Discovery of novel Ebola entry inhibitors with 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxamide based on (3S,4aS,8aS)-2-(3-amino-2-hydroxypropyl) decahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxamide scaffold

Novel Ebola entry inhibitors were designed and synthesized based on decahydroisoquinolines by streamlining non-essential functional groups that do not compromise activity. All novel derivatives were evaluated for their anti-Ebola activities and cytotoxicitiies in a defective Ebola virus model. A novel tetrahydroisoquinoline Ebola virus entry inhibitor, Hu7, was readily available with antiviral activity comparable to previous findings, while demonstrating a marked reduction in toxicity. Such new compounds with simple and easy-to-synthesize structures could be potential leads for further optimizing the development of anti-Ebola drugs.