Polymer analogs of 3-chloro-4-benzyloxyphenylacetic acid and their pharmacological activity

Polymer analogs of 3-chloro-4-benzyloxy-phenylacetic acid (BPh) were prepared, representing esters of BPh with three polymer alcohols: poly(vinyl alcohol) (P-I), poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (P-II), and poly(2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate) (P-III). Their anti-inflammatory activity was determined by testing their inhibitory effect on the growth of edema in the hind legs of rats. The relative activities of the esters P-I-BPh and P-II-BPh with respect to that of BPh are 0.06 and 0.10, respectively. In the case of P-III-BPh the activity is stronger (0.37), probably owing to the easier release of BPh from P-III-BPh due to hydrolysis. No prolonged effect of BPh polymeric esters could be achieved.