Amino acid derivatives useful for deactivating enzymes

Abstract

Certain amino-acid derivatives having three or four carbon straight alkyl chains are disclosed as effective inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase and therefore useful in preventing the imbalance of this proteolytic enzyme in vivo. The compounds specifically are L-valine, L-norvaline, L-norleucine, and L-methionine methyl ester azolides and sulfonate salts, and these compounds plus L-leucine and L-phenylalanine methyl ester sulfonate salts. The sulfonate salts were found to be excellent inhibitors in that they embody both inhibitory and anti-oxidant activity.