| abstract |
The present invention relates to novel heparin-nitroxide derivatives comprising heparin and at least two and more nitroxides/polynitroxide radicals that are covalently coupled to heparin by derivatisation of glycosaminoglycan carboxyl or amino groups. The heparin-nitroxide derivatives are useful as therapeutic or diagnostic agents. This invention further concerns novel methods for the production of the heparin-nitroxide agents, and methods of their uses for specifically targeting and labelling of biological vessels. The inventions also suggest the uses of the heparin-nitroxide derivatives for treatment of oxidative stress-mediated diseases. Furthermore, the heparin-nitroxide derivatives according to the present invention are in particular useful for electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI), for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and for preservation of biological transplants. |