Molecules (May 2014)

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Urea- and Guanidine-Based Derivatives for the Treatment of Obesity-Related Hepatic Steatosis

  • Xiaolin Liang,
  • Heying Pei,
  • Liang Ma,
  • Yan Ran,
  • Jinying Chen,
  • Guangcheng Wang,
  • Lijuan Chen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules19056163
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 5
pp. 6163 – 6183

Abstract

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Leptin, the product of the obese gene, is an adipocyte-secreted protein hormone playing a key role in the progression of obesity and hepatic steatosis. In this study, 28 novel (thio)urea and guanidine-based analogues have been synthesized and N-(1-(4-(3-(2-chloroethyl)ureido)benzyl)piperidin-4-yl)-3-(trifluoromethyl) benzamide (7i) was found to be a potent regulator of leptin expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Treatment with 7i at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day for 35 days reduced the body weight and liver weight of diet-induced obesity mice by 13.5% and 18.4%, respectively, while also improving the serum levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, leptin, adiponectin, LDL-c, HDL-c. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Oil Red O staining also confirmed that 7i ameliorated fat deposition in liver tissue and restricted the size of adipocytes in obesity-related fatty liver disease.

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