1-Benzhydryl-3-phenylurea and 1-benzhydryl-3-phenylthiourea derivatives: new templates among the CB1 cannabinoid receptor inverse agonists.

New 1-benzhydryl-3-phenylurea derivatives and their 1-benzhydryl-3-phenylthiourea isosteres were synthesized and evaluated for their human CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor affinity. These compounds proved to be selective CB1 cannabinoid receptor ligands, acting as inverse agonists in a [35S]-GTPgammaS assay. The affinity of 3,5,5'-triphenylimidazolidine-2,4-dione and 3,5,5'-triphenyl-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-one derivatives, possessing the 1-benzhydryl-3-phenylurea and 1-benzhydryl-3-phenylthiourea moiety, respectively, was also evaluated. In conclusion, the 1-benzhydryl-3-phenylurea scaffold seems to be a new interesting template of CB1 cannabinoid receptor inverse agonists.