Syntheses and anti-inflammatory activities of O-acyloximes. II

Novel O-acyloximes having an acetyl group or N-protected amino acid as an O-acyl group were synthesized by reaction with acetyl chloride or by a mixed anhydride method. 4'-Morpholinoacetophenone oxime (oxime-2) was determined to be the (E) isomer by X-ray crystal structure analysis. The anti-inflammatory activities of the test compounds were assessed in terms of the inhibitory effect on increased vascular permeability induced by histamine, and several compounds were assessed together by means of the carrageenan-induced paw edema assay. In general, acetyl oximes and tert-butyloxycarbonylphenylalanyl oximes showed inhibitory action on increased vascular permeability. Particularly important for the appearance of anti-inflammatory activity was direct attachment of the acetyl group to the oxime. Of the two isoforms of cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2), COX-1 activity was inhibited by oxime-2 and 4'-piperidinoacetophenone oxime (oxime-3) with IC50 values of 50 and 130 microM, respectively, while COX-2 activity was not inhibited. The in vitro inhibitory effect of oxime-2 and oxime-3 on COX-1 activity decreased with O-acylation of the oximes.