Discovery of Novel 2‐Oxindoles as Compounds with Antiglaucoma Activity

Oxindole-based natural indoles analogues retain the rigidity and size of the original indole ring system whilst introducing more 3-dimensionality and potential increased water solubility. We report the first preparation of a diverse series of new melatonin analogues 4, 6, 11, 12 based on 3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles (11) and hydroxy-free 2-oxindoles (4, 6, 12) and evaluated their ability to reduce intraocular pressure as well as their neuroprotective and antioxidant properties. Reductive amination was used to obtain new 5-(benzylamino)-substituted (indolin-3-yl)acetonitriles 11 and (indolin-3-yl)acetic acids 12 with high yields. Compounds 4 a, c, 6 a and 11 a, d, h, j-l demonstrated IOP reduction effect in range 15-27 % similar to the effect of reference compounds melatonin and timolol (12 % and 18 % reduction, respectively). 5-(Benzylamino)-substituted 3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles 11, unlike compounds 4, 6, inhibited lipid peroxidation in range 2.075-13.012 μM. Inhibition of NQO2 associated with antioxidant properties of melatonin was also evaluated for synthesized compounds and it was found that compound 11 h showed the best NQO2 inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀=39 μM (vs. melatonin IC₅₀=64 μM). All synthesized compounds 4, 6, 11, 12 at a concentration of 30 μM do not possess the mitochondrial toxicity. Moreover, no disruption of tubulin polymerization was observed even in the presence of 100 μM of the compounds. Thus, 3-hydroxy-2-oxindole derivatives 11 can be used for drug design of first-in-class antiglaucoma drugs with antioxidant and neuroprotective properties.