Intraocular penetration of the soluble antiviral, Ara AMP

D. Pavan-Langston, R. D. North Jr, P. A. Geary and A. Kinkel

Earlier studies on intraocular penetration of the antiviral drugs idoxuridine and vidarabine (formerly Ara A) reveal that either inactive metabolites from the former or very low levels of less active metabolites from the latter actually enter the aqueous. Additionally, to achieve therapeutic levels, systemically administered vidarabine must be given in large fluid volumes because of poor solubility. The present time-curve study on the intraocular penetration of the highly soluble nucleotide form of vidarabine, Ara AMP, reveals that, in rabbits, very high aqueous levels of the antiviral metabolite, Ara Hx, are achieved after intravenous does in small fluid volume. Moderately low levels are attained after subconjunctival injection, extremely low levels are attained after subconjunctival injection, and extremely low levels are present after topical administration. This indicates that intravenous and possibly subconjunctival injection may be useful in treatment of deep ocular herpetic disease.