A comparison of solution, solid state and theoretical conformations of morphine

N-inversion-associated conformational dynamics is unusually rapid in morphine alkaloids

(13)C DNMR studies of codeine and sinomenine (derivatives of N-Me morphinan) indicated that N-inversion-C-N rotation (NIR) is unusually fast for these substituted piperidines when compared with other N-Me piperidines. Since only broadening, but no signal splitting, was reached at low temperatures and the difference of chemical shifts (Delta delta) for individual conformers with the equatorially and axially oriented N-Me substituent was unavailable, the limits of the NIR barrier for these amines were determined by line shape analysis using Delta delta values provided by ab initio calculations. On the basis of the comparison of experimentally determined (13)C NMR chemical shifts for tropane conformers with the ones calculated at different theory levels for this N-Me piperidine, the B3LYP/6-31G(p)/GIAO level was chosen as a sufficiently accurate method for calculations of Delta delta. By this new "semiempirical" procedure of line shape analysis the NIR barrier for the studied morphinans lies within a 25-27 kJ mol(-1) (6.0-6.5 kcal mol(-1)) range. A low NIR barrier for morphine alkaloids is supposed to be an important factor in the activation of morphine receptor.

From outer to inner space: traveling along a scientific career from astrochemistry to drug research

This professional history describes my journey as a research scientist after my early training and experiences in the pre- and early post-World War II United States. My graduate training concentrated on a problem in astrochemistry: phenomena on comets. As my career developed, I felt confident enough in myself as an experimentalist to enter, and make contributions to, several different fields: structural biochemistry (via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), molecular immunology, pharmacology, neurochemistry, and cell biology. One emphasis is on the nature and quality of my scientific training that permitted me to do cross-disciplinary work. A second emphasis is on the technical and intellectual developments in late twentieth-century science and how, along with the changes in American society as it passed through three major wars, they influenced my life and thought.

Biochemical synthesis, purification and preliminary pharmacological evaluation of normorphine-3-glucuronide

Normorphine was synthesised from morphine by thermal decomposition of an N-alpha-chloroethylchloroformate adduct, and purified (> 98% purity) using semi-preparative HPLC with ultraviolet detection. Normorphine-3-glucuronide (NM3G) was biochemically synthesised using the substrate normorphine, uridine diphosphoglucuronic acid and Sprague-Dawley rat liver microsomes in a 75% yield (relative to normorphine base). The synthesised NM3G was purified by precipitation and washing with acetonitrile. Determinations of purity using HPLC with electrochemical and ultraviolet detection confirmed that the NM3G produced was of high (> 99%) purity. Mass spectrometry, fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry confirmed the structure, especially placement of the glucuronide moiety at the 3-phenolic position and not at the 17-nitrogen. Administration of NM3G by the intracerebroventricular (icv) route to rats in doses of 2.5 and 7.5 microg resulted in the development of central nervous system (CNS) excitatory behavioural effects including myoclonus, chewing, wet-dog shakes, ataxia and explosive motor behaviour. At an icv dose of 7.5 microg, NM3G also induced short periods of tonic-clonic convulsive activity. Thus, NM3G elicits CNS excitation following supraspinal administration in a manner analogous to morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G), the major metabolite of morphine (1). Further studies are required to determine whether NM3G attenuates morphine-induced antinociception in a similar manner to M3G.

Synthesis, opioid receptor affinity, and enzymatic hydrolysis of sterically hindered morphine 3-esters

With the intention of preparing prodrugs, 10 morphine 3-esters were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for opioid receptor binding and enzymatic hydrolysis. The results of binding assays performed on homogenates of guinea pig brain demonstrate a loss in affinity of morphine to mu-, delta-, and kappa-receptors by esterification at the 3-position. The conversion of the esters to morphine was determined in human plasma by HPLC analysis. The half-lives of hydrolysis ranged from 0.5 to > 300 h. The investigations indicate that esterification at the 3-position results in morphine prodrugs with variable hydrolytic stability. Sterically hindered morphine 3-esters may be a promising approach to manipulate the rate of release of morphine.

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of flexible opiate conformations at monoclonal antibody binding sites. Quantitative interproton distances obtained from comparing theoretical and experimental transferred nuclear Overhauser enhancement: correlation with antibody sequence

A previous publication described the use of qualitative intramolecular 1H-transferred nuclear Overhauser effect measurements to determine the conformations of flexible ligands at monoclonal anti-opiate antibody binding sites. This paper concentrates on the quantitative interpretation of experiments of this type using the ligand nalorphine (N-allyl morphine) and a single anti-opiate monoclonal antibody. I compare the experimental unidimensional driven nuclear Overhauser effect buildup curves to theoretical curves derived with a knowledge of the fixed interproton distances in the ligand. The discussion covers the potential accuracies of derived distances and concentrates on two problem areas associated with determining structures from this type of experiment. The most serious one is the case where, because of particular multiproton spatial distributions, spin diffusion is so rapid that it cannot be determined experimentally and where numerical fits of theoretical calculations are misleading. The results show that, while intraligand spin diffusion complicates the interpretation for some proton pairs, with many others accuracies within about 0.3 A for interproton distances from 2 to 4 A are attainable. The results confirm the earlier report that the conformation of nalorphine in this antibody binding site differs from the major one present in solution or in the crystal. An important aspect of the work is that theoretical prediction of nuclear Overhauser effect time-dependence is an important practical tool for recognizing cases where interpretation of experiments will be difficult. Initial data on protein-to-ligand transferred nuclear Overhauser effect are presented, which show that at least one aromatic amino acid residue is closely involved in the binding of the ligand. The companion paper presents the primary sequences of the variable regions of the antibodies being used in our studies. In this paper, these and associated immunochemical studies are correlated with the nuclear magnetic resonance results. The combination of data presented in the two papers provides a basis for future work on protein-ligand interproton distances in the range 1 to 5 A using both transferred nuclear Overhauser effect (for rapidly exchanging ligands) and isotope-edited, indirectly detected nuclear Overhauser effect (for tightly bound ligands).

Stereoisomer differentiation for the analgesic drug nefopam hydrochloride using modeling studies of serotonin uptake area

Equatorial and axial N-methyl diastereomers of the analgesic drug nefopam hydrochloride were differentiated using a hypothetical model of the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) uptake area. Both diastereomers were placed within the hypothetical model area to form van der Waals interactions involving the phenyl group of nefopam, but only in the case of the equatorial N-methyl epimer was the +N--H bond able to be oriented towards the proposed hydrogen-bonding site. A comparison of equatorial N-methyl nefopam hydrochloride enantiomers in the proposed two-site binding mode points to less severe nonbonding steric interactions for the (+)-(1S,5S)-enantiomer compared with the (-)-(1R,5R)-isomer.

Production and characterization of high-affinity monoclonal antibodies against morphine

Twelve hybridoma cell lines producing MAbs against morphine were established by using morphine hemisuccinate-conjugated bovine serum albumin as an immunogen. The MAbs belonged to the IgG1 subclass with kappa- or lambda-chains. The association constants of the antibodies ranged from 4.6 x 10(8) to 4.7 x 10(10) (M-1). These antibodies revealed slightly different cross-reactivities with various agonistic opiates and antagonists. In general, the antibodies were strongly cross-reactive with the opiate agonists, codeine, ethylmorphine, dihydromorphine and dihydrocodeine, while their cross-reactivities with norcodeine and the opiate antagonists, naloxone and naltrexone, were weak. The cross-reactivities with dihydromorphinone, dihydrocodeinone, naloxone, naltrexone, dextromethorphan and homatropine varied from clone to clone. Interestingly, certain MAbs displayed weak but significant cross-reactivities with the synthetic opiate, meperidine. However, none of the antibodies was cross-reactive with the opioid peptides, beta-endorphin, Met-enkephalin, and D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephalinamide. Radioimmunoassay for morphine using one of the antibodies (MOR 131.5.13) was shown to be sufficiently sensitive (IC50 = 0.1 nM) for the purposes of forensic analysis of morphine. This set of monoclonal anti-opiate antibodies is assumed to be suitable for analyzing the structure-function relationship in the hapten-antibody interaction, since the antibodies revealed similar but not identical cross-reactivities with various morphine related compounds.

Solid-state esterification of codeine phosphate by the acid constituent of effervescent tablets

Codeine phosphate in a paracetamol:codeine effervescent tablet was found to react at room temperature and 37 degrees C with the citric acid constituent to form citrate esters of codeine. The esterification was confirmed in a solid-state reaction at elevated temperature. The structures of the three possible monosubstituted esters (1-3) were elucidated from spectroscopic data (nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry) and by selective hydrolysis of the dimethyl esters to give symmetrical and asymmetrical dimethyl citrates. In the degradation reaction, formation of the symmetrically substituted citrate ester of codeine, 1, was found to predominate. Tartaric acid, which can be used in effervescent tablet formulations, was also found to give an ester with codeine phosphate in a similar nonsolvolytic reaction. A liquid chromatographic method was developed for the separation of the citrate esters of codeine.

NMR studies of flexible opiate conformations at monoclonal antibody binding sites. I. Transferred nuclear Overhauser effects show bound conformations

500 MHz H, homonuclear, intra-molecular, transferred Nuclear Overhauser Effect measurements have been performed on the bound forms of a classical opiate antagonist, nalorphine and an agonist, levorphanol at their respective binding sites in two different specific anti-opiate monoclonal antibody fragments. Based upon previous studies of opiate conformations in solution the results clearly show without extensive interpretation that one of these flexible haptens has the opposite (from solution) isomeric conformation in its bound form. For nalorphine the axial isomer of the N-allyl substituent is the bound form whereas in solution the equatorial isomer dominates at a ratio of 5:1. For levorphanol the bound form is that of equatorial N-methyl in accord with the low energy conformation in solution. In this preliminary report we discuss the initial measurements and results and their implications with respect to the conformations of flexible ligands at macromolecular binding sites including opiate receptors.

Conformation of nefopam hydrochloride, a novel analgesic

The solid state structures of (+/-)- and (+)-nefopam hydrochloride (3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-5-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-2,5-benzoxazocine hydrochloride, 1) were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. (+/-)-Nefopam hydrochloride gave crystals belonging to monoclinic P21/c space group, and at 298 K: a = 11.766 (1) A, b = 7.741 (1) A, c = 16.907 (3) A, beta = 97.43 (1) degrees, V = 1527.0 (7) A3, Z = 4, R = 0.0336, and Rw = 0.0452. (+)-Nefopam hydrochloride monohydrate gave crystals of the orthorhombic P2(1)2(1)2(1) space group, and at 298 K: a = 9.651 (2) A, b = 19.747 (2) A, c = 8.504 (2) A, V = 1620.7(7) A3, Z = 4, R = 0.0432, and Rw = 0.0690 for the (1S,5S)-model. The diastereoisomer found in the chiral crystal was also found in the solid racemic modification: (1S,5S) in the monohydrate of (+)-1 and (1R,5R)/(1S,5S) in (+/-)-1. 1H and 13C[1H] NMR spectroscopy revealed two distinct, major and minor, N-protonated species in CD2Cl2 solution differing in the stereochemistry of the N-methyl group. The molecular structures of the crystals of (+/-)-1 and (+)-1 X H2O (a) indicate a modified boat-chair conformation of the eight-membered ring with an equatorial N-methyl group, caused by two sp2-hybridized ring atoms, and (b) correspond to the stereochemistry of the minor species in solution.

Morphine metabolism revisited. III. Confirmation of a novel metabolic pathway

Previous studies have led to the partial structural characterization of a glutathionylmorphine adduct which was isolated from rat liver microsomal incubations. The formation of this adduct was shown to be catalyzed by cytochrome P-450. As an extension of this work, we have carried out similar studies with N-acetylcysteine in an attempt to obtain a product amenable to complete NMR analysis and unambiguous structure assignment. Incubation of [3H]morphine and N-acetylcysteine with microsomal preparations isolated from human and from phenobarbital-treated rats led to the isolation by HPLC of a labeled species displaying a fast atom bombardment mass spectrum consistent with the expected N-acetylcysteinyl adduct of morphine. Data obtained from the high resolution 1H-NMR spectrum of the adduct and that of synthetic 10 alpha-hydroxycodeine established the structure of the metabolite as 10 alpha-S-(N-acetylcysteinyl)morphine. The results are consistent with the biotransformation of morphine involving oxidation at the benzylic C-10 position to form an electrophilic species capable of reacting with nucleophilic thiols such as N-acetylcysteine and glutathione.

Analgesic potencies of morphine 3- and 6-sulfates after intracerebroventricular administration in mice: relationship to structural characteristics defined by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance

Morphine 3-sulfate, which carries a polar, acidic group at the 3-position much like morphine, does not differ greatly in analgesic potency from morphine following intracerebroventricular administration. This differs from the non-ionizable 3-methyl and 3-ethyl ethers, which are less potent analgesics than morphine. Morphine 6-sulfate, which differs from morphine by having an ionizable group at carbon-6 at physiological pH, is a more potent analgesic than morphine following intracerebroventricular administration. Variations in analgesic potency following modifications at the hydroxyl groups appear only to reflect alterations in point charges rather than structural alterations.

Conformational and dynamic features of cocaine in DMSO-d6 solution

13C spin-lattice relaxation rates, 13C {1H} NOESs, 1H spin-spin relaxation rates and 1H two-dimensional magnetization transfer spectroscopy were used for delineating conformational features of cocaine in DMSO-d6 solution. Two main conformations differing in the orientation of the plane made by the benzoxy substituent with respect to the piperidine ring principal axis were observed. Relatively slow interconversions of the piperidine ring were delineated together with the main motional features of the whole molecule.

Morphine metabolism revisited. II. Isolation and chemical characterization of a glutathionylmorphine adduct from rat liver microsomal preparations

Incubation of tritium-labeled morphine and cold glutathione (GSH) or cold morphine and tritiated GSH with liver microsomal preparations obtained from phenobarbital-treated rats led to the identification by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of a glutathionylmorphine adduct. Liquid secondary ion mass spectral analysis established the molecular weight of the metabolite to be 590 which corresponds to the mass of a mono-GSH-morphine adduct. High resolution (360 and 500 MHz) 1H-NMR experiments have led to the tentative assignment of the structure of this metabolite as 10-alpha-S-glutathionylmorphine. Based on both in vivo and in vitro data, the formation of this product appears to be mediated by cytochrome P-450 and to involve a reactive intermediate that may be responsible for the observed covalent binding of radiolabeled morphine to proteins and, at least in part, for the morphine-induced depletion of GSH in the rat.

Properties of murine anti-morphine antibodies

Four lines of high affinity monoclonal antibodies directed against morphine have been isolated and affinity purified. Some of their properties, including cross-reactivities to a large set of selected opiate agonists and antagonists are described. Importantly, none of the immunoglobulins cross-react with D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephalin.