Synthesis and evaluation of novel chromone analogs for their inhibitory activity against interleukin-5

A novel series of chromone analogs were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against interleukin-5. Among them compounds 5-Cyclohexylmethoxy-3-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-4H-chromen-4-one (6a, 98% inhibition at 30 μM, IC50 < 3.0 μM) and 5-Cyclohyxylmethoxy-3-(hydroxymethyl)-4H-chromen-4-one (8a, 84% inhibition at 30 μM, IC50 = 7.6 μM) showed most potent activity. The structural requirement of chromone analogs possessing the inhibitory activity against IL-5 could be summarized as: (i) importance of hydrophobic group such as cyclohexylmethoxy at 5th position of ring A, (ii) requirement of ring B with small size of hydrogen bonding group with electron donating property such as phenolic hydroxyl group at 4th position and (iii) planarity of the chromen-4-one ring.

Graphical abstractA novel series of chromone analogs 6(a–l), 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12(a, b) were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against IL-5.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide