Pharmacochemical Profile of lopromide

is a new nonionic, monomeric contrast medium containing three different substituents on the triodinated benzene ring. lopromide exhibits low osmolality and viscosity in aqueous solutions of high concentrations. It has been shown to have a remarkably low intravenous toxicity in mice and rats. Neural tolerance was found to be equal to or better than that of metrizamide when injected in rats intracister-nally and intracerebrally, respectively. The effects of iopromide after selective peripheral and cerebral arterial injections in rats were demonstrated to be very moderate at high dosages. The interaction of iopromide with proteins and membranes was found to be considerably low due to its hydrophilicity. Excretion of iopromide is fast and predominanty by the renal route. On the basis of the preclinical profile iopromide is a very promising contrast agent, being most suitable for all angiographic indica-tions, including digital subtraction angiography, urography, and computed tomography. lopromide, which is th:l proposed international nonproprietory name for 5-methoxyacetylamino-2,4,6-triiodoisophthalamic acid-[(2,3,-dihydroxy-N-methylpropyl}-(R,S-2,3-dihydroxypropyl)]-diam-ide, was synthesized in 1978 in the research laboratories of Scher-ing, Berlin [1] (fig. 1). lopromide is being developed for use in angiography, urography, and computed tomography (CT) [2]. In order to define the margins of safety afforded by the new non ionic, water-soluble contrast agent when employed in human c linical use, the compound was subjected to a number of physicochemical, pharmacologic, toxicologic, and pharmacokinetic experiments as well as to several biochemical tests. The experiments were designed to reveal qualitative and quantitative aspects of toxic effects by comparing iopromide with metrizamide and iopamidol