Qin_2023_Bioorg.Med.Chem_80_117178

The multitarget-directed ligands approach represents a potential strategy to provide effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) given its multifactorial pathology. Herein, a series of N-benzyl piperidine derivatives were designed, synthesized, and biologically characterized for dual inhibitions of histone deacetylase (HDAC) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Among the compounds tested, d5 and d10 exhibited dual enzyme inhibitions (d5: HDAC(IC50) = 0.17 microM, AChE(IC50) = 6.89 microM, d10: HDAC(IC50) = 0.45 microM, AChE(IC50) = 3.22 microM), and both compounds showed activities on scavenging free radical, metal chelating, and inhibiting Abeta aggregations. More importantly, both compounds exhibited promising neuroprotective activities in PC-12 cells and good AChE selectivity. Collectively, the multifunctional profiles of compound d5 and d10 encourage further optimization and exploration to develop more potent analogues as potential treatments for AD.