Role of benzimidazole (Bid) in the delta-opioid agonist pseudopeptide H-Dmt-Tic-NH-CH(2)-Bid (UFP-502)

H-Dmt-Tic-NH-CH(2)-Bid (UFP-502) was the first delta-opioid agonist prepared from the Dmt-Tic pharmacophore. It showed interesting pharmacological properties, such as stimulation of mRNA BDNF expression and antidepression. To evaluate the importance of 1H-benzimidazol-2-yl (Bid) in the induction of delta-agonism, it was substituted by similar heterocycles: The substitution of NH(1) by O or S transforms the reference delta-agonist into delta-antagonists. Phenyl ring of benzimidazole is not important for delta-agonism; in fact 1H-imidazole-2-yl retains delta-agonist activity.