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Title:
PROCESS TO OBTAIN DIBENZYLBUTYROLACTONIC, TETRAHYDROFURANIC LIGNANS AND THEIR SYNTHETIC AND SEMI-SYNTHETIC DERIVATIVES, THEIR ANALGESIC AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES, TOPICAL AND/OR SYSTEMIC FORMULATIONS CONTAINING SAID LIGNANS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE THERAPEUTIC METHOD
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2006/113981
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
The present invention refers to a process to obtain dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans form (-)- cubebin, insolate from a Piperaceae, especially Piper cubeba, and from (-)-methylpluviatolide insolated form a Rutacea, especially Zanthoxylum naranjillo; their synthetic and semisyntheti derivatives and tetrahydrofuranic lignans, such as glagravin and veragensin, insolated form Nectandra meapotamica, as well as the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of said lignans, and the topical and/or systemic formulatins where lignans present 60 to 80% of the formulation. The invention also refers to a therapeutic method using topic and/or systemic formulations based on said lignans for the treatment of inflammation and/or pain. More specifically, it refers to a process to obtain synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives of (-)- cubebin such as: - -O-acet l cubebin; - -O-meth l cubebin - -O- N N-dimeth lamino-ethyl)- cubebin; (-)-hinokinin; (-)6,6'-dinitroinokinin; (-)-o-benzyl cubebin; (-)-6,6'-diaminohinokinin and other synthetic derivatives which may be obtained, and synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives of (-)-methylpluviatolide, such as (-)-6,6'-dinitromethylpluviatolide and (-)6,6'- diaminomethylpluviatolide, to be used in the manufacture of medicine that has analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. The present invention also refers to the process ot obtain the substances glagravin and veragensin islated from Nectandra megapotamica, as well as their synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives with substituents on the aromatic rings that may be obtained.

Inventors:
Silva, Márcio Luís Andrade E. (Rua Demar Tozzi, 521 Bairro São Joaquim, -358 Franca-sp, 14406, BR)
Bastos, Jairo Kenupp (Av. Caramurú, 1280 - apt.61 República, -000 Ribeirão Preto - Sp, 14030, BR)
Donate, Paulo Marcos (Travessa Grajaú, Nº 221, -608 Ribeirão Preto - Sp, 14055, BR)
Albuquerque, Sérgio De (AV. Sibipirunas, 221 Jd. Recreio, -080 Ribeirão Preto - Sp, 14040, BR)
Silva, Rosangela Da (Rua Domingos Valério, nº61 Santa Luzia, -000 Jaboticabal-sp, 14870, BR)
Application Number:
PCT/BR2006/000084
Publication Date:
November 02, 2006
Filing Date:
April 28, 2006
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
Fundação, Amparo Pesquisa Estado São Paulo DE. À. DO. DE. (Rua Pio XI, 1500 Alto Da Lapa, São Paulo - Sp, BR)
Silva, Márcio Luís Andrade E. (Rua Demar Tozzi, 521 Bairro São Joaquim, -358 Franca-sp, 14406, BR)
Bastos, Jairo Kenupp (Av. Caramurú, 1280 - apt.61 República, -000 Ribeirão Preto - Sp, 14030, BR)
Donate, Paulo Marcos (Travessa Grajaú, Nº 221, -608 Ribeirão Preto - Sp, 14055, BR)
Albuquerque, Sérgio De (AV. Sibipirunas, 221 Jd. Recreio, -080 Ribeirão Preto - Sp, 14040, BR)
Silva, Rosangela Da (Rua Domingos Valério, nº61 Santa Luzia, -000 Jaboticabal-sp, 14870, BR)
International Classes:
C07D407/10; C07D407/12; A61K31/36; A61P29/00; C07D407/14
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Advocacia, Pietro Ariboni S/c (Rua Guararapes, 1909 - 7º andar Brooklin Novo, -004 São Paulo - Sp, 04561, BR)
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Claims:
Claims
1. Process to obtain dybenzylbutyrolactonic lignans, especially from ()cubebin (1) and from methylpluviatolide (9) of the structural formulas: characterized by having leaves of Zanthoxylum naranjillo as raw material and comprising the stages of: a) collection of the Zanthoxylum naranjillo leaves and drying them in an oven at a temperature from 40 to 60 0C; b) grinding of the Zanthoxylum naranjillo leaves in a knife grinder; c) maceration of the powder obtained from leaves of Zanthoxylum naranjillo and exhaustive extraction with hexane at 25 0C for about five days; d) preparation of the crude extract by filtering the maceration product and its concentration under reduced pressure at the temperature of 30 0C until the complete elimination of the solvent; e) repeated purification of the crude extract obtained from the leaves of Zanthoxylum naranjillo in chromatographic column over silica gel and elution with solvent system starting with hexane, AcOEt (AcOEt) and ethanol in increasing proportions, supplying 210 chromatographic portions of 500 ml each; f) obtaining and isolation of ()cubebin (1) and methylpluviatolide (9) from chromatographic portions by crystallization (hexane/acetone (Me2CO, 4:1) or thin layer preparative chromatography (hexane/Me2CO, 4:1); g) identification made by the analysis of the data from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of 1H and 13C [α]D, Mass, IV.
2. Process to obtain dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans, especially from ()cubebin (1), characterized by having Piper cubeba seeds as raw material and comprising the stages of: a) collection of the Piper cubeba seeds and drying them in an oven at temperature between 40 and 60 0C; b) grinding of the Piper cubeba seeds in a knife grinder; c) maceration of the powder obtained from the seeds of Piper cubeba and exhaustive extraction with 98% ethanol for 250C for five days; d) preparation of the crude extract by filtering the maceration product and its concentration under reduced pressure at temperature of 40 0C until the complete elimination of the solvent; e) solubilization of the crude ethanol extract in a 9:1 hydro alcohol solution of methanol and partition with nhexane to eliminate the terpenoid oil portion; f) separation of the hydro alcohol portion and its later concentration until the complete elimination of the solvents; g) carrying our of vacuum liquid chromatography over silica gel of the crude hydro alcohol portion, using the following solvent systems: 100% hexane, 50% hexane: dichloromethane; 100% dichloromethane; 50% dichloromethane: ethyl acetate and 100% ethyl acetate; h) vacuum elimination of the solvent from the portion in 100% dichloromethane and its successive recrystallizations in 4:1 hexane: acetone for ()cubebin (1) purification; i) purity analysis of the crystallized ()cubebin (1) in thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography; j) identification made by the analysis of the data from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of 1H and 13C [α]D, Mass, IV.
3. Process to obtain tetrahydrofuranic lignans, especially from galgravin (12) and from veragensin (13), characterized by having the husks of Nectandra megapotamica as raw material and comprising the stages of: a) collection of the Nectandra megapotamica husks and drying them in an oven at temperature between 40 and 60 0C; b) milling of the Nectandra megapotamica husks in a knife mill; c) maceration of the powder obtained from the husks of Nectandra megapotamica and exhaustive extraction with EtOH: H2O (9:1) at 25 0C for five days; d) preparation of the crude extract by filtering the maceration product and its concentration under reduced pressure at the temperature of 30 0C complete the full elimination of the solvent; e) fractioning of the crude extract by dissolution with MeOH: H2O (7:3) and repeated partitions with hexane, chloroform and butanol, followed by lyophilization of the remaining water fraction, said fractions submitted to flash column chromatography over silica, using hexaneEtOAc (9:1) as mobile phase followed by semipreparative HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) (MeOHH2O 75: 250), obtaining the compounds galgravin (12) and veragensin (13); f) identification made by the analysis of the data from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of 1H and 13C [α]D, Mass, IV.
4. Process to obtain synthetic and semisynthetic derivatives from dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans, especially derivatives of ()cubebin (1) and methylpluviatolide (9), as well as tetrahydrofuranic lignans, especially from galgravin (12) and from veragensin (13), characterized by comprising the steps of synthesis and semi synthesis for dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans and isolation from crude hydroalcoholic extract of N. megapotamica for tetrahydrofuranic lignans.
5. Process to obtain synthetic and semisynthetic derivatives of dibenzylbutyrolatonic lignans, especially derivatives of ()cubebin (1) of claims 1 , 2 and 4, characterized by obtaining ()Oacetyl cubebin (2), ()Omethyl cubebin (3), ()O(N, Ndimethylaminoethyl)cubebin (4), ()Obenzyl cubebin (5), ()hinokinin (6), ()6,6' dinitroinokinin (7), ()6,6'diaminohinokinin (8).
6. Process to obtain synthetic and semisynthetic dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignane derivatives, especially methylpluviatolide (9) derivatives, of claims 1 and 4, characterized by obtaining 6, 6'dinitromethylpluviatolide (10) and 6, 6' diaminomethylpluviatolide (11).
7. Compound derived from lignan obtained by any of the processes described in claims 1 to 6, characterized by acting as an antiinflammatory agent.
8. Compound derived from lignan obtained by any of the processes described in claims 1 to 6, characterized by acting as an analgesic.
9. Topical and/or systemic formulations characterized by containing, as active principle, from 60 to 80% of the compound derived from lignan obtained by any of the processes described in claims 1 to 6.
10. Use of the compounds obtained by any of the processes described in claims 1 to 6 in medicine and formulations to combat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis, periodontitis, bursitis and others.
11. Therapeutic method characterized by using the compounds described in claims 7 and 8 as active principles for formulations and medicines to reduce inflammatory processes and relieve pain, similar to what is reached by nonsteroidal analgesicantiinflammatories agents.
Description:
Process to obtain dibenzylbutyrolactonic, tetrahydrofuranic lignans and their synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives, their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities, topical and/or systemic formulations containing said lignans and their respective therapeutic method The present invention refers to a process to obtain dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans from (-)-cubebin, isolated from a Piperaceae, especially Piper cubeba, and from (-)-methylpluviatolide, isolated from a Rutacea, especially Zanthoxylum naranjillo; their synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives and tetrahydrofuranic lignans, such as galgravin and veragensin, isolated from Nectandra megapotamica, as well as the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of said lignans, and the topical and/or systemic formulations in which lignans represent 60 to 80% of the formulation. The invention also refers to a therapeutic method using topic and/or systemic formulations based on said lignans for the treatment of inflammation and/or pain.

More specifically, it refers to a process to obtain synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives of (-)-cubebin, such as: (-)-O-acetyl cubebin; (-)-O-methyl cubebin; (-)-O-(N,N-dimethylamino-ethyl)-cubebin; (-)-hinokinin; (-)-6,6'-dinitroinokinin; (-)- O-benzyl cubebin; (-)-6,6'-diaminoinokinin and other synthetic derivatives which may be obtained, and synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives of (-)-methylpluviatolide, such as (- )-6, 6'-dinitromethylpluviatolide and (-)-6,6'-diaminomethylpluviatolide, to be used in the manufacture of medicine that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. The present invention also refers to the process to obtain the substances galgravin and veragensin isolated from Nectandra megapotamica, as well as their synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives with substituents on the aromatic rings to be obtained.

The search for new therapeutic alternatives that are safer and more effective is extremely important to overcome current. The Lignins, described here, present excellent analgesic-anti-inflammatory activity and practically no side effects for their use.

With the technological development, deeper studies have shown researchers and the pharmaceutical industry the need to synthesize bioactive substances, having natural products as their raw materials. Many classes of different natural products have been synthetize new pharmaceuticals, such as terpene derivatives used as raw materials for the synthesis of artemisin and sesquiterpene derivative with important anti-malaria activities. The class of lignans, in which (-)-cubebin is included, is of particular interest since, besides the activities already mentioned, they present anti-tumor, anti-viral and anti-Chagas activities. Among the various therapeutic applications of plants, many present anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity, which are widely used in popular medicine. Thus research and studies to confirm said activities, and toxicity profile, in

biological assays is needed.

Inflammation process is started and conducted by mediators of cell and plasma origin which, by acting locally, will promote the characteristic signals of said response, i. e. pain, heat, redness and tumor, followed or not by loss of function of the affected organs or tissues. Clinically, the inflammatory reaction appears in a stereotyped manner and independent from the nature of stimulation. Small variations may occur depending on the affected tissue or organ and the coexistence of pathological states.

Arachidonic acid cascade is responsible for the biotransformation of important cell mediators. Among these, we find prostaglandins (PGs), which are highly important in various physiologic processes. Currently, the researches in new non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (AINS) have been made for the selective inhibition of enzymes of the arachidonic acid cascade. Recently, with the discovery of a second isoform of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthetase (PGHS), PGHS-2, the treatment of inflammatory diseases gained new perspectives with the possibility of disclosure of a new class of AINS agents, which would act without the side effects caused by the classic antiinflammatories.

Research showed that dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans such as (-)-cubebin, as well as synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives (-)-O-acetyl cubebin; (-)- O-methyl cubebin; (-)-O-(N, N-dimethylaminoethyl)-cubebin; (-)-O-benzyl cubebin; (-)- hinokinin; (-)-6, 6'-dinitroinokinin; (-)-6, 6'-diaminohinokinin and tetrahydrofuranic lignans, such as galgravin and veragensin, isolated from husks of Nectandra megapotamica, have significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity.

The objective of the invention proposed is to obtain dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans, such as: (-)-O-acetyl cubebin (2), (-)-O-methyl cubebin (3), (-)-O-(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl)-cubebin (4), (-)-O-benzyl cubebin (5), (-)-hinokinin (6), (-)- 6,6'-dinitroinokinin (7), (-)-6, 6'-diaminohinokinin (8), derivatives from (-)-cubebin (1), isolated from Piper cubeba, as well as other dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans derived from methylpluviatolide (9) which is isolated from Rutacea, such as: (-)-6, 6'- dinitromethylpluviatolide (10) and (-)-6, 6'-diaminomethylpluviatolide (11) besides the tetrahydrofuranic lignans, such as galgravin (12) and veragensin (13), isolated from Nectandra megapotamica and others that may be obtained by the processes as described here; which will be used in the manufacture of medicine that may act as analgesic-anti- inflammatory with almost 100% of power as per the following chemical structures. Structures of Cubebin (1) and dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignan derivatives:

(-)-Methylpluviatolide (9) derivatives, obtained by full synthesis from veratraldehyde and methyl succinate, since they have methoxy groups in one of their aromatic rings, as well as -NO 2 and -NH 2 substituents, present large analgesic-anti-inflammatory potential.

Methylpluviatolide (9) structures and their dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignan derivatives:

Ri=R 2 = -NO 2 6,6'-dinitromethylpluviatolide (10) Ri=R 2 = - HH 2 όjδ'-diaminomethylpluviatolide (11)

Tetrahydrofuranic lignans, such as galgravin (12) and veragensin (13), have been used as important antagonists with action on receptors involved with PAF (blood platelet aggregation factor). Said lignans present important analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities, such as dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans isolated from Z. naranjillo and P. cubeba. Galgravin (12) and veragensin (13) structure:

Galgravina (12)

Veraguensina (13)

To better illustrate and help to understand the invention proposed, the following figures are presented: - Figure 1 - flow diagram of the process to obtain dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans from Piper

cubeba seeds and Zanthoxylum naranjillo leaves;

- Figure 2 - flow diagram of the process to obtain tetrahydrofuranic lignans from Nectandra megapotamica]

- Figure 3 - graphs of the effect of oral administration of (-)-cubebin (1), (-)-O-benzyi cubebin (5), (-)-hinokinin (6), (-)-6, 6'-dinitroinokinin (7) and (-)-6, δ'-diaminohinokinin (8) in the rat foot edema.

- Figure 4 - graphs of the effect of oral administration of (-)-cubebin (1), (-)-O-benzyl cubebin (5), (-)-hinokinin (6), (-)-6, 6'-dinitroinokinin (7) and (-)-6, 6'-diaminohinokinin (8) in the contortion test in mice. The processes to obtain tetrahydrofuranic lignans from

Nectandra megapotamica and (-)-cubebin (1) derivatives, dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignan, from Piper cubeba, have the following steps:

- Collection;

- Drying; - Milling;

- Maceration;

- Preparation of extract;

- Fractioning and filtering;

- Purification; - Identification.

The process to obtain tetrahydrofuranic lignans galgravin

(12) and veragensin (13), shown in figure 2, comprises the following steps: a) Collection: husks of Nectandra megapotamica; h) Drying: oven at temperature between 40-60 0 C; c) Milling: Nectandra megapotamica husks were pulverized in a knife mill; d) Maceration: the powder of Nectandra megapotamica husks obtained was exhaustively extracted from EtOH: H 2 O (9:1) at 25 0 C for five days; e) Preparation of crude extract: the product from maceration was filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure at the temperature of 30 0 C until the complete elimination of solvent. f) Fractioning of extract: the crude extract, obtained from the Nectandra megapotamica husks, was dissolved in MeOH: H 2 O (7:3), followed by repeated partitions with hexane, chloroform and butanol. The remaining water fraction was lyophilized. Fraction I, obtained from partition, was chromatographed in silica gel on a liquid chromatography system in vacuum column, using mixture hexane-ethyl acetate in growing proportions, resulting in 4 fractions. The resulting Fraction I (hexane-EtOAc 9:1). Fraction II, obtained from partition, was chromatographed in

silica gel on a liquid chromatography system in vacuum column, using mixture hexane-ethyl acetate in growing proportions of, resulting in 6 fractions. The resulting fraction III (hexane-EtOAc 1 :1) and fraction IV (hexane-EtOAc 4:6) obtained from fraction Il were submitted to flash column chromatography over silica, using hexane-EtOAc (9:1) as a mobile phase followed by semi-preparative

HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) (MeOH-H 2 O 75: 250). By this process, the compounds galgravin (12) and veragensin (13) are obtained. g) Identification: made by the analysis of the data of the nuclear magnetic resonance

(NMR) of 1 H and 13 C, [α] D , Mass, IV. In Scheme 1, the obtaining reactions are illustrated with the corresponding structures of the semi-synthetic derivatives of (-)-cubebin (1), isolated from Piper cubeba seeds, which consist of the following stages: /; // ' ; Hi; /V, v, vi and vii. i) (-)-Cubebin (1), a dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignan, had its structured modified by semi- synthesis with the purpose to improve its biological activity. (-)-Cubebin (above 200 g) and P. A. acetic anhydride reacted in pyridine. Cubebin was dissolved in acetic anhydride, and pyridine was added under constant shaking at room temperature during the whole period of reaction (24 h). After the reaction, thin layer chromatography analysis was conducted (silica gel 60 - mobile phase: hexane/AcOEt 6:4). The isolation of (-)-O-acetyl cubebin (2) was made by the addition to the reaction medium of portions of toluene and successive evaporations at reduced pressure to extract pyridine. After this procedure, portions of dichloromethane were added to the medium containing toluene and successive evaporations under reduced pressure to eliminate toluene. The organic phase was then transferred to a collecting flask and purification in preparative circular chromatography followed (CCP) (CROMATOTRON). After this procedure, the product (-)-O-acetyl cubebin (2) was submitted to purity determination in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), finding a purity index >95%; The product (-)-O-acetyl cubebin (2) was taken to NMR analysis of 1 H and 13 C and [α] % .

H) To (-)-cubebin (1) (above 200 g) in distilled and dry THF, NaH was added (sufficient quantity, washed with hexane free from paraffin grease), shaking the mixture for Vk hour at room temperature. Methyl iodide was then added, and the reaction medium was left under shaking during the night atr N 2 atmosphere.

The isolation was made by the decomposition of excess NaH by the addition of methanol in water (1 :1). Organic solvents were distilled from the reaction medium. Diluted HCI was added and extracted with AcOEt. The organic phase was neutralized with a 5% NaHCO 3 solution, saline solution (10% NaCI), again with 5% NaHCO 3 solution, dried with MgSO 4 and filtered. The solvent rotaevaporated and a brown

residue were obtained. Subsequently, the product was submitted to silica gel column chromatography (eluent hexane/AcOEt 4:1). Purification was made by circular preparative chromatography (CPC) (CROMATOTRON). After this procedure, the product (-)-O-methyl cubebin (3) was submitted to purity determination by HPLC, finding a purity index of 98%. Characterization was made by NMR of 1 H and 13 C and

Hi) 300 g (701.5 mmol) of (-)-cubebin (1) in 5 I of ethanol in a solution of sodium ethoxide (5 I of ethanol, 2 MEq of Na 0 ) were added over 2 hours of reflow. Subsequently, 12O g (1020 mmol) of dimethylethylamine chloride were added. The reaction was monitored by CCD and the reflow was prolonged more 4 four hours. At the end of the reaction, 5 ml of water were added, the phases were separated and the organic phase was extracted with ethyl acetate (3 x 500 ml). The organic phase was washed with a 10% water NaCI solution (3 x 500 ml), dried with MgSO 4 and filtered. The solvent was evaporated at reduced pressure and the residue was purified over a silica gel chromatography column by using dichloromethane as eluent. The product (-)-O-(N, N- dimethylaminoethyl)-cubebin (4) was obtained as a dark yellow oil and its purity was estimated at 99% by HPLC. iv) (-)-Cubebin (1) (above 200 g) was reacted with 2 molar equivalents of pec (piridinium chlorochromate) in dry dichloromethane. In a 3-mouth balloon, pec (piridinium chlorochromate) was put and dry dichloromethane was quickly added to avoid its decomposition. The system remained under constant shaking and inert atmosphere (N 2 ). For each gram of pec, 1 I of dichloromethane was used. In a separate balloon, (-)- cubebin (1) was dissolved in dry DCM, also keeping the inert atmosphere. With a Teflon hypodermic syringe and a wide caliber needle, the solution (suspension) was taken from the balloon and added in drops to the balloon containing pec, keeping shaking and N 2 atmosphere for 24 hours. After purification, it was submitted NMR spectroscopic analysis of 1 H and 13 C. The product obtained was as dark yellow oil and its purity was estimated at 99% by HPLC. After this, the reaction medium was poured into a chromatographic column with sintered plate n 0 2 containing mono-hydrated MgSO 4 and vacuum filtered. The sample was then submitted to chromatographic column, using column with a sintered plate n 0 2, silica gel 60 for the column and the solvent systems: pure hexane, 8:2 hexane/AcOEt, 7:3 hexane/AcOEt, 6:4 hexane/AcOEt, 1:1 hexane/AcOEt and 100% AcOEt. After elution, the solvent was eliminated in a turning evaporator and the resulting product was purified in rotating preparative chromatography, resulting in (-)- hinokinin (6). After purification, it was submitted to NMR spectroscopic analysis of 1 H and 13 C and [α]^ 6 . The product (-)-hinokinin (6) was obtained as a dark yellow oil and

its purity was estimated at 99% by HPLC. v) (-)-Hinokinin (6) (above 200 g) was dissolved in chloroform, keeping the reaction medium at -6 0 C. Nitric acid (6 MEq) was slowly added by drops, letting it to react for 2 hours. After this period, a Na 2 CO 3 saturated solution was added to end the reaction. 6,6'-Dinitroinokinin (7) was extracted from the reaction medium with chloroform, which was evaporated under reduced pressure. After recrystallization in methanol, a yellow powder product 6,6'-dinitroinokinin (7) was obtained. After purification, it was submitted to NMR spectroscopic analysis of 1 H and 13 C and [α]^ 6 . The product 6,6'-dinitroinokinin (7) was obtained as a dark yellow solid and its purity was estimated at 98% by HPLC and other spectral data. vi) A solution of (-)-cubebin (1) (300 g, 701.5 mmol) in 5 I of THF was added to a suspension of NaH (sufficient quantity washed with hexane free from grease) in THF (3 I), shaking the mixture for 30 minutes at room temperature. Benzyl bromide (250 ml) was then added and the reaction medium was shaken for one night under N 2 atmosphere. Excess NaH was decomposed by the addition of methanol in water (1:1).

Diluted HCI was added and the medium was partitioned three times with ethyl acetate (3 x 500 ml). The organic phase was neutralized with a 5% NaHCO 3 water solution (2 x 500 ml), 10% NaCI solution in water (3 x 500 ml) and 5% NaHCO 3 solution in water (2 x 500 ml), dried with MgSO 4 and filtered. The solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure, obtaining a brown residue which was purified in a silica gel column using hexane/ethyl acetate (4:1) as eluent, providing transparent oil with estoichiometric yield of 91.4%. The product (-)-O-benzyl cubebin (5) had its purity estimated at 98% by

HPLC and other spectral data. vii) To an autoclave of stainless steel, 300 g (687.3 mmol) of the compound 6,6'- dinitroinokinin (7) dissolved in 10 I of anhydrous methanol was added under shaking and then 298.8 g of palladium (5%) over activated charcoal carbon in anhydrous methanol (5 I). The autoclave was closed and submitted to 20 atm of H 2 for 24 hours at room temperature. The suspension was filtered through silica gel and the solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure. The product (-)-6,6'-diaminohinokinin (8) was purified by silica gel column chromatography using as eluent the mixture of hexane- ethyl acetate at 1 :1 proportion. The product had its purity estimated at 98% by HPLC and other spectral data.

SCHEME 1

In Scheme 2, obtaining reactions are illustrated with the corresponding structures of the semi-synthetic derivatives of methylpluviatolide (9), isolated from leaves of Zanthoxylum naranjillo, which consist of the following stages: viii, ix, x, xi.

SCHEME 2

Ri=R 2 = -NO 2 6,6'-dinitromethylpluviatolide (10) Ri=R 2 = - HH2 6,6'-diaminomethylpluviatolide (11)

The derivatives (-)-6, 6'-dinitromethylpluviatolide (10) and (-)-

6, θ'-diaminomethylpluviatolide (11) were respectively obtained by means of the following procedures: viii) same procedure to obtain 6, 6'-dinitroinokinin (7), but using methylpluviatolide (9) instead of hinokinin (6), thus obtaining the derivative 6, 6'-dinitromethylpluviatolide (10). ix) same procedure to obtain (-)-6, 6'-diaminohinokinin (8), but from 6, 6'- dinitromethylpluviatolide (10) and obtaining the derivative 6, 6'- diaminomethylpluviatolide (11).

Besides the results related to trypanocidal activity already presented, which have already generated a patent application, analgesic and antiinflammatory activities of various (-)-cubebin derivatives were analyzed of which (-)- hinokinin (6), (-)-6, 6'-dinitroinokinin (7) and (-)-6, 6'-diaminohinokinin (8) showed higher efficacy as anti-inflammatory agents, inhibiting 71%, 62% and 82%, respectively (Figure 3 - A, B, C and D). The derivative (-)-O-benzyl cubebin (5) was not efficient as an antiinflammatory agent. Concerning analgesic activity, derivatives (-)-hinokinin (6), (-)-6, 6'- dinitroinokinin (7), (-)-6, 6'-diaminohinokinin (8) and (-)-O-benzyl cubebin (5) were efficient as analgesic agents, inhibiting 95%, 75%, 92% and 89%, respectively (Figure 4 - B, C, D and E).

The compounds obtained here are used as active principles

for formulations reduce inflammatory processes and relieve pain, similar to what is reached by non-steroidal analgesic-anti-inflammatories. Some of them, such as (-)- hinokinin (6) and (-)-6, 6'-diaminohinokinin (8), present similar power to indomethacin, but the gastric effects as observed for indomethacin are not evident for both prototypes. Therefore, the lowest side effects over the digestive system, added to the non-occurrence of other biochemical and hematological disturbances in preliminary tests demonstrate the advantage of these active principles over reference standard used. Thus, said substances may be used for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis, periodontitis, bursitis and others. EXAMPLES:

Tests with mice and rats were made and showed that the substances used are efficient to reduce inflammatory processes and pain, as we show in the figures below.

Figure 3 shows graphs of the effect of oral administration of (-)-cubebin (1), (-)-O-benzyl cubebin (5), (-)-hinokinin (6), (-)-6, 6'-dinitroinokinin (7) and (-)- 6, 6'-diaminohinokinin (8) in doses of 10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/kg in the rat foot edema induced by carrageenin (100 μg/foot). Each bar represents the average ± SE (n = 6) of the increase in edema volume (third hour) after the injection of carrageenin. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and by Dunnett's multiple comparison variation test and the statistical significance was made for the level of p < 0.05 (*) and p < 0.01 ^ /**\ >.

Figure 4 shows graphs of the effect of oral administration of (-

)-cubebin (1), (-)-O-benzyl cubebin (5), (-)-hinokinin (6), (-)-6, 6'-dinitroinokinin (7) and (-)- 6, 6'-diaminohinokinin (8) in doses of 10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/kg for the writhing test induced by intraperitoneal injection of a 0.6% acetic acid solution in mice. Each bar represents the average ± SE (n = 6) of the number of writhing in 20 minutes for different doses. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and by Dunnett's multiple comparison variation test and the statistical significance was made for the level of p < 0.05 (*) and p < 0,01 (**).