Glycogen phosphorylase a inhibitors with a phenethylphenylphthalimide skeleton derived from thalidomide-related α-glucosidase inhibitors and liver X receptor antagonists

Novel glycogen phosphorylase a (GPa) inhibitors with a phenethylphenylphthalimide skeleton were prepared based on α-glucosidase inhibitors and liver X receptor (LXR) antagonists derived from thalidomide. Their structure-activity relationships were analyzed. Some of the compounds thus prepared showed potent inhibitory activity against rabbit muscle GPa with more than 10-fold greater efficacy than a typical GPa inhibitor, 1,4-dideoxy-1,4- imino-D-arabinitol.