L‐662,583 is a topically effective ocular hypotensive carbonic anhydrase inhibitor in experimental animals

1. L-662,583 was a potent inhibitor in vitro of purified, human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase II, possessing an IC50 of 0.7 nM. The IC50 values for MK-927, acetazolamide and methazolamide were 13.0 nM, 10.8 nM and 21.2 nM, respectively. 2. A 1 h pretreatment with one 50 microliters drop of a 0.1% solution of L-662,583 blocked carbonic anhydrase activity in a homogenate of the iris + ciliary body of albino rabbits by 63%. Similar treatment with 0.1% suspensions of acetazolamide and methazolamide elicited inhibitions of 30% and 20%, respectively. This ex vivo model indirectly assesses the ability of an agent to enter the rabbit eye. 3. Concentrations of L-662,583 in the cornea, aqueous humour and iris + ciliary body of albino rabbits were determined by h.p.l.c. at predetermined times after the instillation (one drop of 50 microliters) of a 2% solution of L-662,583. Peak levels for cornea (47.4 micrograms g-1), aqueous humour (4.51 micrograms ml-1) and iris + ciliary body (9.61 micrograms g-1) occurred at 0.5, 2 and 1 h after instillation, respectively. 4. The experimentally elevated intraocular pressure of the right eye of rabbits, induced by prior intraocular injection of alpha-chymotrypsin, was maximally decreased by 4.5 mmHg, 6.2 mmHg and 9.8 mmHg after the instillation (one drop of 50 microliters) of 0.01%, 0.1% and 0.5% solutions of L-662,583, respectively. All three concentrations lowered intraocular pressure at all time points from 1 h up to and including 5 h, the last recorded time point.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)