Chitosan-covered calcium phosphate particles as a drug vehicle for delivery to the eye.

Formulations on the base of an inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme, enalaprilat, were prepared by the inclusion of the drug into calcium phosphate (CaP)-particles in situ, followed by the covering of the particles with 5 kDa chitosan or 72 kDa glycol chitosan and cross-linking with sodium tripolyphosphate. Physicochemical characterization of the resulted hybrid particles was conducted using dynamic light scattering, as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Enalaprilat-containing particles had a mean hydrodynamic diameter 180 nm and 260 nm and ζ-potential +7 mV and +16 mV for 5 kDa and 72 kDa chitosans, respectively. In vivo studies showed that enalaprilat within particles stayed longer in the tear fluid after single instillation and caused a significantly pronounced and prolonged decrease of intraocular pressure in rabbits, especially in the case of CaP-particles, covered by glycol chitosan. Thus, such formulations demonstrate potential as prospective therapeutic agents for the treatment of eye diseases.

The first organocopper tetrazole derivative: synthesis and characterization.

1-(5-Amino-3-azapentyl)tetrazole dihydrochloride (HL·2HCl) was prepared by heterocyclization of diethylenetriamine with triethyl orthoformate and sodium azide followed by treatment with potassium carbonate and hydrochloric acid. The reaction of CuCl2, HL·2HCl and triethylamine (NEt3) in a molar ratio of 1 : 1 : 3 in water was found to generate a novel organometallic tetrazole derivative Cu2L2Cl2. This compound is present as a binuclear centrosymmetric molecular complex, in which C-deprotonated tetrazole L acts as a chelating ligand via the two amino N and tetrazole ring C coordination sites and the two copper atoms are linked together through two tetrazole ring N(4)-C(5) bridges. This complex is the first organocopper tetrazole derivative. When the molar ratio of the reagents in the abovementioned reaction was changed to 1 : 2 : 2, the complex Cu(HL)2Cl2 was formed along with Cu2L2Cl2. Pure Cu(HL)2Cl2 was isolated after reaction of the reagents in a molar ratio of 1 : 3 : 6. The complex Cu(HL)2Cl2 is present as a mononuclear molecular complex, with a chelating coordination mode of HL via the two amino N atoms only. Both complexes as well as HL·2HCl were characterized by single-crystal X-ray analysis.

Bis(5-phenyltetrazol-2-yl)methane.

In the title compound, alternatively named 5,5'-diphenyl-2,2'-methyleneditetrazole, C(15)H(12)N(8), the dihedral angles between the tetrazole and benzene rings in the two 5-phenyltetrazole fragments are 2.45 (6) and 10.01 (9) degrees. There is weak intermolecular C[bond]H...N hydrogen bonding involving the H atoms of the methylene groups, which is responsible for the formation of two-membered aggregates. C[bond]H...pi interactions in the crystal structure are discussed.