HOCHMOLEKULARE PRODROGENDERIVATE VON ENTZUENDUNGSHEMMENDEN ARZNEIMITTELN

Compounds of the formula 1 PS - O - A - (CH2)n - B - D (1) wherein PS-O represents an alkoxide residue of any of the free hydroxy groups of a polysaccharide (PS-OH) compound with molecular weight (Mw) of from 40,000 to 5,000,000 selected from dextran, carboxymethyl dextran, diethylaminoethyl dextran, starch, hydroxyethyl starch, alginates, glycogen, pullullan, agarose, cellulose, chitosan, chitin and carrageenan, A is a carbonyl group or absent, n is zero or a positive integer from 1 to 14, B is oxygen, a carbonyl group, NR wherein R is hydrogen or lower alkyl, or B is absent, and D is (i) a group of the formula: R1 - CO - (11) wherein R1-CO- represents the acyl residue of a carboxylic acid drug (R1-COOH) used in the treatment of inflammatory disorders; or (ii) a group of the formula: R2 - O - (12) wherein R2-O- refers to the C-21 alkoxide residue of a known antiinflammatory steroid (R2-OH) or an alkoxide residue of any other drug or medicament containing a hydroxy functional group used in the treatment of inflammatory disorders; with the proviso that when A is absent, n is 0, and B is absent, then R1-CO- is different from the acyl residue of acetylsalicylic acid; and non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof; and non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable cation salts thereof. Such compounds are biolabile prodrugs providing controlled release and prolonged duration of action of the parent active antiinflammatory agents locally at the administration site after intra-articular, intra-muscular, subcutaneous or extra-dural application while at the same time being highly stable in aqueous solution in the pH range 3-5. After oral administration of such prodrugs the parent drug is liberated selectively in the terminal ileum and the colon over an extended period of time.