DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences121"Protective Effects of Some Azo Derivatives of 5-aminosalicylic Acid and Their Pegylated Prodrugs on Acetic Acid-induced Rat Colitis "2430Alireza GarjaniSoodabeh DavaranMohamadreza RashidiNasrin Malek20151006The protective and anti-inflammatory effects of azo and azo-linked polymeric prodrugs of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) on acetic acid induced colitis in rats were investigated. Three azo prodrugs; 4,4 -dihydroxy-azobenzene-3-carboxilic acid (azo compound I), 4-hydroxy-azobenzene-3,4-dicarboxilic acid (azo compound II), 4,4-dihydroxy-3-formyl-azobenzene-3-carboxylic acid (azo compound III) and their polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) derivatives were synthesized. Rats were pretreated orally (1 hour prior to induction of colitis) with sulfasalazin (300 mg/kg), azo compounds I, II, III and polyethylene glycol conjugates of azo compounds II and III in doses which had the same amount of 5-ASA as sulfasalazin contains. The colonic damage was examined 24 hours later and characterized by gross microscopic injury and colonic edema. Among prodrugs only azo compound III (215 mg/kg) produced a significant (phttps://daru.tums.ac.ir/index.php/daru/article/view/194https://daru.tums.ac.ir/index.php/daru/article/download/194/194