Russian scientists from the Institute of Organic Synthesis of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute for the Study of Physiologically Active Substances of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Ural Federal University have developed new chemical compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

According to the authors, in the future, drugs based on the obtained substances will be able to stop the development of dementia without serious side effects.

This will be possible after successful clinical trials in humans, now the development is undergoing preclinical trials.

This was reported to RT in the press service of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science.

The results of the study are published in the journal Molecular Sciences.

New chemicals for the treatment of dementia based on tacrine (9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine) and salicylic acid.

The drug tacrine was previously used to relieve the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

The principle of action is based on blocking the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which destroys the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses.

It is known that in Alzheimer's disease there is a deficiency of acetylcholine in the body.

In the United States, tacrine was approved for use in humans in 1993, but the drug was subsequently discontinued due to high liver toxicity and many side effects.

The authors of the work managed to modify this compound in such a way as to obtain a substance that still has a medicinal effect, but at the same time, in their opinion, does not harm the body.

  • Brain scan showing early stage of Alzheimer's disease

  • Gettyimages.ru

  • © Peter Dazeley

“Our task was to investigate the effect of the obtained conjugates (chemical derivatives. -

RT

) of tacrine (9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine) and salicylic acid on liver cells, because the main obstacle to the use of tacrine is its very strong hepatotoxicity.

We have shown that most of the conjugates synthesized by colleagues are 1.5–4 times less toxic to liver cells than pure tacrine, ”Maria Ulitko, director of the Department of Biology and Fundamental Medicine of the Ural Federal University (UrFU), explained to RT.

According to scientists, studies have shown that the resulting substances are able not only to block acetylcholinesterase, but also have antioxidant properties.

This will allow the drug to be used to reduce oxidative stress, which is one of the mechanisms for the development of Alzheimer's disease.

In addition, new chemical compounds can stop the formation in the brain of accumulations of specific beta-amyloid proteins that lead to the death of neurons in dementia, the authors of the study say.

“The exact causes of Alzheimer's disease are still not fully understood.

This disease has a genetic component, so it cannot be completely cured yet.

However, due to the improvement of diagnostic methods, it is possible to recognize the disease at the very beginning.

If you start taking the drug as early as possible, you can increase the amount of acetylcholine, delay the formation of large aggregates (plaques. - RT

) of beta-amyloid in neurons

for many years and protect the neurons themselves from oxidative stress.

Then the cognitive processes will be preserved, and the person will be able to continue his activity for a long time,” Maria Ulitko added.

Now new chemicals are undergoing preclinical testing, scientists are additionally studying the properties of the compounds obtained.

The next stage of testing includes the study of drugs on volunteers.