Anti-leishmanial activity of disubstituted purines and related pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidines

We report here results of screening directed to finding new anti-leishmanial drugs among 2,6-disubstituted purines and corresponding 3,7-disubstituted pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidines. These compounds have previously been shown to moderately inhibit human cyclin-dependent kinases. Since some compounds reduced viability of axenic amastigotes of Leishmania donovani, we screened them for interaction with recombinant leishmanial cdc-2 related protein kinase (CRK3/CYC6), an important cell cycle regulator of the parasitic protozoan. Eighteen pairs of corresponding isomers were tested for viability of amastigotes and for inhibition of CRK3/CYC6 kinase activity. Some compounds (9A, 12A and 13A) show activity against amastigotes with EC(50) in a range 1.5-12.4microM. Structure-activity relationships for the tested compounds are discussed and related to the lipophilicity of the compounds.