Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of New Improved Ferrostatin-1 Derived Ferroptosis Inhibitors

Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), a first potent ferroptosis inhibitor, faces limitations in clinical use due to its low potency and metabolic instability. This study introduces a series of novel Ferrostatin-1 analogs designed to enhance plasm stability. Our design strategy focused on the modification of the 3-NH₂ of Fer-1 with benzenesulfonyl groups, resulting in analogs 9-25. Biological evaluation revealed that compound 18, with an EC₅₀ value of 0.57 μM, outperformed Fer-1 in inhibiting ferroptosis. It reduced intracellular ferrous ion accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and restored glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) levels effectively. Moreover, compound 18 exhibited favorable solubility and remarkable metabolic stability in rat plasma. These results position compound 18 as a promising candidate for developing therapeutics against ferroptosis-related diseases.