Introduction: Current Parkinson's disease (PD) therapy is essentially symptomatic, and l-Dopa (LD), is the treatment of choice in more advanced stages of the disease. However, motor complications often develop after long-term treatment, and at this point physicians usually prescribe adjuvant therapy with other classes of antiparkinsonian drugs, including dopamine (DA) agonists, catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) or monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B inhibitors. In order to improve bioavailability, the prodrug approach appeared to be the most promising, and some antiparkinsonian prodrugs have been prepared in an effort to solve these problems.
Areas Covered: This review discusses the evidence of progress in PD therapy, mainly focused on prodrug approach for treatment of this neurological disorder. Several derivatives were studied with the aim of enhancing its chemical stability, water or lipid solubility, as well as diminishing the susceptibility to enzymatic degradation. Chemical structures mainly related to LD, DA and dopaminergic agonists are also reviewed in this paper.
Expert Opinion: In order to strengthen the pharmacological activity of antiparkinsonian drugs, enhancing their penetration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), different approaches are possible. Among these, the prodrug approach appeared to be the most promising, and many prodrugs have been prepared in an effort to optimize physicochemical characteristics. In addition, novel therapeutic strategies based on formulations linking dopaminergic drugs with neuroprotective agents, increasing LD striatal levels and offering sustained release of the drug without any fluctuation of brain concentration, offer promising avenues for development of other effective new treatments for PD.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1517/17460441.2012.677025 | DOI Listing |
Cancer Sci
January 2025
Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
DNA methylation is an enzyme-driven epigenetic modification that must be precisely regulated to maintain cellular homeostasis. Aberrant methylation status, especially hypermethylation of the promoter sites of tumor-suppressor genes, is observed in human malignancies and is a proven target for cancer therapy. The first-generation DNA demethylating agents, azacitidine and decitabine, are widely used for treating several hematological malignancies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChemistry
January 2025
University of Cambridge, Department of Chemistry, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW, Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND.
The ability to release a molecule from a larger construct in a controlled manner is of great importance to produce effective prodrugs, antibody-drug conjugates, and chemical probes. Amides are ubiquitous functional groups and yet methods to utilise them as molecular release handles are seldom reported. This concept article highlights the advances made in amide release strategies and how these approaches have been utilised.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRSC Med Chem
January 2025
Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark 2800 Kongens Lyngby Denmark
Prodrugs are masked drugs that first become pharmacologically active after undergoing a structural change . They are designed to improve physicochemical/biopharmaceutical drug properties and increase site specificity. The prodrug approach is important when developing brain-targeting drugs due to the presence of the brain barriers that seriously limit the brain entry of highly polar, multifunctional drug entities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomed Pharmacother
January 2025
Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Kralovopolska 135, Brno CZ-61200, Czech Republic; Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic. Electronic address:
Platinum(IV) compounds possess distinct properties that set them apart from platinum(II) compounds. Often designed as prodrugs, they are reduced within cancer cells to their active platinum(II) form, enabling their cytotoxic effects. Their versatility also lies in their ability to be functionalized and conjugated with bioactive molecules to enhance cancer cell targeting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChem Sci
January 2025
Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut Galien Paris-Saclay 91400 Orsay France +33-180006081.
The synthesis of degradable polymer prodrug nanoparticles is still a challenge to be met, which would make it possible to remedy both the shortcomings of traditional formulation of preformed polymers (, low nanoparticle concentrations) and those of the physical encapsulation of drugs (, burst release and poor drug loadings). Herein, through the combination of radical ring-opening polymerization (rROP) and polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) under appropriate experimental conditions, we report the successful preparation of high-solid content, degradable polymer prodrug nanoparticles, exhibiting multiple drug moieties covalently linked to a degradable vinyl copolymer backbone. Such a rROPISA process relied on the chain extension of a biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol)-based solvophilic block with a mixture of lauryl methacrylate (LMA), cyclic ketene acetal (CKA) and drug-bearing methacrylic esters by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerization at 20 wt% solid content.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!