Structure-activity relationships of amantadine. I. Interaction of the N-alkyl analogues with the ionic channels of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and electrically excitable membrane.

In this study the effects of amantadine (1-adamantanamine) and its N-alkyl-substituted analogues [N-methyl- (NMA), N-ethyl- (NEA), N-propyl- (NPA), N-butyl- (NBA), and N,N-diethyl-amantidine (NNDEA)] were investigated on ionic channels of the electrically excitable membrane and of the nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors in frog sartorius muscles and on the binding of perhydrohistrionicotoxin (H12-HTX) to isolated membranes of the electric organ of the electric ray Torpedo. Amantadine and each analogue blocked the indirectly elicited twitch, but NPA, NBA, and NNDEA also potentiated the directly elicited twitch. The order of potency in inhibiting the indirect twitch was: NEA = NPA = NNDEA (10 microM) greater than NMA (15 microM) greater than NBA (40 microM) much greater than amantadine (130 microM). Neither amantadine nor its N-alkyl analogues affected miniature end-plate potential frequency or resting membrane potential but decreased miniature end-plate potential amplitude. Each compound prolonged the directly elicited action potential but did not alter delayed rectification. All of the compounds induced a concentration-dependent depression of the peak end-plate current (EPC) amplitude at negative membrane potentials and induced nonlinearity in the response at membrane potentials more negative than -40 mV. The order of potency in inhibiting the EPC (at -90 mV) was NNDEA (less than 0.5 microM) greater than NPA (less than 1.0 microM) greater than NBA (less than 2.0 microM) greater than NEA (19 microM) greater than NMA (42 microM) greater than amantadine (64 microM). Only NPA, NBA, and NNDEA depressed the peak EPC amplitude at positive membrane potentials as well. The shortening of the time constant of EPC decay by all compounds was concentration-dependent. At the higher concentrations examined, the slope of the relationship between the time constant of decay and membrane potential was reversed for all compounds. Only NPA induced a double-exponential decay of the EPC at positive membrane potentials. Neither amantadine nor its N-alkyl analogues inhibited the binding of [3H]ACh to its receptor in Torpedo electroplax but they inhibited the binding of [3H]H12-HTX binding to the ionic channel sites of the ACh receptor. The Ki for inhibition of [3H]H12-HTX binding was NEA = NNDEA (15 microM) greater than NMA (30 microM) greater than NPA = NBA (40 microM) greater than amantadine (60 microM). A gross correlation exists between their ability to block the indirect muscle twitch, miniature end-plate potential amplitude, peak EPC amplitude and the binding of [3H]H12-HTX. But, no correlation was found between these potencies and their antiviral activity. It is suggested that these compounds may interact with the ionic channel of the ACh receptor in its open and closed conformation.