Prostaglandin F2α ethyl amide (PGF2α-NEt) is an analog of PGF2α in which the C-1 carboxyl group has been modified to an N-ethyl amide. PG esters have been shown to have ocular hypotensive activity. PG N-ethyl amides were recently introduced as alternative prostaglandin ocular hypotensive prodrugs. Although it has been claimed that PG ethyl amides are not converted to the free acids in vivo, studies in our laboratories have shown that bovine and human corneal tissue converts the N-ethyl amides of various prostaglandins to the free acids with a conversion rate of about 2.5 μg/g corneal tissue/hr. PGF2α-NEt would be expected to show the typical intraocular effects of PGF2α free acid, but with the much slower hydrolysis pharmacokinetics of the PG N-amides.
