Abstract:
The invention relates to novel peptidyl derivatives of Amefalone, Pro-Amefalone, Pro-Pro-Amefalone and D-Ala-Pro-Amefalone, their halide, preferably hydrochloride, salts, to a process for their synthesis and to their use as antiarrhythmic agents.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to novel peptidyl amino steroids and more specifically relates to novel peptidyl derivatives of amefalone useful as antiarrhythmic 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject invention relates to peptidyl derivatives of amefalone of the structural formula ##STR1## where R is selected from the group consisting of ##STR2## wherein X is a halogen, preferably Cl. 
     The invention further relates to a process for treating arrhythmia in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal an effective dosage of the peptidyl derivatives of amefalone of the invention to reduce the frequency of arrhythmias being experienced by the mammal. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a flow scheme for synthesis of preferred peptidyl amefalone compounds of the present invention. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Ventricular fibrillation continues to be a major complication of acute myocardial infarction and is generally considered to be responsible for most of the sudden deaths occurring in the early 1-2 hour pre-hospital phase. In spite of the present antidysrhythmic drugs available, there is still no entirely effective and safe long-term antidysrhythmic agent available. Lignocaine is still considered to be the antidysrhythmic drug of choice during the occurrence of acute life-threatening ventricular dysrhythmias. However, its short duration of action and the necessity of intravenous administration limit its use and indeed its prophylactic valuein the early stages of infarction. 
     Amefalone, 2-β-hydroxy-3 α-amino-5 α-androstan 17-one, is an aminosteroid that has been disclosed to be an active antiarrhythmic agent in mammals by intravenous administration, although it exhibits lesser antiarrhythmic activity if administered orally. Marshall, R. J. andWinslow, E., Gen. Pharmac., 13:315 (1981). 
     Peptidyl derivatives of amefalone have now been developed which are useful as antiarrhythmic agents, which can be administered either intravenously or orally, and which possess lower toxicity than amefalone. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, the 3-amino function of amefalone was modified to produce the peptidyl derivatives of amefalone by coupling it to amino acids and peptides in order to protect the primary amine of the amefalone. It is believed that protection of the primary amine of the amefalone alters the normal metabolic pathway that is thought to lead to inactivation of the amefalone. More specifically, the 3-amino function wasmodified to ##STR3##and its halide salts, preferably ##STR4##and its halide salts, preferably, ##STR5##and its halide salts, preferably, ##STR6## 
     The peptidyl derivatives of amefalone of the present invention may be prepared using known syntheses, and are preferably prepared employing the peptidyl synthesis using polymeric hydroxybenzotriazole (PHBT) described by Mokotoff, M. and Patchornik, A., Int. J. Peptide Protein Res., 21:145 (1983) and by Sheh, L., Mokotoff, M. and Abraham, D. J., Int. J. Peptide Protein Res., 29:509 (1987), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Using that synthesis, t-butyloxycarbonyl-proline (Boc-Pro) is first esterified to PHBT using diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC),and the resulting Boc-Pro-PHBT is then reacted with amefalone to produce Boc-Pro-Amefalone in yields generally from 90% to 99%. The Boc-Pro-Amefalone is then preferably reacted with HCl/dioxane to produce Pro-Amefalone Hydrochloride. 
     The corresponding dipeptide derivatives, Pro-Pro-Amefalone and D-Ala-Pro-Amefalone, were prepared by reacting the Boc-Pro-Amefalone with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to remove the Boc group followed by reaction with either Boc-D-Ala-PHBT or Boc-Pro-PHBT to produce Boc-D-Ala-Pro-Amefalone or Boc-Pro-Pro-Amefalone, respectively. Removal ofthe Boc group, preferably by HCl/dioxane, yields D-Ala-Pro-Amefalone Hydrochloride and Pro-Pro-Amefalonce Hydrochloride in yields generally of from 80% to 95%. 
     A preferred flow scheme using this synthesis for the preparation of the preferred peptidyl amino steroids Pro-Amefalone Hydrochloride, Pro-Pro-Amefalone Hydrochloride and D-Ala-Pro-Amefalone Hydrochloride is set forth in FIG. 1. 
     EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES 
     EXAMPLE 1: Synthesis of L-Pro-Amelfalone.HCl 
     10 grams of Boo-L-Pro-PHBT was placed in a 200 ml flask with 60 ml of dimethylformamide (DMF) and was shaken at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the polymer to swell. 2.7 g. of Amefalone HCl was suspended in 15ml. of DMF and diisopropylethylamine (DIEA, 1.16 g.), and the suspension was added to the flask and shaken at room temperature for 8 hours. Thin layer chromatography showed that there was also a small amount of Amefalone in the solution. After filtration of the polymer, the polymer was washed 4 times, each time using 40 ml. of CH 2  Cl 2 . The combined washing solution was evaporated to near dryness to obtain an oil.The residue was crystallized with CHCl 3  and ether to give 3.95 g. Recrystallization from CHCl 3  and ether gave 2.90 g. Boc-L-Pro-Amefalone. 
     The Boc-L-Pro-Amefalone was placed in a 25 ml bottle with 10 ml of 3N HCl in dioxane and was stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes. The solution was dried by evaporating the solvent. The residue was triturated and washed twice with 10 ml of acetone. The solid obtained was crystallized from methanol-acetone to give L-Pro-Amefalone HCl, 0.43 g., with a yellow color. Recrystallization of the yellow product again yielded0.34 g. of L-Pro-Amefalone HCl. 
     EXAMPLE 2: Synthesis of L-Pro-L-Pro-Amelfalone.HCl 
     0.82 grams of Boc-L-Pro-Amefalone was stirred with 10 ml of TFA at room temperature for 30 minutes. Evaporation of the excess TFA and trituration of the residue with ether gave a solid which was dried under vacuum overnight over P 2  O 5  and NaOH pellets. 
     The Boc-L-Pro-PHBT was next shaken with 10 ml of CH 2  Cl 2  for 30 minutes to allow the polymer to swell, and the solution of the TFA salt ofL-Pro-Amefalone was dissolved in 10 ml of CH 2  Cl 2  and 0.4 g. of DIEA. The CH 2  Cl 2  solution was added to the polymer. The mixturewas shaken at room temperature for 6 hours and filtered. The polymer was washed with CH 2  Cl 2 . The combined CH 2  Cl 2  solution wasevaporated to dryness. The residue was redissolved in 70 ml of CH 2  Cl 2  and was washed successively with cold 95% citric acid, 5% sodium carbonate and distilled water, then dried over sodium sulfate. Evaporationof the CH 2  Cl 2  gave an oily residue of Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-Amefalone. 
     The Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-Amefalone was stirred with 10 ml of 3.6N HCl in dioxaneat room temperature for 30 minutes. Evaporation of the solvent and crystallization of the residue from methanol and ether yielded 0.76 g. of L-Pro-L-Pro-Amefalone HCl. 
     EXAMPLE 3: Synthesis of D-ala-L-Pro-Amefaloe HCl 
     1.18 gram of Boc-L-Pro-Amefalone was stirred with 15 ml of TFA at room temperature for 30 minutes. The excess TFA was evaporated. The residue wastriturated with ether. The solidified residue was dried overnight under a vacuum over P 205  and NaOH pellets. 
     The Boc-D-Ala-PHBT was then shaken with 20 ml of CH 2  Cl 2  at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the polymer to swell. The above TFA salt of L-Pro-Amefalone was dissolved in a solution of 8 ml of CH 2  Cl 2  and 0.79 of DIEA. The TFA salt solution was added to the polymer and the mixture was shaken at room temperature for 6 hours. After filtration, the polymer was washed with CH 2  Cl 2 . The CH 2  Cl 2  solution was evaporated to near dryness and the residue was redissolved into CHCl 13 , and the solution was washed successively with cold 10% citric acid, 5% Na 2  CO 3  and water, then dried overNa 2  SO 4 . The CHCl 3  solution was evaporated to near dryness, affording Boc-D-Ala-L-Pro-Amefalone as an oil. 1.52 grams of this oil was stirred with 15 ml of 3.6N HCl in dioxane at room temperature for 30 minutes. Evaporation of the solvent and crystallization of the residue from ethanol, dioxane and acetone yielded 1.04 g. of D-Ala-L-Pro-AmefaloneHCl. 
     BIOLOGICAL TESTING 
     Samples of the L-Pro-Amefalone.HCl and L-Pro-L-Pro-Amefalone.HCl were tested as antiarrhythmic agents, with male Wistar rats subjected to ischemia induced arrhythmias following the general protocol described by Marshall, R. J., Muir, A. W., and Winslow, E., Br. J. Pharmac., 74:381 (1981), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The results of the testing are presented in Tables 1 and 2 below. As the results indicate, these peptidyl derivatives of amefalone when administered intravenously compared favorably with Amefalone itself, both with regard to antiarrhythmic and hemodynamic effects. 
     
                                           TABLE 1__________________________________________________________________________Ischemia Induced Arrhythmias In Anesthetized Rats     Number of           Total Non-VT                       VT    VT            % Incidence     Rats Tested           PVS   PVS   PVS   No Episodes                                    Duration(s)                                           VT VF Death__________________________________________________________________________Controls  18    361 ± 108                 103 ± 24                       258 ± 106                             7.43 ± 2.56                                    29.0 ± 11.0                                           83 22 22           (14)  (14)  (14)  (14)   (11)Amefalone 9     271 ± 130                 129 ± 37                       142 ± 138                             1.33 ± 0.83*                                    37.5 ± 36.1                                           33*                                              0  0           (9)   (9)   (9)   (9)    (3)Pro-Amefalone     10    236 ± 180                 217 ± 173                       19 ± 8*                             2.20 ± 1.26.sup.a                                    3.07 ± 1.21*                                           50 0  0           (10)  (10)  (10)  (10)   (5)Pro-Pro-Amefalone     10    206 ± 152                 109 ± 65                       97 ± 97                             0.78 ± 0.78*                                    82.64.sup.+                                           20**                                              10 10           (9)   (9)   (9)   (9)    (1)__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.+ 6.47 s of VT + 19.15 s VF .sup.a, p =  0.07*, p &lt; 0.05**, p &lt; 0.01PVS = premature ventricular systalesVT = ventricular tachycardiaVF = ventricular fibrillation 
    
     
                                           TABLE 2__________________________________________________________________________Effects On Blood Pressure (BP) (min + 2) and Heart Rate (HR)(beats/min.)In Anesthetized Rats     Pre-Treatment Immediate Effects                                15 min. Post-Treatment     HR   BP       HR   BP      HR   PB__________________________________________________________________________Controls  424 ± 14          95 ± 4/70 ± 4                   --   --      423 ± 11                                     97 ± 4/70 ± 4Amefalone 422 ± 8          111 ± 10/86 ± 11                   390 ± 14                        90 ± 7/61 ± 7                                396 ± 17                                     128 ± 9/98 ± 9Pro-Amefalone     415 ± 11          85 ± 7/60 ± 8                   396 ± 11                        82 ± 8/56 ± 8                                406 ± 14                                     89 ± 6/61 ± 7Pro-Pro-Amefalone     420 ± 18          101 ± 7/74 ± 7                   408 ± 16                        97 ± 6/70 ± 7                                440 ± 19                                     104 ± 7/731__________________________________________________________________________                                     ± 8 
    
     Although the invention has been described in detail for the purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except asit may be limited by the claims.