Synthesis, Characterization, Docking Studies and Antiepileptic Activity of Novel Piracetam Derivatives

Piracetam is a nootropic drug that has been used in clinical trials for decades, but is still a mystery due to a lack of understanding of its mechanism of action. In this research, sixteen novel piracetam derivatives were synthesized in three steps and characterized by IR, NMR and mass spectroscopic techniques. Based on the docking studies, two derivatives were identified as more active based on the drug receptor interactions studies and were further subjected to animal studies for the evaluation of the activity. Compounds 6 and 10 had shown a strong anticonvulsant activity based on the molecular docking studies. It was hypothesized from the synthesized analogues that the non-substitution with thio moiety at has a major effect on reducing the contagiousness of seizure discharge and increasing the seizure threshold.