Analogues of fenarimol are potent inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi and are efficacious in a murine model of Chagas disease

J Med Chem. 2012 May 10;55(9):4189-204. doi: 10.1021/jm2015809. Epub 2012 Apr 27.

Abstract

We report the discovery of nontoxic fungicide fenarimol (1) as an inhibitor of Trypanosoma cruzi ( T. cruzi ), the causative agent of Chagas disease, and the results of structure-activity investigations leading to potent analogues with low nM IC(50)s in a T. cruzi whole cell in vitro assay. Lead compounds suppressed blood parasitemia to virtually undetectable levels after once daily oral dosing in mouse models of T. cruzi infection. Compounds are chemically tractable, allowing rapid optimization of target biological activity and drug characteristics. Chemical and biological studies undertaken in the development of the fenarimol series toward the goal of delivering a new drug candidate for Chagas disease are reported.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Chagas Disease / drug therapy*
  • Chagas Disease / metabolism
  • Chagas Disease / parasitology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Pyrimidines / chemical synthesis
  • Pyrimidines / chemistry*
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacokinetics
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Trypanocidal Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Trypanocidal Agents / chemistry*
  • Trypanocidal Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Trypanocidal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / drug effects*

Substances

  • Pyrimidines
  • Trypanocidal Agents