Characterization of the aggregates of N-alkyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bromide surfactants in aqueous solution

Novel liposomal formulations for protection and delivery of levodopa: Structure-properties correlation

Liposomes are promising drug carriers for a wide range of central nervous system disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), since they can protect active substances from degradation and could be administered intranasally, ensuring a direct access to the brain. Levodopa (LD), the drug commonly used to treat PD, spontaneously oxidizes in aqueous solutions and thus needs to be stabilized. Our investigation focuses on the preparation and the physico-chemical characterization of mixed liposomes to vehiculate LD and two natural substances (L-ascorbic acid and quercetin) that can prevent its oxidation and contribute to the treatment of Parkinson's disease. These co-loaded vesicles were prepared using a saturated phospholipid and structurally related cationic or analogue N-oxide surfactants and showed different properties, based on their composition. In particular, ex-vivo permeability tests using porcine nasal mucosa were performed, denoting that subtle variations of the lipids structure can significantly affect the delivery of LD to the target site.

Role of Polyanions and Surfactant Head Group in the Formation of Polymer-Colloid Nanocontainers

OBJECTIVES

This study was aimed at the investigation of the supramolecular systems based on cationic surfactants bearing cyclic head groups (imidazolium and pyrrolidinium) and polyanions (polyacrylic acid (PAA) and human serum albumin (HSA)), and factors governing their structural behavior to create functional nanosystems with controlled properties. Research hypothesis. Mixed PE-surfactant complexes based on oppositely charged species are characterized by multifactor behavior strongly affected by the nature of both components. It was expected that the transition from a single surfactant solution to an admixture with PE might provide synergetic effects on structural characteristics and functional activity. To test this assumption, the concentration thresholds of aggregation, dimensional and charge characteristics, and solubilization capacity of amphiphiles in the presence of PEs have been determined by tensiometry, fluorescence and UV-visible spectroscopy, and dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering.

RESULTS

The formation of mixed surfactant-PAA aggregates with a hydrodynamic diameter of 100-180 nm has been shown. Polyanion additives led to a decrease in the critical micelle concentration of surfactants by two orders of magnitude (from 1 mM to 0.01 mM). A gradual increase in the zeta potential of HAS-surfactant systems from negative to positive value indicates that the electrostatic mechanism contributes to the binding of components. Additionally, 3D and conventional fluorescence spectroscopy showed that imidazolium surfactant had little effect on HSA conformation, and component binding occurs due to hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals interactions through the tryptophan amino acid residue of the protein. Surfactant-polyanion nanostructures improve the solubility of lipophilic medicines such as Warfarin, Amphotericin B, and Meloxicam.

PERSPECTIVES

Surfactant-PE composition demonstrated beneficial solubilization activity and can be recommended for the construction of nanocontainers for hydrophobic drugs, with their efficacy tuned by the variation in surfactant head group and the nature of polyanions.

Effect of amino acid on the surface adsorption and micellar properties of surface active ILs varying in cationic head groups

The interfacial along with bulk characteristics of the aqueous solutions of ILs with dissimilar cationic head group viz. 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C₁₂mim][Br]), and N-dodecyl-N-methylmorpholinium bromide ([Mor_1,12][Br]) in the absence and the presence of an amino acid L-Methionine as an external additive have been examined by electrical conductivity, UV-Visible, surface tension, and DLS measurements. The CMC values, and the lowest maximum surface excess concentration (Г_max) achieved from all three techniques, and surface tension measurements respectively displayed more surface activity of the [C₁₂mim][Br] than the [Mor_1,12][Br]. Also, the morpholinium head group is less hazardous than imidazolium, it can be utilised to design ILs that are greener, mainly in combination with polar, small, and non-toxic side chains and anions.

Structurally Related Liposomes Containing N-Oxide Surfactants: Physicochemical Properties and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity in Combination with Therapeutically Available Antibiotics

Although liposomes are largely investigated as drug delivery systems, they can also exert a pharmacological activity if devoid of an active principle as a function of their composition. Specifically, charged liposomes can electrostatically interact with bacterial cells and, in some cases, induce bacterial cell death. Moreover, they also show a high affinity toward bacterial biofilms. We investigated the physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of liposomes formulated with a natural phospholipid and four synthetic l-prolinol-derived surfactants at 9/1 and 8/2 molar ratios. The synthetic components differ in the nature of the polar headgroup (quaternary ammonium salt or N-oxide) and/or the length of the alkyl chain (14 or 16 methylenes). These differences allowed us to investigate the effect of the molecular structure of liposome components on the properties of the aggregates and their ability to interact with bacterial cells. The antimicrobial properties of the different formulations were assessed against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Drug–drug interactions with four classes of available clinical antibiotics were evaluated against Staphylococcus spp. The target of each class of antibiotics plays a pivotal role in exerting a synergistic effect. Our results highlight that the liposomal formulations with an N-oxide moiety are required for the antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. In particular, we observed a synergism between oxacillin and liposomes containing 20 molar percentage of N-oxide surfactants onStaphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, andStaphylococcus aureus. In the case of liposomes containing 20 molar percentage of the N-oxide surfactant with 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain for S. epidermidis, the minimum inhibitory concentration was 0.125 μg/mL, well below the breakpoint value of the antibiotic.

Cyclic and Acyclic Amine Oxide Alkyl Derivatives as Potential Adjuvants in Antimicrobial Chemotherapy against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus with an MDR Profile

The dramatic intensification of antimicrobial resistance occurrence in pathogenic bacteria concerns the global community. The revitalisation of inactive antibiotics is, at present, the only way to go through this health system crisis and the use of antimicrobial adjuvants is turning out the most promising approach. Due to their low toxicity, eco-friendly characteristics and antimicrobial activity, amphoteric surfactants are good candidates. This study investigated the adjuvant potentialities of commercial acyclic and newly cyclic N-oxide surfactants combined with therapeutically available antibiotics against MDR methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The safety profile of the new cyclic compounds, compared to commercial surfactants, was preliminarily assessed, evaluating the cytotoxicity on human peripheral mononuclear blood cells and the haemolysis in human red blood cells. The compounds show an efficacious antimicrobial activity strongly related to the length of the carbon atom chain. In drug–drug interaction assays, all surfactants act synergistically, restoring sensitivity to oxacillin in MRSA, with dodecyl acyclic and cyclic derivatives being the most effective. After evaluating the cytotoxicity and considering the antimicrobial action, the most promising compound is the L-prolinol amine-oxide C12NOX. These findings suggest that the combination of antibiotics with amphoteric surfactants is a valuable therapeutic option for topical infections sustained by multidrug-resistant S. aureus.

Investigating Two-Photon-Induced Fluorescence in Rhodamine-6G in Presence of Cetyl-Trimethyl-Ammonium-Bromide

We investigate the effect of cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium-bromides (CTAB) concentration on the fluorescence of Rhodamine-6G in water. This spectroscopic study of Rhodamine-6G in presence of CTAB was performed using two-photon-induced-fluorescence at 780 nm wavelength using high repetition rate femtosecond laser pulses. We report an increment of ∼10 % in the fluorescence in accordance with ∼12 % enhancement in the absorption intensity of the dye molecule around the critical micellar concentration. We discuss the possible mechanism for the enhancement in the two-photon fluorescence intensity and the importance of critical micellar concentration.

Amphiphile behavior in mixed solvent media I: self-aggregation and ion association of sodium dodecylsulfate in 1,4-dioxane-water and methanol-water media

Mixed aquo-organic solvents are used in chemical, industrial, and pharmaceutical processes along with amphiphilic materials. Their fundamental studies with reference to bulk and interfacial phenomena are thus considered to be important, but such detailed studies are limited. In this work, the interfacial adsorption of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS, C12H25SO4(-)Na(+)) in dioxane-water (Dn-W) and methanol-water (Ml-W) media in extensive mixing ratios along with its bulk behavior have been investigated. The solvent-composition-dependent properties have been identified, and their quantifications have been attempted. The SDS micellization has been assessed in terms of different solvent parameters, and the possible formation of an ion pair and triple ion of the colloidal electrolyte, C12H25SO4(-)Na(+) in the Dn-W medium has been correlated and quantified. In the Ml-W medium at a high volume percent of Ml, the SDS amphiphile formed special associated species instead of ion association. The formation of self-assembly and the energetics of SDS in the mixed solvent media have been determined and assessed using conductometry, calorimetry, tensiometry, viscometry, NMR, and DLS methods. The detailed study undertaken herein with respect to the behavior of SDS in the mixed aquo-organic solvent media (Dn-W and Ml-W) is a new kind of endeavor.

Surface properties of Gemini surfactants with pyrrolidinium head groups

Gemini surfactants C(n)-4-(n)PB (where n represents the alkyl chain length of 10, 12, 14 and 16) were synthesized and characterized. Their surface activity, thermodynamic properties, and aggregation behavior were investigated by means of surface tension, electrical conductivity, and steady-state fluorescence. It was found that the Gemini surfactants C(n)-4-(n)PB have superior surface activity to their corresponding monomer surfactants C(n)MPB as expected. Additionally, these compounds have lower cmc and surface tension in comparison with conventional cationic Gemini surfactants m-4-m. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG(m)(0),ΔH(m)(0),TΔS(m)(0)) show that the micellization is an entropy driven process with shorter hydrophobic chain lengths but instead is enthalpy driven for longer hydrophobic chain lengths. The effect of the hydrophobic alkyl chain length and the addition of inorganic salt NaBr on the surface activity and micellization are in line with the conventional cationic Gemini surfactants.

A spectral approach to determine location and orientation of azo dyes within surfactant aggregates

The UV-vis absorption properties of azo dyes are known to exhibit a variation with the polarity and acidity of the dye environment. The spectral properties of a series of anionic azo dyes were characterized to further probe the interaction of these dyes with two types of surfactant aggregates: (1) the spherical micelles formed in aqueous solution by alkyltrimethylammonium bromide (C(n)TAB) surfactants with n=10-16 and (2) the unilamellar vesicles spontaneously formed in water from binary mixtures of the oppositely-charged double-tailed surfactants cationic didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) and anionic sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate (Aerosol OT or AOT). The observed dye spectra reflect the solvatochromic behavior of the dyes and suggest the location and orientation of the dye within the surfactant aggregates. Deconvolution of the overall spectra into sums of Gaussian curves more readily displays any contributions of tautomeric forms of the azo dyes resulting from intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The rich variation in UV/vis absorption properties of these anionic azo dyes supports their use as sensitive tools to explore the nanostructures of surfactant aggregates.

Structure changes in micelles and adsorbed layers during surfactant polymerization

We have studied the self-assembled structures formed by the cationic surfactant 11-(methacryloyloxy)undecyltrimethylammonium bromide (MUTAB) using small angle neutron scattering as it undergoes UV-initiated polymerization in bulk solution, and the subsequent adsorbed structures at the mica/solution interface using atomic force microscopy. MUTAB forms spheroidal aggregates in aqueous solution with an axial ratio of 2-3 both before and after polymerization, as previously reported in numerous studies. However, at intermediate conversions the micelles surprisingly form elongated structures up to 200 A long. Except for the unpolymerized MUTAB, which forms a featureless adsorbed layer, the micelle structures are largely retained after adsorption: structures are elongated at 50% conversion and globular at 100% conversion. These results demonstrate that the structure of the unpolymerized micelle is not simply kinetically-trapped during polymerization, but undergoes extensive reorganization as the reaction proceeds. This has implications for attempts to capture micellar structure by polymerization and use it to template nanostructured materials or for encapsulation.

Interfacial assembly of an achiral zinc phthalocyanine at the air/water interface: a surface pressure dependent aggregation and supramolecular chirality

The aggregation and supramolecular chirality of the interfacial assemblies of an achiral phthalcyanine derivative, zinc 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(octyloxy)-29 H,31 H-phthaloxyanine (ZnPc), were investigated, and a surface pressure dependent behavior was observed. It was found that ZnPc could be spread as a Langmuir film on water surface and transferred onto solid substrates by the horizontal lifting method. The compound formed mixed J- and H-aggregates in the transferred Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. Deconvolution of the broaden Q-band revealed three main components of the spectra, which corresponded to H- and J-aggregates and medium transition aggregates, whose relative contents could be modulated by the surface pressure at which the films were transferred. On the other hand, the transferred LB films composed of these aggregates showed Cotton effects in circular dichroism spectra when the floating film was compressed over a certain surface pressure although the compound itself was achiral. The cooperative arrangement of the macrocylic ring in a helical manner through the interfacial organization was suggested to be responsible for such optical activity in the LB films. A possible explanation based on the cooperative arrangement of the ZnPc building blocks in a helical sense stacking in the aggregates was proposed.

Ionic liquid induced changes in the properties of aqueous zwitterionic surfactant solution

Modifying properties of aqueous surfactant solutions by addition of external additives is an important area of research. Unusual properties of ionic liquids (ILs) make them ideal candidates for this purpose. Changes in important physicochemical properties of aqueous zwitterionic N-dodecyl- N, N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (SB-12) surfactant solution upon addition of hydrophilic IL 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [bmim][BF 4], are reported. Dynamic light scattering results indicate a dramatic reduction in the average micellar size in the presence of [bmim][BF 4]; micellar (or micelle-like) aggregation in the presence of as high as 30 wt % [bmim][BF 4] is confirmed. Responses from fluorescence probes are used to obtain critical micelle concentration (cmc), aggregation number ( N agg), and dipolarity and microfluidity of the micellar pseudophase of aqueous SB-12 in the presence of [bmim][BF 4]. In general, increasing the amount of [bmim][BF 4] to 30 wt % results in decrease in N agg and increase in cmc. Increase in the dipolarity and the microfluidity of the probe cybotactic region within the micellar pseudophase is observed on increasing [bmim][BF 4] concentration in the solution. It is attributed to increased water penetration into the micellar pseudophase as [bmim][BF 4] is added to aqueous SB-12. It is proposed that IL [bmim][BF 4] behaves similar to an electrolyte and/or a cosurfactant when present at low concentrations and as a polar cosolvent when present at high concentrations. Electrostatic attraction between cation of IL and anion of zwitterion, and anion of IL and cation of zwitterion at low concentrations of [bmim][BF 4] is evoked to explain the observed changes. Presence of IL as cosolvent appears to reduce the efficiency of micellization process by reducing the hydrophobic effect.

Synthesis and characterization of an amphiphilic cyclodextrin, a micelle with two recognition sites

A cyclodextrin derivative (Mod-CD) was synthesized through the monoesterification of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) with 3-((E)-dec-2-enyl)-dihydrofuran-2,5-dione. The compound is an interesting surfactant that can form large aggregates not only through the interaction of the hydrophobic tails as in common amphiphilic compounds but also through the inclusion of the alkenyl chain into the cavity of another Mod-CD molecule. The self-inclusion of the chain in the cavity of cyclodextrin as well as the intermolecular inclusion was demonstrated by 1H NMR measurements that were able to detect methyl groups in three different environments. Besides, in the aggregates of Mod-CD, the cavity is available to interact with external guests such as phenolphthalein, 1-amino adamantane, and Prodan. Phenolphthalein has the same binding constant with Mod-CD and beta-CD, but the equilibrium constant for the interaction with Prodan is about 2 times larger for Mod-CD than for beta-CD. The latter result is attributed to the fact that this probe interacts with the micelle in two binding sites: the cavity of the cyclodextrin and the apolar heart of the micelle as evidenced by the spectrofluorimetric behavior of Prodan in solutions containing different concentrations of Mod-CD.

Modulating properties of aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate by adding hydrophobic ionic liquid

Altering and modifying important physicochemical properties of aqueous surfactant solutions is highly desirable as far as potential applications of such systems are concerned. Changes in the properties of aqueous solutions of a common anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) are assessed in the presence of a common and popular 'hydrophobic' ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (bmimPF(6)). Upon addition of up to approximately 0.10 wt% bmimPF(6), a dramatic decrease in critical micelle concentration (cmc) is accompanied by an increase in the degree of counterion dissociation (alpha) and micellar aggregation number (N(agg)) indicating micellar growth. However, in the range 0.10 wt% < or = bmimPF(6) 2.00 wt%, relatively gradual decrease in alpha and N(agg) is observed along with no change in cmc. Significantly decreased microfluidity of the aqueous SDS solutions on addition of bmimPF(6) is indicated by a fluorescence microviscosity probe 1,3-bis-(1-pyrenyl)propane which suggests partitioning of bmimPF(6) into the SDS micellar phase. Behavior of solvatochromic fluorescence probes, pyrene, pyrene-1-carboxaldehyde, and 2-(p-toluidino)naphthalene-6-sulfonate, confirms interaction, and possible complexation, between IL bmimPF(6) and anionic micellar surface. Increased solubility of bmimPF(6) with increasing SDS concentration further confirms SDS-bmimPF(6) interactions. Presence of strong electrostatic attraction between bmim(+) and anionic micellar surface is proposed to be the most dominant reason for these observations. All-in-all, unique role of a hydrophobic ionic liquid bmimPF(6) in modifying the properties of aqueous anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate is demonstrated.

Wormlike micelles from a cage amine metallosurfactant

We have shown that copper and cobalt metallosurfactants derived from Cu(II) and Co(III) complexes of a macrobicyclic hexamine ("cage") can form wormlike micelles in aqueous solution that may coexist with or easily interconvert with vesicle structures. The cylindrical micelle structures are unusual for triple-chain surfactants with a single headgroup and are not easily accounted for using geometrical packing arguments. The solution behavior has been characterized by cryo-TEM and SAXS measurements. Both the Cu and Co compounds display viscoelastic solutions at 1 wt %, indicating that such behavior may be anticipated for the full variety of stable metal complexes formed by the cage headgroup, auguring applications based on the incorporation of metallo aggregates into mesoporous silica structures.