Synthesis and evaluation of dinitroanilines for treatment of cryptosporidiosis.

The efficacy of a series of dinitroaniline herbicide derivatives for the treatment of Cryptosporidium parvum infections has been studied. The lead compounds oryzalin (compound 1) and trifluralin (compound 2) have low water solubility (<3 ppm) which was alleged to be a major contributor to their poor pharmacokinetic availability. Derivatives of compounds 1 and 2 were synthesized. In these derivatives the functionality at the C-1 amine position or the C-4 position was substituted with groups with various hydrophilicities to determine if a direct relation existed between water solubility and overall activity. The chlorinated precursors of these derivatives were also examined and were found to be less active in the C. parvum assays, a result in direct contrast to earlier work with Leishmania. Enhanced water solubility alone did not overcome the drug availability problem; however, several candidates with similar activities but with toxicities lower than those of the lead compounds were produced.