Structure - activity studies with histamine H3 - receptor ligands

Se han sintetizado análogos de tioperamida. Los compuestos han sido ensayados in vitro para explorar los factores que permitan diseñar compuestos derivados de la tioperamida sin grupo tiourea que mejoren la penetración cerebral. Los compuestos más activos como H3-antagonistas contienen un átomo de nitrógeno aromático hetorocíclico sobre la cadena lateral. Estos compuestos se han empleado como cabeza de serie para obtener potentes H3-antagonistas de histarnina con estructura de ariloxietil y ariloxipropilimidazoles. Las relaciones estructura actividad de agonistas se han revisado brevemente. Se han estudiado un grupo de análogos de (S-[2-imidazol-4-il)etil]isotiourea (imetit) con el objeto de explorar la transición entre agonistas y antagonistas. N,N' -dibutil-[S-[3-(imidazol- 4-il)propil]isotiourea es un muy potente antagonistas que tiene Ki=1.5 nM.Analogues of thioperamide have been synthesised and tested in vitro on rat cerebral cortex to explore structure-activity relationships with the intention of designing compounds which do not possess the thiourea group of thioperamide and which may have improved brain penetration. Compounds derived from histamine and having an aromatic nitrogen containing heterocyc1e on the side-chain amino group have been found to act as H3 - antagonists. These have served as leads to provide aryloxyethyl- and aryloxypropylimidazoles which are potent H3 antagonists of histamine. Structure-activity relationships for agonists are brief1y reviewed. Analogues of the very potent and selective agonist, imetit (S-[2-imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]isothiourea) have been studied to explore the transition between agonist, partial agonist and antagonist. The isosteric isourea is also a potent agonist. N,N' -Dibutyl-[S-[3-(imidazol-4-yl)propyl]isothiourea is a very potent antagonist having K¡=1.5 nM

Histamine-induced itch and its relationship with pain

Itch is one of the major complications of skin diseases. Although there are various substances that induce itch or pruritus, it is evident that histamine is the best known endogenous agent that evokes itch. Even though histamine-induced itch has been studied for some time, the underlying mechanism of itch is just beginning to emerge. Although various downstream signaling pathways of histamine receptors have been revealed, more studies are required to determine the cause of histamine-induced itch. It appears that itch and pain involve different neuronal pathways. Pain generally inhibits itch, which indicates an inter-communication between the two. Complex interactions between itch and pain may be expected based on reports on disease states and opioids. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanism and the pharmacological aspects of histamine-induced itch. Especially, the underlying mechanism of TRPV1 (an anti-pruritus target) has been determined to some extent

The role of hypothalamic H1 receptor antagonism in antipsychotic-induced weight gain

Treatment with second generation antipsychotics (SGAs), notably olanzapine and clozapine, causes severe obesity side effects. Antagonism of histamine H1 receptors has been identified as a main cause of SGA-induced obesity, but the molecular mechanisms associated with this antagonism in different stages of SGA-induced weight gain remain unclear. This review aims to explore the potential role of hypothalamic histamine H1 receptors in different stages of SGA-induced weight gain/obesity and the molecular pathways related to SGA-induced antagonism of these receptors. Initial data have demonstrated the importance of hypothalamic H1 receptors in both short- and long-term SGA-induced obesity. Blocking hypothalamic H1 receptors by SGAs activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a well-known feeding regulator. During short-term treatment, hypothalamic H1 receptor antagonism by SGAs may activate the AMPK—carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 signaling to rapidly increase caloric intake and result in weight gain. During long-term SGA treatment, hypothalamic H1 receptor antagonism can reduce thermogenesis, possibly by inhibiting the sympathetic outflows to the brainstem rostral raphe pallidus and rostral ventrolateral medulla, therefore decreasing brown adipose tissue thermogenesis. Additionally, blocking of hypothalamic H1 receptors by SGAs may also contribute to fat accumulation by decreasing lipolysis but increasing lipogenesis in white adipose tissue. In summary, antagonism of hypothalamic H1 receptors by SGAs may time-dependently affect the hypothalamus-brainstem circuits to cause weight gain by stimulating appetite and fat accumulation but reducing energy expenditure. The H1 receptor and its downstream signaling molecules could be valuable targets for the design of new compounds for treating SGA-induced weight gain/obesity

The waking brain: an update

Wakefulness and consciousness depend on perturbation of the cortical soliloquy. Ascending activation of the cerebral cortex is characteristic for both waking and paradoxical (REM) sleep. These evolutionary conserved activating systems build a network in the brainstem, midbrain, and diencephalon that contains the neurotransmitters and neuromodulators glutamate, histamine, acetylcholine, the catecholamines, serotonin, and some neuropeptides orchestrating the different behavioral states. Inhibition of these waking systems by GABAergic neurons allows sleep. Over the past decades, a prominent role became evident for the histaminergic and the orexinergic neurons as a hypothalamic waking center