PXR agonists and uses thereof for gut barrier dysfunction treatment and prevention

1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of one or more of compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein Formula (I) is represented as

wherein

R 1 is H, alkoxy, ethoxymethyl, or

R 2 is H, 2-indolyl, 1-prop-1-ynyl, 3-prop-1-ynyl or 4-pyridyl;

R 3 is OH; O-alkyl or ═O, provided that when R 3 is ═O, R 2 void;

R 4 is

R 5a , R 5b , R 5c and R 5d are each independently hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, N(R) 2 , OH, phenyl, or phenyl substituted with one or more alkyl, halogen, OH or NH 2 ;

R 6 is H, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, N(R) 2 , CF 3 or OH;

R 7 is H, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, N(R) 2 or CF 3 ;

R 8 is alkyl;

R 9 , R 10 and R 11 are each independently H, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, N(R) 2 , OH, phenyl, or phenyl substituted with one or more alkyl, halogen, OH or NH 2 ;

R 12 is H, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, N(R) 2 , OH, phenyl, or phenyl substituted with one or more alkyl, halogen, OH or NH 2 ;

R is alkyl;

n is 1 or 2; and

represents the point of attachment to the scaffold,

provided that when R 1 is SO 2 Ph, R 3 is ═O, and R 5a , R 5b , R 5c and R 5d are each hydrogen, R 4 is not

2. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of compounds are selected from the group consisting of

3. A method of treating or preventing gut barrier dysfunction, an illness associated with gut barrier dysfunction, toxic or inflammatory injury to intestines, or leaky intestinal syndrome in a subject comprising administering to the subject one or more compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof in an amount effective to treat or prevent gut barrier dysfunction, an illness associated with gut barrier dysfunction, toxic or inflammatory injury to intestines, or leaky intestinal syndrome in a subject, wherein Formula (I) is represented as

wherein

R 1 is H, alkoxy, ethoxymethyl, or

R 2 is H, 2-indolyl, 1-prop-1-ynyl, 3-prop-1-ynyl or 4-pyridyl;

R 3 is OH; O-alkyl or ═O, provided that when R 3 is ═O, R 2 void;

R 4 is

R 5a , R 5b , R 5c and R 5d are each independently hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, N(R) 2 , OH, phenyl, or phenyl substituted with one or more alkyl, halogen, OH or NH 2 ;

R 6 is H, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, N(R) 2 , CF 3 or OH;

R 7 is H, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, N(R) 2 or CF 3 ;

R 8 is alkyl;

R 9 , R 10 and R 11 are each independently H, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, N(R) 2 , OH, phenyl, or phenyl substituted with one or more alkyl, halogen, OH or NH 2 ;

R 12 is H, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NH 2 , NHR, NHR 2 , OH, phenyl, or phenyl substituted with one or more alkyl, halogen, OH or NH 2 ;

R is alkyl;

n is 1 or 2; and

represents the point of attachment to the scaffold.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the subject has irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal allergic syndrome or celiac sprue.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the subject is at risk for developing gut barrier dysfunction, and/or an illness associated with gut barrier dysfunction, due to a toxin, a medication, poor diet, a parasite, an infection, dysbiosis, bacterial overgrowth, or long-term use of an antibiotic.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the illnesses associated with gut barrier dysfunction is selected from the group consisting of inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, fatty liver disease, colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease and autoimmune disease.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more compounds are selected from the group consisting of

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the subject is a human.

9. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is H,

or ethoxymethyl, R 2 is H, 2-indolyl, 1-prop-1-ynyl, 3-prop-1-ynyl, or 4-pyridyl.

10. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 9 , wherein R 4 is

11. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 9 , wherein R 4 is

provided that

(a) when R 1 is SO 2 Ph, R 3 is OH, R 7 is H or halogen, and R 5a , R 5b , R 5c and R 5d are each hydrogen, R 2 is not H; and

(b) when R 1 is SO 2 Ph or H, R 3 is ═O, and R 5a , R 5b , R 5c and R 5a are each hydrogen, R 7 is not H.

12. The method of claim 3 , wherein R 1 is H,

or ethoxymethyl, R 2 is H, 2-indolyl, 1-prop-1-ynyl, 3-prop-1-ynyl or 4-pyridyl.

13. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more compounds are selected from the group consisting of