Fetal pulmonary surfactant induction by bromhexine metabolite VIII

Abstract

PHARMACOLOGIC INDUCTION of the fetal pulmonary surfactant system has become a subject of major interest, because it may constitute another tool for lowering the toll of death and morbidity caused by prematurity. First results were presented by Liggins and Howiel with glucocorticoids. After application of betamethasone to the mother 24 to 48 hours before birth, the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in premature neonates was significantly reduced compared to that in an untreated control group. Another drug with potential surfactant-inductive capacity is bromhexine (N-cyclohexylN-methyl( 2-amino-3,5-dibromobenzyl ) -ammonium-chloride), a widely used drug with bronchosecretolytic activity,* and one of its derivatives, bromhexine metabolite VIII (N(trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl) -( 2-amino-3,5-dibromo-benzyl) amine. The chemical structure of both substances is shown in Fig. 1.