a compound that is itself biologically inactive but is metabolized in the body to produce an active therapeutic drug
prodrug in American English
(ˈprouˌdrʌɡ)
noun
Pharmacology
an inactive substance that is converted to a drug within the body by the action of enzymes or other chemicals
Word origin
[pro-1 + drug]pro- is a prefix indicating favor for some party, system, idea, etc., without identitywith the group (pro-British; pro-Communist; proslavery), having anti- as its opposite
Examples of 'prodrug' in a sentence
prodrug
Moreover, a five-times-higher dose of the prodrug was well tolerated, indicating reduced toxicity.
Crielaard BJ, van der Wal S, Lammers T, Le HT, Hennink WE, Schiffelers RM, Storm G,Fens MHAM 2011, 'A polymeric colchicinoid prodrug with reduced toxicity and improved efficacy for vasculardisruption in cancer therapy', International Journal of Nanomedicinehttp://www.dovepress.com/a-polymeric-colchicinoid-prodrug-with-reduced-toxicity-and-improved-ef-a8587. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
Indeed, the prodrug approach becomes more and more popular and successful.
Arik Dahan, Ellen M. Zimmermann, Shimon Ben-Shabat 2014, 'Modern Prodrug Design for Targeted Oral Drug Delivery', Moleculeshttp://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/19/10/16489. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
The principles of prodrug design are briefly discussed herein.
Roberto Parise Filho, Michelle Carneiro Polli, Silvio Barberato Filho, Monique Garcia,Elizabeth Igne Ferreira 2010, 'Prodrugs available on the Brazilian pharmaceutical market and their correspondingbioactivation pathways', Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Scienceshttp://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1984-82502010000300003. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, the first prodrug stimulant, was developed to provide a longer duration of effect.
Najib J 2012, 'Lisdexamfetamine in the treatment of adolescents and children with attention-deficit/hyperactivitydisorder', Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeuticshttp://www.dovepress.com/lisdexamfetamine-in-the-treatment-of-adolescents-and-children-with-att-a9862. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
The synthesized prodrug was characterized and confirmed by physicochemical and spectroscopic studies.
Neela Bhatia, Kiran Katkar, Snehal Ashtekar 2016, 'Formulation and evaluation of co-prodrug of flurbiprofen and methocarbamol', Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Scienceshttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1818087615001312. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
The prodrug showed less ulcerogenicity as detected by fewer number and smaller size of ulcers.
Jamal A. Jilani, Nasir M. Idkaidek, Karem H. Alzoubi 2014, 'Synthesis, In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of the N-ethoxycarbonylmorpholine Esterof Diclofenac as a Prodrug', Pharmaceuticalshttp://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/7/4/453. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
We also explored the mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of this prodrug.
Fang Yuan, Dana E. Tabor, Richard K. Nelson, Hongjiang Yuan, Yijia Zhang, Jenny Nuxoll,Kimberly K. Bynoté, Subodh M. Lele, Dong Wang, Karen A. Gould 2013, 'A Dexamethasone Prodrug Reduces the Renal Macrophage Response and Provides EnhancedResolution of Established Murine Lupus Nephritis', PLoS ONE10.1371/journal.pone.0081483. Retrieved from PLOS CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
Results indicated that the degradants are well resolved and separated from the prodrug.
Mohamed H. M. Hamid, Tilal Elsaman 2017, 'A Stability-Indicating RP-HPLC-UV Method for Determination and Chemical HydrolysisStudy of a Novel Naproxen Prodrug', Journal of Chemistryhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/5285671. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
The enzyme was active towards nicotinamide and several analogues, including the prodrug pyrazinamide.
Guiomar Sánchez-Carrón, María Inmaculada García-García, Rubén Zapata-Pérez, HidetoTakami, Francisco García-Carmona, Alvaro Sánchez-Ferrer 2013, 'Biochemical and mutational analysis of a novel nicotinamidase from Oceanobacillusiheyensis HTE831.', PLoS ONEhttp://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3581539?pdf=render. Retrieved from PLOS CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)