Prodrug approaches to enhancement of physicochemical properties of drugs IV: novel epinephrine prodrug.

The synthesis and characterization of a prodrug that appears to overcome the problem of inefficient absorption of epinephrine through the lipoidal membranes of the eye are described. The enzymatic rate of regeneration of epinephrine from the prodrug was determined using a rabbit eye homogenate, rabbit plasma, and human plasma. The prodrug had no activity of its own when tested against a guinea pig smooth muscle preparation. Upon enzymatic regeneration of epinephrine from the prodrug, however, the reaction mixture exhibited alpha-adrenergic activity equivalent to that of epinephrine when tested in the same preparation.