O-Desmethylvenlafaxine (desvenlafaxine, ODV) is a recently approved antidepressant which in some clinical studies failed to meet a satisfactory end-point. The aim of this study was to prepare a series of phenolic esters of ODV and evaluate their potential as ODV prodrugs with improved brain uptake. Fifteen phenolic esters (compounds 1a–o) were synthesized and their pharmacokinetic profiles evaluated in rat. The four compounds producing the highest relative bioavailability of ODV in rat (compounds 1c, 1e, 1n, 1o) were then studied to evaluate their brain uptake. Of these four compounds, compound 1n (the piperonylic acid ester of ODV) demonstrated the highest Cmax of ODV both in the rat hypothalamus and total brain. Finally the pharmacokinetics of 1n were evaluated in beagle dog where the increase in relative bioavailability of ODV was found to be as great as in rat. This high relative bioavailability of ODV coupled with its good brain penetration make 1n the most promising candidate for development as an ODV prodrug.
O-去甲文拉法辛(去
文拉法辛,ODV)是一种新近批准的抗抑郁药,在一些临床研究中未能达到令人满意的治疗终点。本研究旨在制备一系列ODV的
酚酯类化合物,并评估它们作为脑摄取改善的ODV前药的潜力。合成了十五种
酚酯类化合物(化合物1a-o),并在大鼠中评估了它们的药代动力学特征。然后对在大鼠中产生最高相对
生物利用度的四种化合物(化合物1c、1e、1n、1o)进行了研究,以评估它们的脑摄取情况。在这四种化合物中,化合物1n(ODV的
胡椒酸酯)在大鼠
下丘脑和全脑中均显示出最高的ODV峰浓度。最后,在比格犬中评估了化合物1n的药代动力学特征,结果发现其ODV相对
生物利用度的增加与大鼠中相当。这种高相对
生物利用度以及良好的脑渗透性使得化合物1n成为最有希望开发为ODV前药的候选化合物。