Phenylalanine-Based AMPA Receptor Antagonist as the Anticonvulsant Agent with Neuroprotective Activity-In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

Trying to meet the multitarget-directed ligands strategy, a series of previously described aryl-substituted phenylalanine derivatives, reported as competitive antagonists of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, were screened in vitro for their free-radical scavenging and antioxidant capacity in two different assays: ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity fluorescent (ORAC-FL) assays. The most active antioxidants and were further examined to evaluate their neuroprotective properties in vitro. In this study, compound showed a significant neuroprotective effect against the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y and IMR-32 cell lines. Both compounds also showed prevention from high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, the desired monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibition effect (IC = 278 ± 29 nM) for was determined. No toxic effects up to 100 µM of and against neuroblastoma cells were observed. Furthermore, in vivo studies showed that compound demonstrated significant anticonvulsant potential in 6-Hz test, but in neuropathic pain models its antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic properties were not observed. Concluding, the compound seems to be of higher importance as a new phenylalanine-based lead candidate due to its confirmed promise in in vitro and in vivo anticonvulsant activity.