Binding of metronidazole and its derivatives to plasma proteins: an assessment of drug binding phenomenon.

Metronidazole and four derivatives were studied in vitro to investigate the differences in the extent of their binding to plasma proteins. Modification at the terminal portion of the alkyl side chain resulted in wide differences in the extent of binding. Molecular orbital calculations were performed by the CNDO and MINDO/2 methods to estimate the frontier electron density on the hetero atom at the 3'-position of the alkyl side chain. A linear correlation between the protein binding parameter (loge P) and the frontier electron density (qr) was observed for the binding of this group of trichomonicidal drugs. NMR spectroscopy was used to demonstrate that the alkyl side chain participated in the binding of these compounds to plasma proteins.