Experimental Biology 2005 Abstracts, 7290 (2005)

 

Novel aminopropiophenones as antiobesity agents.

 

Kevin F. Foley1, Richard A. Galbraith2, Alexander Gokin2, and Nicholas V. Cozzi3

 

1Department of Medical Laboratory & Radiation Sciences and 2Department of Medicine, University of

Vermont, Burlington, VT  05405.

3Dept. of Neuropharmacology, PhysioGenix, 10437 Innovation Dr., Wauwatosa, WI 53226

 


Abstract

Diethylpropion, an aminopropiophenone, is prescribed for the control of appetite.  Although widely used, there are several drawbacks associated with its use, including hypertension and anxiety.  Given the obesity epidemic in America and the fact that few pharmacological treatments are available, we synthesized several analogs of diethylpropion and tested them for their effects on weight gain in vivo.  The four compounds chosen for the study include 1‑(4‑bromophenyl)-2-(methylamino)propan-1-one (4-BMAP), 1-(3-bromophenyl)-2-(methylamino)propan-1-one (3‑BMAP), 2-(iso-propylamino)-1-phenylpropan-1-one (i-PAP) and 2-(tert-butylamino)-1-phenylpropan-1-one (t‑BAP).  Using saline and diethypropion as vehicle and positive controls, respectively, compounds were administered by daily IP injection for five days to juvenile Sprague-Dawley rats.  Rat body weights were monitored over the course of treatment.  As expected, diethylpropion caused a significant reduction in weight gain compared to vehicle at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day.  Interestingly, 3-BMAP and i-PAP, at 10 mg/kg/day, caused greater reductions in weight gain than did diethylpropion.  These data suggest that the addition of a bromine atom to the phenyl ring 3-position or the substitution of an iso-propyl group at the amine nitrogen increases the antiobesity effects of diethylpropion.  These data, combined with previous studies indicating fewer locomotor stimulant effects with these compounds, could guide the rational design of analogs that have better potency than diethylpropion while presenting fewer stimulant-like side effects.


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