed to determine to determine the in vitro affinity profile of (R)-(-)-dimethindene and (S)-(+)-dimethindene at muscarinic receptor subtypes using both functional and binding assays. In addition, the racemate was investigated in functional studies. The functional muscarinic receptors studied were putative M1 receptors in rabbit vas deferens and rat duodenum, M2 receptors in guinea-pig left atria and rabbit vas deferens, as well as M3 receptors in guinea-pig ileum and trachea. Furthermore, the histamine H1 antagonism by (R)-(-)- and (S)-(+)-dimethindene has been examined in guinea-pig ileum. Muscarinic binding selectivity was assessed in homogenates from human neuroblastoma NB-OF 1 cells (M1), rat heart (M2), pancreas (3) and striatum (M4). The results demonstrate that (S)-(+)-dimethindene is a potent M2-selective muscarinic receptor antagonist (pA2 = 7.86/7.74; pKi = 7.78) with lower affinities for the muscarinic M1 (pA2 = 6.83/6.36; pKi = 7.08), the M3 (pA2 = 6.92/6.96; pKi = 6.70) and the M4 receptors (pKi = 7.00), respectively. The (S)-(+)-enantiomer was more potent (up to 41-fold) than the (R)-(-)-enantiomer in all muscarinic assays. In contrast, the stereoselectivity was inverse at histamine H1 receptors, the (R)-(-)-enantiomer being the eutomer (pA2 = 9.42; pA2/(S)-isomer = 7.48). In conclusion, (S)-(+)-dimethindene is a useful tool to investigate muscarinic receptor heterogeneity. In addition, this lipophilic compound might become the starting point for the development of M2-selective muscarinic receptor antagonists useful as diagnostic tools for quantifying muscarinic M2 receptors in the central nervous system with positron emission tomography imaging, and to test the hypothesis that muscarinic M2 receptor antagonists show beneficial effects in the treatment of cognitive disorders.

Transdermal absorption of dimethindene in man

Dimethindene and its metabolite N-demethyldimethindene were determined in human urine after dermal administration of dimethindene. The HPLC-method used was previously described. Data of 8 volunteers are presented. After 32 h an average of 0.023% of the administered dose of dimethindene and 0.022% of N-demethyldimethindene were excreted into urine. Since also after oral administration of dimethindene only about 1% of unmetabolised dimethindene is found in urine it can be concluded that a certain amount of dimethindene is absorbed through the skin after dermal administration.

Simultaneous enantioselective determination and quantification of dimethindene and its metabolite N-demethyl-dimethindene in human urine using cyclodextrins as chiral additives in capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been used for the chiral resolution of the basic racemic drug dimethindene (Fenistil) and its metabolite N-demethyl-dimethindene. After oral administration of 4 mg dimethindene maleate the enantioselective excretion in human urine was determined by capillary electrophoresis using a 50 mM phosphate run buffer (pH 3.3) containing 30 mM hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin. The determination of very low concentrations of dimethindene and N-demethyl-dimethindene in human urine was possible using sample stacking conditions to increase the amount of analyte in the capillary with good peak forms and resolutions. The detection limit of the method was approximately 1 ng ml-1 urine for each compound.

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of dimethindene in urine

An automated high-performance liquid chromatographic assay, using on-line solid-phase extraction, is described for the determination of dimethindene in urine. The solid-phase extraction of the sample (1000 microliters) and the elution of the drug on to the analytical column are performed automatically and concomitantly. The limit of quantification is 5 pmol/ml.