RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Mind Your Salts: When the Inactive Constituent Isn't
JF Molecular Pharmacology
JO Mol Pharmacol
FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
SP 558
OP 559
DO 10.1124/mol.110.067645
VO 78
IS 4
A1 Richard R. Neubig
YR 2010
UL http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/78/4/558.abstract
AB Many pharmacological agents include “inactive” constituents that are used to alter the solubility, stability, or pharmaceutical properties of a drug. These “salts” are often ignored, and the “active ingredient” gets all of the attention. Pamoic acid (4-[(3-carboxy-2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methyl]-3-hydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxylic acid) has been used in formulations of several drugs as pamoate salts. This Perspective highlights an Accelerated Communication in this issue (p. 560) that identifies pamoic acid as a potent activator of the orphan G protein-coupled receptor GPR35. This effect may contribute to the pharmacological actions of some agents that are prepared as pamoate salts. Thus, pharmacologists, regulators, and clinicians should “mind their salts” in considering differences among supposedly equivalent agents.