Synthesis and bioactivities of novel bicyclic thiophenes and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothieno[2,3-c]pyridines as inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production.

We synthesized bicyclic thiophenes and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothieno[2,3-c]pyridine derivatives, and evaluated for their ability to inhibit LPS-stimulated production of TNF-alpha. Several compounds revealed excellent in vivo activity. Furthermore, an effective compound was found in adjuvant-induced arthritic model (AIA) of rat.