title: Supra-molecular association and polymorphic behaviour in systems containing bile acid salts.
abstract: A wide number of supra-molecular association modes are observed in mixtures containing water and bile salts, BS, (with, eventually, other components). Molecular or micellar solutions transform into hydrated solids, fibres, lyotropic liquid crystals and/or gels by raising the concentration, the temperature, adding electrolytes, surfactants, lipids and proteins. Amorphous or ordered phases may be formed accordingly. The forces responsible for this very rich polymorphism presumably arise from the unusual combination of electrostatic, hydrophobic and hydrogen-bond contributions to the system stability, with subsequent control of the supra-molecular organisation modes. The stabilising effect due to hydrogen bonds does not occur in almost all surfactants or lipids and is peculiar to bile acids and salts. Some supra-molecular organisation modes, supposed to be related to malfunctions and dis-metabolic diseases in vivo, are briefly reported and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica and SOFT-INFM-CNR Research Centre, Università La Sapienza, P.le A. Moro 5, Roma, I-00185, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calabresi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andreozzi
authors.forename: Camillo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Mesa
mesh_terms: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008823:Micelles; D008968:Molecular Conformation
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D008823:Micelles