No-mimetic furoxans: arylsulphonylfuroxans and related compounds

A new class of methylfuroxans and methylfurazans arylthio, arylsulphinyl and arylsulphonyl substituted, characterized by vasodilating and antiaggregatory properties, is described. Vasodilating activity, tested on rabbit aortic rings percontracted with 1 microM noradrenaline, is enhanced by N-oxidation of the furazan ring and is maximized by increase of the sulphur atom oxidation level. Compounds 4-methyl-3-(p-methoxyphenylsulphonyl) furoxan 6c, 3-phenyl-4-phenylsulphonylfuroxan 10, 4-phenyl-3-phenylsulphonylfuroxan 11 and 3,4-bis(phenyl-sulphonyl)furoxan 12 (EC50 values ranging between 0.055-1.07 microM), seem to be promising since they show the highest potency as well as maximal efficacy, causing complete reversal of noradrenaline induced contraction. The structure-activity relationship, observed in the platelet aggregation test, is substantially similar to that reported for the vasodilating activity, in line with the general profile of these drugs as putative NO-mimetic derivatives.