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Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant and Crystallographic Studies of N-Palmitoyl-ethanol Amine (PEA) Derivatives

2017; Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute; Volume: 22; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3390/molecules22040616

1433-1373

Carmela Saturnino, Ada Popolo, Anna Ramunno, Simona Adesso, Michela Pecoraro, Maria Rosaria Plutino, S. Rizzato, Alberto Albinati, Stefania Marzocco, Marina Sala, Domenico Iacopetta, Maria Stefania Sinicropi,

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research

N-Palmitoyl-ethanolamine (PEA) is an anti-inflammatory component of egg yolk that is usually employed for the prevention of respiratory apparatus virus infection and then frequently used for its efficient anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in experimental models of visceral, neuropathic, and inflammatory diseases. Nevertheless, data of its use in animal or human therapy are still scarce and further studies are needed. Herein, we report the biological evaluation of a small library of N-palmitoyl-ethanolamine analogues or derivatives, characterized by a protected acid function (either as palmitoyl amides or hexadecyl esters), useful to decrease their hydrolysis rate in vitro and prolong their biological activity. Two of these compounds—namely phenyl-carbamic acid hexadecyl ester (4) and 2-methyl-pentadecanoic acid (4-nitro-phenyl)-amide (5)—have shown good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, without affecting the viability of J774A.1 macrophages. Finally, crystals suitable for X-ray analysis of compound 4 have been obtained, and its solved crystal structure is here reported. Our outcomes may be helpful for a rational drug design based on new PEA analogues/derivatives with improved biological properties.