The effect of anionic dicephalic surfactants on fabrication of varied-core nanocarriers for sustained release of porphyrin photosensitizers.

Double-headed anionic surfactants could provide a profound group of efficient stabilizers of new template-mediated nanocarriers for effective encapsulation and sustained release of highly hydrophobic photosensitizers, and therefore their improved therapeutic activity in photodynamic therapy (PDT) protocols. We have thus encapsulated porphyrin-origin dyes, i.e.

New gluconamide-type cationic surfactants: Interactions with DNA and lipid membranes.

New linear cationic surfactants - 2-(alkyldimethylammonio)ethylgluconamide bromides, denoted as CnGAB, n=10, 12, 14 and 16 - were synthesized from natural resources and characterized with respect to their potential as gene-delivery agents in gene therapy applications. Interactions with plasmid DNA and with model membranes were studied both experimentally and theoretically. The compounds with n=12, 14 and 16 show exponentially increasing ability to fully condense DNA.

Gemini ester quat surfactants and their biological activity.

Cationic gemini surfactants are an important class of surface-active compounds that exhibit much higher surface activity than their monomeric counterparts. This type of compound architecture lends itself to the compound being easily adsorbed at interfaces and interacting with the cellular membranes of microorganisms. Conventional cationic surfactants have high chemical stability but poor chemical and biological degradability.

Experimental and theoretical approach to aggregation behavior of new di-N-oxide surfactants in an aquatic environment.

A homologous series of new dicephalic type surfactants (N,N-bis3,3'-(dimethylamino)propyl]alkylamide di-N-oxides) were synthesized and their aggregation phenomena were extensively studied. First, the pH-sensitivity of the investigated surfactants was tested in potentiometric titrations. Then, the adsorption isotherms were measured and interpreted using the Gibbs adsorption equation to determine physicochemical properties.

Ecotoxicity and biodegradability of antielectrostatic dicephalic cationic surfactants.

Four series of dicephalic cationic surfactants, considered as new antielectrostatic agents have been investigated in order to establish their toxicity and biodegradability. Among them N,N-bis[3,3'-(dimethylamine)propyl]alkylamides, N,N-bis[3,3'-(dimethylamine)propyl]alkylamide dihydrochlorides, N,N-bis[3,3'-(trimethylammonio)propyl]alkylamide dibromides and N,N-bis[3,3'-(trimethylammonio)propyl]alkylamide dimethylsulphates with different hydrophobic chain length (n-C(9)H(19) to n-C(15)H(31)) and type of counterion (chloride, bromide and methylsulfate) have been studied. The inhibitory effect against microorganisms has been examined using model gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and yeasts.