Dual-acting agents that possess free radical scavenging and antithrombotic activities: design, synthesis, and evaluation of phenolic tetrahydro-beta-carboline RGD peptide conjugates.

A new approach to construct a single dual-acting agent is described. Compounds 6a-c are potent free radical scavengers as demonstrated by the EC(50) values in PC12 cell survival assay in term of NO, H(2)O(2), and ()OH scavenging activity. The Ach-induced vaso-relaxation assay further confirms the potent NO scavenging activity of compounds 6a-c. In addition, 6a-c are efficacious in a rat arterial thrombosis, and are active in ADP- or PAF-induced in vitro platelet aggregation assay, suggesting that compounds 6a-c also possess anti-thrombotic activities. Since both free radical and thrombogenesis are important risk factors in myocardial ischemic/reperfusion injuries, these dual-acting agents having both free radical scavenging and antithrombolic activities may potentially be beneficial toward their treatment.