Influence of the scyphostatin side chain on the mode of inhibition of neutral sphingomyelinase

The combination of structural novelty and significant biological activity has made scyphostatin the focus of many synthetic efforts and the prototype for novel N-SMase inhibitors. Potent, specific inhibitors of these enzymes may be valuable in deciphering their biological role and lead to the development of novel therapeutics. Scyphostatin and kotylostatin, although structurally related, exhibit different modes of inhibition towards N-SMase.