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A novel series of 4'-dehydroxyphlorizin derivatives was synthesized and the effects of these compounds on urinary glucose excretion were evaluated in rats. There was a strict structural requirement for activity. Introduction of a small substituent or a flat ring at the 3- and/or the 4-position on the A ring was permissible, but any change at the bridge part between the A and B rings or in the sugar moiety resulted in complete loss of activity. The 6'-OH group on the B ring was also necessary, and even small structural modifications of the 6'-OH group reduced the activity considerably. Among the compounds synthesized, the 5-benzofuryl derivative 25 was the most potent and was selected as a new lead for further structure-activity relationship investigations.

Based on our new concept that inhibitors of the Na(+)-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) would be useful as antidiabetics, 4'-dehydroxyphlorizin derivatives 1a--f were designed, synthesized, and examined for various pharmacological properties related to antidiabetic activity. In normal rats, 1a, e and phlorizin showed a strong SGLT-inhibitory effect and significantly increased urinary glucose on intraperitoneal administration at 10 mg/kg, though only 1a resulted in excretion of large quantities of urinary glucose on oral administration at 100 mg/kg. Compounds 1a, e, and phlorizin markedly inhibited glucose uptake in the small intestine during enteric perfusion in normal rats. Compound 1a had a significant reducing effect on blood glucose in the glucose tolerance test in mice when administered orally and also lowered blood glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The aglycons 2a, e of 1a, e, and 1a showed weak inhibitory effects on the facilitated glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) in human erythrocytes, while phloretin had a strong inhibitory effect on GLUT-1. Compound 1a caused no apparent renal damage in rats when administered orally at 1 g/kg for 4 successive weeks. Thus, 1a was considered to be a promising candidate as a lead compound for antidiabetics of a new type, and was selected for further pharmacological evaluation.