Reactions of pyrimidinophanes with two 6-methylthiocytosine and one 5(6)-alkyluracil moieties bridged with each other by polymethylene spacers with methyl or nonyl p-toluenesulfonate, p-toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonate and trifluorosulfonate afforded amphiphilic macrocyclic bis-p-toluene-, methane- and trifluorosulfonates. Despite the presence of several reaction centers in the initial pyrimidinophane molecules, protonation and methylation occurred only at the N(1) atom (with quaternization) of the 6-methylthiocytosine moieties. The bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity of the products was estimated. Macrocyclic tosylates exhibit a remarkable selectivity towards Staphylococcus aureus, with MIC values comparable with a reference drug. Bacteriostatic activity of the amphiphilic pyrimidinophanes depends on the size of the macrocycles, and the highest activity corresponds to definite lengths of polymethylene bridges. Besides, the antimicrobial activity of the screened pyrimidine derivatives depends on their topology. While macrocyclic tosylates are more active against bacteria than against fungi, acyclic tosylate with the same structural fragments shows a dramatical decrease of MIC towards mold and yeast with respect to the corresponding macrocycle. It is found that macrocyclic and acyclic tosylates in high dilutions decrease the extracellular lipase activity.

We have investigated effect of a representative of the novel class of selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitors A 1,3-bis[5(diethyl-o-nitrobenzyl ammonio) penthyl]-6-methyluracildibromide (compound 547) on duration and rhythm of sequence of right atrial action potential (AP) as well as on kinetics of acetylcholinesterase catalyzed reaction in homogenates of skeletal muscle (m. extensor digitorum longus) and cardiac muscle in the rat. We have shown that contrary to classical acetylcholinesterase inhibitors armin and proserin none of studied concentrations (1, 10 and 100 nM) of compound 547 exerted significant effect on AP configuration and rate of sinus rhythm. Compound 547 belongs to noncompetitive type with K1(heart)=3.6 x 10(-4) M and K1(EDL)=1.3 x 10(-8) M. Proserin exerts comparable inhibitory action on reaction in the heart and skeletal muscle, its K1(heart)=0.73 x 10(-5) M and K1(EDL)= 0.4 x 10(-5) M. Thus low sensitivity of myocardium to compound 547 in electrophysiological experiments is not related to lesser availability of synaptic acetylcholinesterase in the heart compared with acetylcholinesterase in skeletal muscles but reaction catalyzed by cardiac acetylcholinesterase is actually to a substantial degree less prone to inhibition by compound 547.

We studied the effects of peptides from Amaranthus cruentus L., Rauwolfia serpentina Benth., and citrus plants on contractile activity of the uterine myometrium in rats. Pectin substances inhibited spontaneous contractile activity of uterine muscles and abolished the stimulatory effect of oxytocin. Pectins had a synergistic effect with epinephrine and acetylcholine.

The reactions of 1,3-bis(alpha,omega-bromoalkyl)-6-methyluracils with 1,3-bis(alpha,omega-ethylaminoalkyl)-6-methyluracils or 1,3-bis(bromopentyl)thymine with butylamine afforded pyrimidinophanes containing one or two uracil units and nitrogen atoms in bridging polymethylene chains. In some cases individual geometric isomers of pyrimidinophanes differing in the mutual arrangement of the carbonyl and methyl groups at different pyrimidine rings were isolated. Quaternization of the bridging nitrogen atom with o-nitrobenzyl bromide, benzyl bromide, n-decyl bromide gave rise to water-soluble pyrimidinophanes which were evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activity. The arrangement of the carbonyl groups in macrocycles doesn't affect the activity. Antibacterial and antifungal activity of pyrimidinophanes increases with the increase of polymethylene N((pyr))-N-chain length and dramatically increases upon the introduction of n-decyl substituent at nitrogen atoms in spacers. Pyrimidinophanes with 5 and 6 methylene groups in N((pyr))-N-chain and n-decyl substituent showed significant bacteriostatic, fungistatic, bactericidal, fungicidal activity which comparable with standard antibacterial and antifungal drugs. Acyclic counterpart demonstrated the highest activity against fungi. Toxicity of more effective pyrimidinophanes was determined for mice and Daphnia magna Straus.

Chronic experiments on successive generations of laboratory Daphnia magna culture demonstrated higher (compared to proserin) embryotoxicity of a new selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor 1,3-bis[5-(diethyl-o-nitrobenzilammonio)pentyl]-6-methyluracyl dibromide (compound No. 547). The concentrations of proserin (neostigmine) and compound No. 547 not exceeding 1/60 LC50 (0.39 mol/liter for compound No. 547 and 0.045 mol/liter for proserin) were absolutely safe for the reproductive function of daphnia.

Agent No. 547 (1,3-bis[omega-(diethyl-ortho-nitrobenzylammonio)-pentyl]-6-methyluracil dibromide), a newly synthesized inhibitor of mammalian-specific acetyltcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) was investigated for genotoxicity using the DNA-repair test, Ames test and in vivo micronucleus test with mouse peripheral blood erythrocytes. Agent No. 547 did not cause significant changes in growth of repair-deficient Escherichia coli tester strains. The compound was non-mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100 with and without rat microsomal activation mixture. However, we observed a marked increase in number of His(+) revertants for both tester strains in preincubation assays. The results obtained in the micronucleus test indicate that agent No. 547 possesses significant clastogenic activity. At the high dose tested (0.5 mg/kg), the compound induced a seven-fold increase in the number of micronuclei over the spontaneous background 48 h after treatment. The results suggest that further work should be promoted to identify the metabolic pathways involved in genotoxicity of agent No. 547 in mammalian cells and to evaluate the real risk of its exposure.

The effect of C-547, a tetraalkylammonium derivative of 6-methyluracil, a novel highly selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, on frog neuromuscular junction was studied. In concentrations 10(-9)-10(-7)M the preparation increased the amplitude and temporal parameters of miniature endplate potentials. In contrast to the effect of C-574 on purified acetylcholinesterase from mammals, the effect of this agent on frog neuromuscular junction was reversible. In a concentration of 10(-6)M the preparation apart from anticholinesterase activity produced a parasympatholytic effect manifested in a decrease in amplitude and decay time constant of miniature endplate potentials accompanied by a decrease in spontaneous transmitter secretion. After washout, the parasympatholytic effect recovered more slowly, but disappeared more rapidly compared to anticholinesterase activity. These findings suggest that parasympatholytic effect of C-547 results from direct action on receptor-channel complexes in the endplate membrane.