Structure-based design of an inhibitor modeled at the substrate active site of aldose reductase

This study presents the first successful example of structure-based drug design on aldose reductase in the extant literature. Starting from the structure of the modeled complex of aldose reductase with a pyridazinone acetic acid inhibitor that we previously disclosed, using the tools of molecular modeling for structure manipulation and molecular mechanics for energy minimization, we were able to design and synthesize a new analog that showed remarkably improved activity. We hope that a proper account of the most important enzyme-inhibitor interactions revealed by this study will allow, in the future, the design of new lead compounds having structures unrelated to carboxylic acids.