Amide naphthotube as a novel supramolecular sequestration agent for tetracaine and decamethonium

Rationale: Anesthetics are widely used for optimizing surgical conditions, postoperative pain management, and treating various chronic pain conditions. Tetracaine and decamethonium are representative drugs of local anesthetics and neuromuscular blocking agents, respectively. However, overdose and toxicity of the drugs always lead to serious adverse events. Thus, there is a strong demand for effective antidotes.

Methods: The binding interactions of amide naphthotubes with tetracaine and decamethonium were systematically studied using ¹H NMR, ITC, and DFT calculations. The antidotal effects of amide naphthotube to tetracaine toxicity were assessed in vitro and in vivo, and the mechanism of detoxification was explored at a cellular level. Additionally, mouse models were established to evaluate the reversal activities of amide naphthotube on decamethonium-induced mortality and muscle relaxation, and the reversal mechanism was investigated through pharmacokinetic experiments.

Results: We have demonstrated that the anti-isomer of amide naphthotube exhibits significant binding affinities towards tetracaine (K _a = 1.89×10⁷ M^-1) and decamethonium (K _a = 1.01×10⁷ M^-1) in water. The host displayed good biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo. The administration of amide naphthotube following tetracaine overdose in mouse models notably increased the overall survival rate, indicating its effective antidotal properties. The host could reverse the tetracaine-induced Na⁺ channels blockage at the cellular level. Moreover, the injection of amide naphthotube also reversed the mortality and paralysis induced by decamethonium in mouse models following a pharmacokinetic mechanism.

Conclusion: An emerging artificial receptor, amide naphthotube, has strong binding affinities towards tetracaine and decamethonium. It functions as a supramolecular antidote for tetracaine poisoning and a reversal agent for decamethonium by selectively sequestering these compounds in vivo.