Microviscosity in lecithin liposomes: effect of nicotinic acid.
We have studied the effect of nicotinic acid, a drug commonly used as a vasodilatory agent and also for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, on the fluidity profile of liposomes of egg lecithin and dipalmitoyl lecithin, using a fluorescent polarization probe. In both cases the drug decreases the membrane fluidity and for cholesterol-probed liposomes, it disrupts the "intermediate fluid condition" induced by cholesterol. The drug also affects the activation energy for diffusion in the hydrophobic region of the liposomes.
Bhattacharyya
M
M
Department of Physics and Chemistry, Jadavpur University, Calcutta, India.
Bhowmik
B B
BB
Nandy
P
P
D000465:Algorithms; D004058:Diffusion; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D008081:Liposomes; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects; D009525:Niacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D014783:Viscosity
D008081:Liposomes; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D009525:Niacin