title: 3,3-Dialkyl- and 3-alkyl-3-benzyl-substituted 2-pyrrolidinones: a new class of anticonvulsant agents.
abstract: A series of 3,3-dialkyl- and 3-alkyl-3-benzyl-substituted 2-pyrrolidinones (lactams) have been prepared and evaluated for their anticonvulsant activities. In the pentylenetetrazole mouse seizure model, 3,3-diethyl lactam 7c and 3-benzyl-3-ethyl lactam 7j are the most effective anticonvulsants (ED50 = 46 and 42 mg/kg, respectively) and have protective index (PI = TD50/ED50) values of 5.65 and 3.00, respectively. These protective index values compare favorably to those of the clinically used antiepileptic drugs ethosuximide (ED50 = 161 mg/kg), phenobarbital (ED50 = 22 mg/kg), and valproic acid (ED50 = 133 mg/kg), which have PI values of 2.35, 4.00, and 2.12, respectively. The benzyl compounds [3-substituents are Bn, H (7h); Bn, Me (7i); and Bn, Et (7j)] are also very effective anticonvulsants against seizures induced by maximal electroshock (ED50 = 41, 55, and 74 mg/kg, respectively) and have PI values of 3.51, 3.04, and 1.70, respectively. The corresponding PI values for phenobarbital and valproic acid are 1.37 and 5.18, respectively. As a class of anticonvulsants, the 3,3-disubstituted 2-pyrrolidinones have a broad spectrum of action and may be useful for the treatment of human epilepsies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Hsiang
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Latifi
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rothman
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ferrendelli
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Covey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D011760:Pyrrolidinones