| Abstract: | The aryldihydropyridines first prepared by Hantzsch almost 100 years ago have recently been found to be highly effective calcium antagonists with suitable pharmacological profiles. An illustrative example is dimethyl-l,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-4-(o-nitrophenyl)pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (Nifedipine) which is already employed therapeutically. This substance lowers the frequency of attack of angina pectoris and reduces blood pressure. The discovery of the therapeutic activity of this class of substances initiated renewed investigation of the Hantzsch condensation and the synthesis of numerous 4-aryldihydropyridines and related compounds. Qualitative and quantitative structure/activity relationships of these substances can be deduced from their biological data. |
