MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE AND BIOLOGICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF 3-HYDROXY-2-METHYL-1-(BETA-D-RIBOFURANOSYL OR PYRANOSYL)-4-PYRIDINONE - POTENTIAL IRON OVERLOAD DRUGS FOR ORAL-ADMINISTRATION

Replacing alkyl groups by sugar moieties at N-1 position of 3-hydroxy- 2-methyl-4-pyridinone did not affect the geometry of the iron chelatin g sites but increased the hydrophilic nature. The formation of a polym er cluster through the intermolecular hydrogen bonds was also revealed by X-ray crystal structure analysis for the first time in all known 3 -hydroxy-4-pyridinone crystal structures. Iron removal from ferritin b y the title compounds was more efficient than with DFO. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.