Search

1,1',2-Trisnorsqualenoic acid was conjugated to paclitaxel to obtain the squalenoyl-paclitaxel prodrug with the aim to improve the incorporation in phospholipid bilayers. Differential scanning calorimetry technique was employed to compare the interaction of squalenoyl-paclitaxel prodrug and free paclitaxel with phospholipid bilayers. The possibility of using lipid vesicles as carrier for the prodrug was also evaluated. An increased encapsulation into phospholipid bilayers of squalenoyl-paclitaxel with respect to the free drug was observed. The ability of lipid vesicles to retain the loaded prodrug was also observed which make this system to be considered as carrier for the prodrug., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cytarabine (1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine, Ara-C), a pyrimidine nucleoside analogue, is an attractive therapeutic agent for the treatment of both acute and chronic myeloblastic leukemias. 1,1',2-tris-nor-Squalene acid (squaleneCOOH) has been conjugated to cytarabine with the formation of the squalenoyl-cytarabine prodrug, in order to improve the drug lipophilicity and, consequently, the affinity towards the environment of biological membranes, as well as of lipophilic carriers. The interaction of cytarabine and its prodrug with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) multilamellar vesicles and monolayers has been studied by the differential scanning calorimetry and the Langmuir-Blodgett techniques. The interaction has been evaluated considering the effect of the compounds on the DMPC MLV and monolayers behaviour. The aim was to have information on the interaction of the drug and the prodrug with the biological membranes and on the possibility to use liposomes as carriers for the prodrug. The results showed an improved affinity of the prodrug with MLV and monolayers with respect to the free drug., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acyclovir has been conjugated to the acyclic isoprenoid chain of squalene to form the squalenoyl-acyclovir prodrug. Its interaction with biomembrane models constituted by dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) monolayers has been studied by employing the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The aim of the work was to gain information on the interaction of these compounds with phospholipid membranes. DMPC/acyclovir or squalenoyl-acyclovir prodrug mixed monolayers have been prepared at increasing molar fractions of the compound and the isotherm mean molecular area/surface pressure has been registered at 10 and 37 degrees C. Results reveal that the squalenoyl moiety enhances the affinity of acyclovir for the biomembrane model.