Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of novel pyrrolocarbazole lactam analogs as potent and cell-permeable inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 (PARP-1).

A series of novel pyrrolocarbazole lactams was identified as potent PARP-1 inhibitors in vitro and in a PC12 cellular NAD(+) depletion assay. The SAR trends of substituents at the 3-position, as well as the effect of blocking the indole or lactam NH-groups of the template by methylation or formylation, are discussed in relation to molecular modeling studies.