Antitrichomonal activity of mesoionic thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridines

Screening of mesoionic compounds as potential electron acceptors by analogy with metronidazole led to the finding of in vitro antitrichomonal activity for anhydro-2-phenyl-3-hydroxythiazolo [3,2-a]pyridinium hydroxide (1). In a series of analogues, potent in vitro activity was found to be associated with amino substitution; however, such activity was dependent on specific structural features and not on the reduction potential. The most active compounds showed only poor in vivo activity.