Synthesis and evaluation of some new 4-aminopyridine derivatives as a potent antiamnesic and cognition enhancing drugs

Abstract

4-Aminopyridine (4AP) potentiates acetylcholine (ACh) release by blocking potassium channel in axon terminal and can be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s type of dementia and cognitive disorder. It is reported that ACh is well related with memory and learning. On the basis of these fact, we decided to synthesis and evaluate some new Schiff bases of 4AP (SBAPs) for their putative cognition enhancing, antiamnesic, and anticholinesterase activity. The synthesized and purified SBAPs were characterized by elemental analysis, UV, FTIR, 1H-, and 13C-NMR. SBAPs facilitated the learning on elevated plus maze model and they also significantly reversed the scopolamine-induced amnesia on the same model. The effect of SBAPs on learning and memory was qualitatively similar to standard nootropic drug piracetam used. The SBAPs were found to inhibit acetylcholinesterase enzyme significantly in specific brain regions prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus. Thus, SBAPs derivatives showed cognitive and antiamnesic activities in the model tested and these effects may probably be due to their anticholinesterase activity.