Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of 1-Benzylamino-2-hydroxyalkyl Derivatives as New Potential Disease-Modifying Multifunctional Anti-Alzheimer's Agents

The multitarget approach is a promising paradigm in drug discovery, potentially leading to new treatment options for complex disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. Herein, we present the discovery of a unique series of 1-benzylamino-2-hydroxyalkyl derivatives combining inhibitory activity against butyrylcholinesterase, beta-secretase, amyloid, and tau protein aggregation, all related to mechanisms which underpin Alzheimer's disease. Notably, diphenylpropylamine derivative 10 showed balanced activity against both disease-modifying targets, inhibition of beta-secretase (IC50 hBACE-1 = 41.60 mu M), inhibition of amyloid beta aggregation (IC50, beta = 3.09 mu M), inhibition of tau aggregation (55% at 10 mu M); as well as against symptomatic targets, butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (IC50 (hBuchE) = 7.22 mu M). It might represent an encouraging starting point for development of multifunctional disease-modifying anti-Alzheimer's agents.