A Spontaneous Recurrent Seizure Bioassay for Anti-Epileptogenic Molecules

Design of innovative therapeutics for pharmacoresistant epilepsy: challenges and needs

Effective therapy for pharmacoresistant epilepsy is an unmet clinical need. Pharmacologically, there are two logical approaches: super-antiictogenic drugs (SAIDs) or antiepileptogenic agents. However, can either of these agents be successfully designed and developed? Designing SAIDs or antiepileptogenics will require applying the techniques of twenty-first century drug design to this ancient "sacred disease." Before this task can be effectively realized, five fundamental needs will first have to be addressed: need for antiepileptogenic drug targets, need for druggable targets for SAIDs, need for new drug molecule platforms, need for new and relevant animal models, and need for innovative funding strategies.

Deducing the bioactive face of hydantoin anticonvulsant drugs using NMR spectroscopy

BACKGROUND

The general purpose of this study was to deduce the geometry of the bioactive face (pharmacophore) for the hydantoin class of anticonvulsants.

METHODS

Six hydantoin analogs, selected as probes of hydantoin structure, were synthesized. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular modelling calculations were used to determine the geometric relationship between the aromatic group and the amide group in the hydantoin pharmacophore.

RESULTS

In accord with both theoretical and experimental results, the biologically inactive hydantoin analogs containing a benzyl substituent existed in a folded conformation with the benzene flopped over the hydantoin ring. Conversely the biologically active hydantoins had a phenyl ring extended away from the hydantoin ring.

CONCLUSIONS

The bioactive face for hydantoins consists of a N(H)-C(=O)-X-phenyl molecular fragment, where X is a carbon or nitrogen atom and where the distance between the centre of the amide bond and the centroid of the phenyl ring is 4.3 A.