Comparison of oral propranolol, oral rifampicin, and intravitreal anti-VEGF in central serous chorioretinopathy

Purpose

To compare the efficacy of oral propranolol, oral rifampicin, and intravitreal anti-VEGF therapies on resolution-time and visual outcome in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).

Methods

A total of 30 patients with CSCR were randomized into three groups of 10 patients. Group A was given oral propranolol, Group B was given oral rifampicin 4 weeks each, and Group C was given 0.05 ml intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF. Comparisons of mean BCVA, contrast sensitivity, and central macular thickness (CMT) performed between baseline and follow-up at 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months.

Results

Statistically significant improvement in BCVA and contrast sensitivity was noted among all three groups. Complete resolution of SRF as indicated by CMT was seen at the end of 4 weeks in Group C, whereas there was a steady decline in CMT until 3 months in Groups A and B.

Conclusion

Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy shows a significantly faster SRF resolution. However, oral propranolol and oral rifampicin could prove as a useful, cost-effective treatment of CSCR.

Synthesis of N-urethane Protected β-Amino Alcohols Employing N-(protected-α-aminoacyl)benzotriazoles

A simple and racemisation-free synthesis of N-urethane protected α-amino/peptidyl alcohols by the reduction of the corresponding easily accessible N-acylbenzotriazoles is described. The method is practical, straightforward, fast and efficient for the synthesis of amino/peptidyl alcohols. All the alcohols made were isolated in high yields and purity.

Amino acid fluorides: viable tools for synthesis of peptides, peptidomimetics and enantiopure heterocycles

This review provides a broad perspective of the uses of amino acid fluorides in the synthesis of peptides and a wide range of other molecules including peptidomimetics, heterocycles and biologically active molecules.

CuI-promoted one-pot synthesis of N-Boc protected β-ketotriazole amino acids: application in the synthesis of new class of dipeptidomimetics

One-pot click chemistry of N(α)-Boc-bromomethylketones, NaN3 and propiolic acid affords N-Boc protected 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-β-ketotriazole acids in good to excellent yield. The use of CuI as catalyst and DMSO as solvent leads the click reaction to efficient, practical and column-free preparation of the title compounds. The utility of the resulting unnatural amino acids as building blocks to prepare triazole possessing peptidomimetics is also delineated.

Characterization of Nα-Fmoc-protected ureidopeptides by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS): differentiation of positional isomers

Four pairs of positional isomers of ureidopeptides, FmocNH-CH(R(1))-ϕ(NH-CO-NH)-CH(R(2))-OY and FmocNH-CH(R(2))-ϕ(NH-CO-NH)-CH(R(1))-OY (Fmoc = [(9-fluorenyl methyl)oxy]carbonyl; R(1) = H, alkyl; R(2) = alkyl, H and Y = CH(3)/H), have been characterized and differentiated by both positive and negative ion electrospray ionization (ESI) ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The major fragmentation noticed in MS/MS of all these compounds is due to --N--CH(R)--N--bond cleavage to form the characteristic N- and C-terminus fragment ions. The protonated ureidopeptide acids derived from glycine at the N-terminus form protonated (9H-fluoren-9-yl)methyl carbamate ion at m/z 240 which is absent for the corresponding esters. Another interesting fragmentation noticed in ureidopeptides derived from glycine at the N-terminus is an unusual loss of 61 units from an intermediate fragment ion FmocNH = CH(2) (+) (m/z 252). A mechanism involving an ion-neutral complex and a direct loss of NH(3) and CO(2) is proposed for this process. Whereas ureidopeptides derived from alanine, leucine and phenylalanine at the N-terminus eliminate CO(2) followed by corresponding imine to form (9H-fluoren-9-yl)methyl cation (C(14)H(11) (+)) from FmocNH = CHR(+). In addition, characteristic immonium ions are also observed. The deprotonated ureidopeptide acids dissociate differently from the protonated ureidopeptides. The [M - H](-) ions of ureidopeptide acids undergo a McLafferty-type rearrangement followed by the loss of CO(2) to form an abundant [M - H - Fmoc + H](-) which is absent for protonated ureidopeptides. Thus, the present study provides information on mass spectral characterization of ureidopeptides and distinguishes the positional isomers.