Synthesis and evaluation of panaxatriol derivatives as Na+, K+-ATPase inhibitors

Panaxatriol, a triterpene bearing a steroid-like structure similar to cardiac glycosides, was presumed to share the same bioactivity with cardiac glycosides, and may be a potential Na+, K+-ATPase inhibitor. In this paper, a series of panaxatriol derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for Na+, K+-ATPase inhibitory activities. The results of biological tests showed that more than half of the synthesized derivatives presented increased inhibitory activities compared with panaxatriol. Of these compounds, 13a with a 3, 4-seco skeleton showed the most potent inhibitory activity, which was equal to that of the standard drug digoxin. To understand the binding mode of the most active compound, molecular docking study of 13a with Na+, K+-ATPase was conducted. Therefore, 13a may serve as a new lead compound for the development of novel Na+, K+-ATPase inhibitors.