Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of substituted-N-(thieno[2,3-b]pyridin-3-yl)-guanidines, N-(1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-3-yl)-guanidines, and N-(1H-indol-3-yl)-guanidines

Sulfonylureas stimulate insulin secretion independent of the blood glucose concentration and therefore cause hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients. Over the last years, a number of aryl-imidazoline derivatives have been identified that stimulate insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner. In the present study, we have developed three series of substituted N-(thieno[2,3-blpyridin-3-yl)-guanidine (2a-1), N-(1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-3-yl)-guanidine (3a-1), and N-(1H-indol-3-yl)-guanidine (4a-1) as new class of antidiabetic agents. In vitro glucose-dependent insulinotropic activity of test compounds 2a-1, 3a-1, and 4a-1 was evaluated using RIN5F (Rat Insulinoma cell) based assay. All the test compounds showed concentration-dependent insulin secretion, only in presence of glucose load (16.7 mmol). Some of the test compounds (2c, 3c, and 4c) from each series were found to be equipotent to BL 11282 (standard aryl-imidazoline), which indicated that the guanidine group acts as a bioisostere of imidazoline ring system. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.