Long hydrocarbon chain keto diols and diacids that favorably alter lipid disorders in vivo.

Keto-substituted hydrocarbons with 11-19 methylene and bis-terminal hydroxyl and carboxyl groups have been synthesized and evaluated in both in vivo and in vitro assays for their potential to favorably alter lipid disorders including metabolic syndrome. Compounds were assessed for their effects on the de novo incorporation of radiolabeled acetate into lipids in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes as well as for their effects on lipid and glycemic variables in obese female Zucker fatty rats [Crl:(ZUC)-faBR] following 1 and 2 weeks of oral administration. The most active compounds were found to be symmetrical with four to five methylene groups separating the central ketone functionality and the gem dimethyl or methyl/aryl substituents.

The chemical inventory system of the center for heterocyclic compounds, University of Florida.

A system suitable for tracking the amounts and locations of ca. 10 000 chemicals is described.

1H NMR spectroscopic characterization of solutions of Sepia melanin, Sepia melanin free acid and human hair melanin.

A 1H nuclear magnetic resonance study of Sepia melanin, Sepia melanin free acid (Sepia MFA) and human hair melanin was carried out in deuterium oxide solution at pH 10-11. The empirical formula of Sepia MFA was calculated and used to estimate the number of protons in the aromatic region of the Sepia MFA polymeric chain and to suggest a possible monomeric unit profile.