Simultaneous solubilization of steroid hormones II: androgens and estrogens

Sesquiterpene lactones from Montanoa hibiscifolia that inhibit the transcription factor NF-kappa B

The reinvestigation of the aerial parts of Montanoa hibiscifolia afforded four new eudesmanolides (1-4), three of them with a rare endoperoxide structural element and the fourth with a rare carbonyl function. It also afforded three unusual montabibisciolides (5-7), two (5 and 7) of which are new natural compounds. Additionally, seven germacrolides (8-10 and 12-15) and one melampolide (11) could be isolated, including two new germacrolides (8 and 9). Their structures were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR measurement as well as ESI, CIMS, and HRMS analyses. Low-energy conformations were obtained by molecular mechanics calculations. The (13)C NMR data of five compounds are reported for the first time. Six sesquiterpene lactones (4, 6, 10, 11, 12, and 14) were investigated for their inhibitory activity on DNA binding of the transcription factor NF-kappa B using Jurkat T cells as well as RAW 264.7 cells. Besides the alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactone moiety the epoxy group in the acyl residue might take part in the NF-kappa B inhibitory activity of sesquiterpene lactones.

Cosolubilization of non-polar drugs in polysorbate 80 solutions

This study investigated the cosolubilization phenomenon of three non-polar drugs (hydrocortisone, beta-estradiol, and ethynylestradiol) in polysorbate 80 solutions. It was found that the solubility of any drug decreased in the presence of other steroidal compounds. In an attempt to understand the observation, the author proposed a model to describe and to predict the drug solubility in the presence of other non-polar drugs in a non-ionic surfactant. The model indicates that, in a non-ionic surfactant solution that contains both drugs D(a) and D(b), the total solubility [D(a)(tot)] is related not only to the physical chemical properties of D(a) (micellar equilibrium constant K(a), the intrinsic solubility [D(a)]), as well as the total surfactant concentration [S(tot)], it is also related to the physical chemical properties of the D(b). Mathematically, the [D(a)(tot)] decreases as the product of the micellar equilibrium constant K(b) and the intrinsic solubility [D(b)] increases. The model was also put to the test by comparing the cosolubilization data obtained experimentally with the data calculated from the proposed model. The fact that these two sets of data were in good agreement lent strong support to the newly proposed model.

Solubilization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures in micellar nonionic surfactant solutions

This study sought to examine the solubilization of mixtures of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in solutions of the nonionic surfactants: Tween 20, Tween 80, Triton X 100, Brij 35, and Brij 58. When pyrene (PYR), fluoranthene (FLA), and phenanthrene (PHE) were solubilized from two-PAH mixtures, the PAH concentrations and molar solubilization ratios deviated very little from those as found in the single-PAH systems. When these PAHs were solubilized from the three-PAH mixtures, however, not all three PAHs reached their single-PAH solubilities. When the PAHs were added sequentially to surfactant solution, the PAH added last reached its single-PAH solubility, while the concentration of other two PAHs were lowered by 14-45%. When the PAHs were added simultaneously to the surfactant solution, the composition of the solid phase influenced which PAH reached its single-PAH solubility. For solids containing equal mole fractions of all three PAHs, FLA and PHE dissolved in surfactant solution to a lesser extent than the single-PAH systems. In similar systems containing no surfactant, only FLA solubility decreased. As the mole fraction of a PAH in the solid phase increased, its solubility in the micelle phase (and in the aqueous phase) increased up to the solubility limit. Based on these studies, both PAH-PAH interactions and micelle-PAH interactions should be taken into account when predicting the concentrations of PAH mixtures in micellar surfactant solutions. This should be done because PAH-PAH interactions can influence aqueous solubility, while micelle-PAH interactions can affect the distribution of PAHs in the micellar phase, which may change as the mixture composition changes.

Hydroperoxidase activity of lipoxygenase in the presence of cyclodextrins

The oxidation of xenobiotics by the hydroperoxidase activity of lipoxygenase in the presence of cyclodextrins was studied. These produced an inhibitory effect on xenobiotics oxidation, based on their degree of hydrophobicity and the charge (isoproterenol < 4-methyl-catechol (4MC) < 4-tert-butylcatechol (TBC) < 4-tert-octylcatechol (TOC)). This inhibitory effect was due to the complexation of xenobiotics in the hydrophobic cavity of cyclodextrins. The complexation constant Kc was calculated by nonlinear regression of the inhibition curves obtained in the presence of cyclodextrins, and the values obtained were 400, 16,250, and 35,127 M-1 for 4MC, TBC, and TOC, respectively. The validity of these values was checked at different points of the Michaelis-Menten saturation curve, and a sigmoidal inhibition curve was obtained at the saturating concentration of the o-diphenol, TBC, with no change in the Kc value. This demonstrates the validity of the equations used to calculate Kc for the complete range of the Michaelis-Menten equation.

Solubilization kinetics of a triglyceride/n-alkane mixture in a non-ionic surfactant solution

The kinetics of solubilization in a non-ionic surfactant solution of pure n-hexadecane, pure triolein and a mixture of the two oils have been investigated. The rates were determined from observations of the dissolution of a single, microscopic droplet, using a drop-on-fibre technique. Conditions were such that negligible saturation of the micellar surfactant with solubilizate occurred. The rate of solubilization of each of the pure oils was found to be independent of time, hexadecane solubilization on a volume basis being about 8 times as rapid as that for triolein. The rate of solubilization of a mixture of the two oils, having a volume fraction 0.69 for triolein, was found to vary in the medium term, the rates apparently being steady both initially and (at a lower value) in the long term. These observations can be related quantitatively to the rates found for the pure oils.

Investigations of the solubilization kinetics of binary mixtures of non-polar oils by non-ionic surfactants

An investigation of the solubilization kinetics of binary mixtures of non-polar oils by a non-ionic surfactant has been made using the drop-on-fibre technique. Variables studied were the oil composition, surfactant concentration and the temperature. Rates vary linearly with the surfactant concentration for all oil compositions. The observed rate during nearly total solubilization of each oil drop was constant, implying that in these systems solubilization is non-selective. The rates increase as the lower consolute (cloud) temperature of the surfactant is approached. Activation energies of the solubilization process are shown to be independent of the oil composition for the system studied. This suggests that the important stage of the process involves dissociation of the surfactant micelles.