Synthesis, biological evaluation, docking study and ulcerogenicity profiling of some novel quinoline-2-carboxamides as dual COXs/LOX inhibitors endowed with anti-inflammatory activity.

A series of novel quinoline-2-carboxamides 15-28 was synthesized and evaluated in vitro as dual COXs/LOX inhibitors. Compounds 19 and 27 exhibited the highest potency and selectivity for COX-2 inhibitory activity (IC50 = 1.21 and 1.13 μM, respectively; selectivity index (COX-1/COX-2) = 6.52 and 7.61, respectively) in comparison to the reference drug celecoxib (COX-2 IC50 = 0.88 μM; selectivity index (COX-1/COX-2) = 8.31). The anti-inflammatory activity of the newly synthesized compounds was further assessed in vivo using carrageenan induced paw edema assay. Interestingly, the in vitro results of COXs inhibitory assay were consistent with that of the in vivo assay where compounds 19 and 27 showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity with edema inhibition percentages of 59.38% and 65.03%, respectively compared to celecoxib (71.21%) after 5 h. Moreover, it was found that compounds 19 and 27 have a superior gastric safety profile comparable to indomethacin. The molecular docking study of compounds 19 and 27 into COX-2 active site suggested that these hits assumed binding pattern and interactions similar to that of bromocelecoxib (S-58) as a cocrystallized ligand explaining their remarkable COX-2 inhibitory activity and selectivity. Taken together, these results indicated that these derivatives are good leads for subsequent development into potential anti-inflammatory agents with least gastric damage.