Solution conformations explain the chameleonic behaviour of macrocyclic drugs.

Solution conformations explain the chameleonic behaviour of macrocyclic drugs. Chemistry. 2020 Feb 06;: Authors: Danelius E, Poongavanam V, Peintner S, Wieske L, Erdelyi M, Kihlberg J Abstract It has been hypothesized that drugs in the chemical space beyond the rule of 5 (bRo5) must behave as molecular chameleons to combine otherwise conflicting properties, including aqueous solubility, cell permeability and target binding. Evidence for this has, however, been limited to the cyclic peptide cyclosporin A. Herein we show that the non-peptidic and macrocyclic drugs roxithromycin, telithromycin and spiramycin behave as molecular chameleons, with rifampicin showing a less pronounced behavior. In particular roxithromycin, telithromycin and spiramycin display a marked, yet limited flexibility and populate significantly less polar and more compact conformational ensembles in an apolar than in a polar environment. In addition to balancing of membrane permeability and aqueous solubility, this flexibility also allows binding to targets that vary in structure between species. The drugs' passive cell permeability correlates to their 3D polar surface area and corroborate two theoretical models for permeability, developed for cyclic peptides. We conclude that molecular chameleonicity should be incorporated in the design of orally administered drugs in the bRo5 space. PMID: 32027758 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Chemistry - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: Chemistry Source Type: research