Eastern Virginia Medical School

Eastern Virginia Medical Authority

Eastern Virginia Medical Authority/med. Ctr. Hosp.

Karl A Schellenberg

Frank A Lattanzio

James Shaeffer

James Shaefer

The present invention is directed generally to protecting cells, tissues and organs against the damaging effects of ionizing or other damaging agents associated with radiation or chemotherapy, or degenerative diseases or processes of various organs that elicit the production of free radicals or oxidants such as peroxides, superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals or nitric oxides, or heavy metal cations. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with methoxypolyethylene glycol chelate methyl esters that are useful as protectors against tissue damage by penetrating the cell membrane to donate electrons to free radical oxidants and remove heavy metals that may react with peroxides to produce the reactive hydroxyl radical, or remove Ca++ that may be released from organelles. These chelate esters will also have utility in reducing intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients.

Methoxypolyethylene glycol chelate and uses thereof

The present invention is directed generally to protecting cells, tissues and organs against the damaging effects of ionizing or other damaging agents associated with radiation or chemotherapy, or degenerative diseases or processes of various organs that elicit the production of free radicals or oxidants such as peroxides, superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals or nitric oxides, or heavy metal cations. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with methoxypolyethylene glycol thioester chelate methyl esters that are useful as protectors against tissue damage by penetrating the cell membrane to donate electrons to free radical oxidants and remove heavy metals that may react with peroxides to produce the reactive hydroxyl radical, or remove Ca++ that may be released from organelles. These chelate esters will also have utility in reducing intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients.

Methoxypolyethylene glycol thioester chelate and uses thereof

The present invention is directed generally to protecting cells, tissues and organs against the damaging effects of ionizing or other damaging agents associated with radiation or chemotherapy, or degenerative diseases or processes of various organs that elicit the production of free radicals or oxidants such as peroxides, superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals or nitric oxides, or heavy metal cations. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with methoxypolyethylene glycol thioester chelate methyl esters that are useful as protectors against tissue damage by penetrating the cell membrane to remove electrons from free radical oxidants and remove heavy metals that may react with peroxides to produce the reactive hydroxyl radical, or remove Cathat may be released from organelles. These chelate esters will also have utility in reducing intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients.

Derivatives useful in the protection of living organisms against damage due to free radical reactions derived from methoxypolyethylene glycols (MPEG), which are modified by chemically attaching chelating groups in an amide or amine linkage to the nonmethyl end of the polymer. Such chelating groups include ethylene-diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), and ethylene glycol aminoethyl ether tetraacetic acid (EGTA), and pharmacologically acceptable salts or esters thereof.

Chelate derivatives as protectors against tissue injury

There is disclosed a method of protecting animals including humans against ionizing radiation by injecting the animals with a polymer having the approximate formula H(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OH, where n varies between 4 and 13. Particularly, it is found that polyethylene glycol (molecular weight between 200 and 600), polyethyleneglycolmonoethylether (molecular weight between 200 and 600), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (molecular weight up to 10,000) when injected into standard experimental animals, such as mice, protects them from the lethal effect of ionizing radiation.

Method of protecting animals against ionizing radiation

A solid phase scintillation counting method is provided wherein a scintillating material is added to an inert carrier and a radioactive substance is caused to contact the carrier either before or after the scintillating material has been applied. The treated carrier is then counted in the solid state in a liquid scintillation counter without the necessity of dissolving the radioactive substance in a liquid solution containing a scintillator. The invention provides a highly efficient and very convenient method for counting low energy radioactive isotopes such as .sup.14 C and .sup.3 H.

Growing community of inventors

Virginia Beach, VA, United States of America

Karl A Schellenberg