Synthesis and Biological Activity of Two New Calcium-channel Blockers, Mebudipine and Dibudipine

Dihydropyridine derivative calcium-channel blockers are widely used in the therapy of hypertension, angina pectoris and other cardiovascular diseases. Because the prototype of dihydropyridine derivatives, nifedipine, does not have the optimum pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics, attempts have been made to synthesize other drugs in this class with improved properties. The synthesis and biological activity of two new calcium-channel blockers, non-symmetrical (mebudipine) and symmetrical (dibudipine) analogues of nifedipine, is described herein. The pharmacological potencies of the compounds were evaluated by studying their effects on the contractions of isolated guinea-pig ileum and rat aortic rings. Results were compared with those obtained from nifedipine. The new analogues and nifedipine inhibited the contractile response of guinea-pig ileum to electrical stimulation and the pIC50 value of the compounds did not differ significantly from each other. The compounds also antagonized the contractile responses of K+-depolarized guinea-pig ileum to cumulative concentrations of calcium. The inhibitory effect of mebudipine was significantly higher than that of nifedipine whereas the inhibitory effects of dibudipine and nifedipine were not different. All three compounds relaxed KCl (40 mM)-treated isolated aortic rings; the pIC50 values for relaxation were: mebudipine > nifedipine > dibudipine. It is concluded that these new dihydropyridine derivatives are potent relaxants of vascular and ileal smooth muscles and therefore have high potential for use as antihypertensive and anti-anginal agents.