Dipivefrin is a prodrug of adrenaline, which is used to treat glaucoma. It is available as ophthalmic solution (eye drops).
Indication
Dipivefrin is a prodrug which is used as initial therapy for the control of intraocular pressure in chronic open-angle glaucoma.
Pharmacology
Dipivefrin is a member of a class of drugs known as prodrugs. Prodrugs are usually not active in themselves and require biotransformation to the parent compound before therapeutic activity is seen. These modifications are undertaken to enhance absorption, decrease side effects and enhance stability and comfort, thus making the parent compound a more useful drug. Enhanced absorption makes the prodrug a more efficient delivery system for the parent drug because less drug will be needed to produce the desired therapeutic response. Dipivefrin is a prodrug of epinephrine formed by the diesterification of epinephrine and pivalic acid. The addition of pivaloyl groups to the epinephrine molecule enhances its lipophilic character and, as a consequence, its penetration into the anterior chamber.
Toxicity
Oral LD50 in rat is 183 mg/kg.
Affected Organisms
Humans and other mammals
Biotransformation
Dipivefrin is converted to epinephrine inside the human eye by enzyme hydrolysis.
The dipivalate ester of (+-)-epinephrine (racepinephrine). A pro-drug of epinephrine, the hydrochloride is used topically as eye drops to reduce intra-ocular pressure in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
