Amino acid, dipeptide and pseudodipeptide conjugates of ring-substituted 8-aminoquinolines: synthesis and evaluation of anti-infective, β-haematin inhibition and cytotoxic activities.

Three new series of 8-aminoquinolines with modifications in the side-chain by conjugation with amino acids, dipeptides and pseudodipeptides have been synthesized. The synthesized compounds were tested for in vitro antimalarial activity against chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains, in vitro cytotoxicity in mammalian kidney cells (Vero), in vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani, in vitro antimicrobial activity and in vitro inhibition of β-haematin formation. The promising compounds were also evaluated for in vivo blood-schizontocidal antimalarial activity against Plasmodium berghei infected mice. The analogues 55 and 101 produced highest antimalarial activities, in vitro. Analogues 52 and 59 exhibited promising antileishmanial and broad spectrum of antifungal activities, respectively.