1,3-Indanediones
| Sections |
| Structure |
| Pharmacology |
| Biochemical Mechanism of Action |
The 1,3-indanediones have been known to be anticoagulant since 1940s. A commercially available indandione is anisindione. The molecule has a weakly ionizable proton on C-2 that is extracted in alkaline solutions to confer mildly soluble properties (equation below).
The anion so formed in alkaline solutions is reddish - orange. Thus patients on anisindione treatment may be alarmed to see reddish colored urine. This phenomenon may be easily distinguished from hematuria by acidification of the urine which should remove the red color.
Click on the appropriate hyperlinks to visualize the three-dimensional structures of 1,3-indanediones.
The onset and duration of action of anisindione are similar to those for coumarins. The chief disadvantage of indandiones is their side effects. Some patients are hypersensitive to it and develop a rash, pyrexia, and leukopenia. Coumarins would be the drug of choice.
Biochemical Mechanism of Action
Just as coumarins, 1,3-indandiones are competitive inhibitors of vitamin K in the biosynthesis of prothrombin and follow the same biochemical mechanism of action.
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