文摘
Two novel opioid analogues have been designed by substituting the native d-Ala residues in position 2,2鈥?of biphalin with two residues of d-penicillamine or l-penicillamine and by forming a disulfide bond between the thiol groups. The so-obtained compound 9 containing d-penicillamines showed excellent 渭/未 mixed receptor affinities (Ki未 = 5.2 nM; Ki渭 = 1.9 nM), together with an efficacious capacity to trigger the second messenger and a very good in vivo antinociceptive activity, whereas product 10 was scarcely active. An explanation of the two different pharmacological behaviors of products 9 and 10 was found by studying their conformational properties.
Keywords:
Analgesics; biphalin; dimeric opioid peptides; cyclic analogues