An optimized micromethod for the determination of soluble acetylcholinesterase and pseudocholinesterase in gastrointestinal biopsy tissue is introduced. Enzyme activities were obtained from measurements of total activity and activity in the presence of an inhibitor of pseudocholinesterase. Optimal conditions of measurement were established for enzymes in serum or erythrocytes. In intestinal tis...

Aclidinium bromide [LAS34273, 3R-(2-hydroxy-2,2-dithiophen-2-yl-acetoxy)-1-(3-phenoxy-propyl)1-azonia bicycle-[2.2.2]-octane bromide], a novel, long-acting, inhaled muscarinic antagonist for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, has shown rapid hydrolysis in human and animal plasma. This process occurred both nonenzymatically (k(h), 0.0075 min(-1)) and enzymatically. The purpo...

A series of novel and highly active acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors derived from substituted benzothiazoles containing an imidazolidine-2,4,5-trione moiety were synthesized and characterized. The molecular structure of 1-(2,6-diisopropyl-phenyl)-3-[(1R)-1-(6-fluoro-1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)ethyl]-imidazolidine-2,4,5-trione (3g) was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffr...

The concept of using cholinesterase bioscavengers for prophylaxis against organophosphorous nerve agents and pesticides has progressed from the bench to clinical trial. However, the supply of the native human proteins is either limited (e.g., plasma-derived butyrylcholinesterase and erythrocytic acetylcholinesterase) or nonexisting (synaptic acetylcholinesterase). Here we identify a unique form...

Three man synthetic routes to analogues of tacrine are described: reaction of anthranilonitriles with cyclohexanone and other ketones, reaction of various anilines with alpha-cyanoketones, and reactions involving anilines and cyclic beta-ketoesters. Although tacrine has a wide range of pharmacological effects, it is best known as an inhibitor of cholinesterase enzymes. Many of the analogues tha...

A screening aimed at obtaining a cholinesterase inhibitor of microbial origin was carried out using Pseudomonas butyrylcholinesterase. A mycelium-extract of a fungus strain, belonging to the genus Penicillium, was found to produce such an enzyme inhibitor. The inhibitor was purified and crystallized as colorless leaflets. From physical and chemical studies, the inhibitor was identified as being...

In this work, a series of anti-tyrosinase and anti-butyrylcholinesterase coumarin derivatives 4a–f 5a–f were synthesized starting from 4-hydroxycoumarin. The condensation 2-(arylimin)-4-hydroxycoumarins 3a–f with dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal (DMF-DMA), used as key reaction, afforded the precursors 4a–f, whose acid treatment led to formation 5a–f. These prepared heterocycles characterized b...