Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Activity of the N-(4-(1H-1,2,4-Triazol-1-yl)phenyl)-substituted-amide Derivatives

To discover novel, potent anticonvulsant compounds, a series of compounds containing triazole structural fragments were synthesized and evaluated for their anticonvulsant activity. Compounds6f(maximal electroshock (MES), 50% effective dose (ED50) = 13.1 mg/kg; subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ), ED50= 19.7 mg/kg) and6l(MES, ED50= 9.1 mg/kg;scPTZ, ED50= 19.0 mg/kg) showed the best activity in MES andscPTZ tests. The results of an affinity test showed that the potent compounds had better binding to the GABAAreceptors. The results of an inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA content test in brain tissue indicated that compounds6fand6lexerted anticonvulsant activity which may be associated with the increase of GABA content in the rat brain. Elevated plus maze (EPM) assay results showed that compounds6fand6lpossessed anxiolytic effects, and their effects correlated with the binding sites of benzodiazepines (BZs) in the GABAAreceptors. Molecular docking was performed to investigate the interactions of the studied compound6lwith the GABAAreceptors on the molecular level.