[Experimental animal studies on the topical and systemic activity of prednisolone-17-ethylcarbonate-21-propionate]

Prednisolone-17-ethylcarbonate-21-propionate (PrEP, Hoe 777) was tested for antiinflammatory activity in various animal models by topical and systemic administration. In those models being indicative of topical efficacy, the potency of PrEP was the same as that of desoximetasone. However, systemic effects after topical administration of PrEP in shaved skin of the dorsum of rats were relatively weak compared with the reference compound. Moreover, there were less systemic glucocorticoid effects after s.c. administration of PrEP than after desoximetasone. Thus, PrEP is obviously a compound with a considerable split of topical and systemic activity, suggesting its testing in man for systemic effects after topical administration.