Macromolecular Drug Conjugates II. Metronidazole-Dextran Prodrugs

Abstract
The antimicrobial drug metronidazole was attached to dextran. Two methods of dextran-metronidazole synthesis were studied: (1) the reaction of metronidazole with chloroacetylated derivatives of crosslinked dextran microparticles in basic aprotic solvents, and (2) the reaction of metronidazole chloroacetic acid ester with crosslinked dextran microparticles in basic media. The release of metronidazole from the two types of macromolecular prodrugs was compared.