Kappa opioid receptor effectors and uses thereof

1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of a kappa opioid receptor effector, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a physiologically acceptable carrier, wherein the kappa opioid receptor effector is an antagonist of Formula I or agonist of Formula II:

wherein

X, Y and Z are independently selected from H,H; O; S or NH;

R 1 is H, a halogen group or a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl or alkoxy group, wherein the substituents on the lower alkyl or alkoxy group are selected from the group consisting of halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, alkenyl, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, nitroso, carboxyl, sulhydryl, oxo, —CF 3 , and —CN;

R 2 is a substituent on one or more ring atoms and is for each ring atom independently H, a halogen group, or a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl or alkoxy group, wherein the substituted lower alkyl or alkoxy group comprises one or more substituents selected from the group of halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, alkenyl, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, nitroso, carboxyl, sulhydryl, oxo, —CF 3 , and —CN;

X′ is hydrogen or Br;

one Z′ is N and the other Z′ is C, CH or N;

n is 0 or 1;

R 3 is naphthyl; cycloalkyl; —C≡CH; —C═CH 2 ; phenyl with two or more substituents independently selected from the group of lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, alkenyl, hydroxyl, amino, iodo, nitro, nitroso, carboxyl, sulhydryl, —CF 3 , and —CN; or phenyl substituted with a trifluoromethyl group and a halogen or alkyl group; and

R 4 is aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl or cycloalkyl, wherein the heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl is a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring with at least one heteroatom selected from the group of N, O or S; and substituted aryl or substituted heteroaryl comprises one or more substituents selected from the group of halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, alkenyl, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, nitroso, carboxyl, sulhydryl, —CF 3 , and —CN.

2. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , further comprising a kappa opioid receptor agonist.

3. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein R 4 is 2-furyl, 2-thiophene or 3-pyridyl.

4. A method for treating an ethanol use disorder, an anxiety disorder, a depressive illness, schizophrenia, a post-traumatic stress disorder, or mania associated with bipolar disorder, acute mania, or chronic mania comprising administering to a subject having an ethanol use disorder, an anxiety disorder, a depressive illness, schizophrenia, a post-traumatic stress disorder, or mania associated with bipolar disorder, acute mania, or chronic mania a kappa opioid receptor effector, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the kappa opioid receptor effector is an antagonist of Formula I or agonist of Formula II:

wherein

X, Y and Z are independently selected from H,H; O; S or NH;

R 1 is H, a halogen group or a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl or alkoxy group, wherein the substituents on the lower alkyl or alkoxy group are selected from the group consisting of halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, alkenyl, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, nitroso, carboxyl, sulhydryl, oxo, —CF 3 , and —CN;

R 2 is a substituent on one or more ring atoms and is for each ring atom independently H, a halogen group, or a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl or alkoxy group, wherein the substituted lower alkyl or alkoxy group comprises one or more substituents selected from the group of halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, alkenyl, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, nitroso, carboxyl, sulhydryl, oxo, —CF 3 , and —CN;

X′ is hydrogen or Br;

each Z′ is independently C, CH or N;

n is 0 or 1;

R 3 is phenyl, substituted phenyl, naphthyl, cycloalkyl, —C≡CH or —C═CH 2 , wherein the substituted phenyl comprises one or more substituents independently selected from the group of halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, alkenyl, hydroxyl, amino, iodo, nitro, nitroso, carboxyl, sulhydryl, —CF 3 , and —CN; and

R 4 is aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl or cycloalkyl, wherein the heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl is a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring with at least one heteroatom selected from the group of N, O or S; and substituted aryl or substituted heteroaryl comprises one or more substituents selected from the group of halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, alkenyl, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, nitroso, carboxyl, sulhydryl, —CF 3 , and —CN.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein R 4 is 2-furyl, 2-thiophene or 3-pyridyl.