Discovery of novel benzimidazole derivatives as selective and reversible monoamine oxidase B inhibitors for Parkinson's disease treatment

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The development of novel scaffolds for human Monoamine Oxidase B (hMAO-B) inhibitors with reversible properties represents an important strategy to improve the efficacy and safety for PD treatment. In the current work, we have devised and assessed two innovative derivative series serving as hMAO-B inhibitors. These series have utilized benzimidazole as a scaffold and strategically incorporated a primary amide group, which is recognized as a pivotal pharmacophore in subsequent activity screening and reversible mode of action. Among these compounds, 16d has emerged as the most potent hMAO-B inhibitor with an IC₅₀ value of 67.3 nM, comparable to safinamide (IC₅₀ = 42.6 nM) in vitro. Besides, 16d demonstrated good selectivity towards hMAO-B isoenzyme with a selectivity index over 387. Importantly, in line with the design purpose, 16d inhibited hMAO-B in a competitive and reversible manner (K_i = 82.50 nM). Moreover, 16d exhibited a good safety profile in both cellular and acute toxicity assays in mice. It also displayed ideal pharmacokinetic properties and blood-brain barrier permeability in vivo, essential prerequisites for central nervous system medicines. In the MPTP-induced PD mouse model, 16d significantly alleviated the motor impairment, especially muscle relaxation and motor coordination. Therefore, 16d, serving as a lead compound, holds instructive significance for subsequent investigations regarding its application in the treatment of PD.

Benzimidazole; MPTP mouse model; Parkinson's disease; hMAO-B inhibitor.