Effects of various media on micellization, adsorption and thermodynamic behaviour of imipramine hydrochloride and antimicrobial surfactant mixtures

The effect of various media (aqueous, NaCl, urea (U) and thiourea (TU)) on the micellization and adsorption activity of varied mixtures of imipramine hydrochloride (IMP) and benzethonium chloride (BZCl) is investigated via tensiometry. In an aqueous medium, the interactions between IMP and BZCl are also evaluated using UV–visible and FTIR spectroscopy. The interaction between components increases with increased mole fraction ( α 1 ) of BZCl in the mixed system (IMP + BZCl). Different parameters, such as micellar and the mixed monolayer component composition, the interaction parameters of the solution and the interface, the activity coefficients of the components in solution and at the interface, and thermodynamic parameters, are computed using different proposed theoretical models (i.e. Clint, Motomura, Rubingh and Rosen). The cmc values obtained for the pure components and mixtures (IMP + BZCl) of all the compositions are found to be less in NaCl than in the aqueous solution while found more in the presence of U or TU. TU is more effective in increasing the cmc of the pure and mixed systems than U. The Gibbs free energy ( Δ G mic ∘ ) values of the studied pure and mixed systems are negative, showing the spontaneous nature of the reaction.

Investigation of Solution Behavior of Antidepressant Imipramine Hydrochloride Drug and Non-Ionic Surfactant Mixture: Experimental and Theoretical Study

In this paper, the interaction of imipramine hydrochloride (IMP, antidepressant drug) and a non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 (TX-100) mixture in five different ratios through the tensiometric method in different solvents (aqueous/0.050 mol·kg−1 aqueous NaCl/0.250 mol·kg−1 aqueous urea (U)) were examined thoroughly at a temperature of 298 K. UV–Visible studies in an aqueous system of IMP + TX-100 mixtures were also investigated and discussed in detail. The pure (IMP and TX-100) along with the mixtures’ critical micelle concentration (cmc) were assessed by a tensiometric technique. The obtained deviation of the mixtures’ cmc values from their ideal values revealed the nonideal behavior of IMP + TX-100 mixtures amongst IMP and TX-100. Compared to aqueous systems, in the presence of aqueous NaCl, several changes in micelles/mixed micelles occurred, and hence a synergism/attractive interaction amongst components was found increased while in the existence of U, the synergism/attractive interaction between them decreased. The evaluated interaction parameter (βRb) value of mixed micelles showed the attractive or synergism between the IMP and TX-100. Various evaluated thermodynamic parameters in an aqueous system showed that the mixed micellization of the IMP + TX-100 mixture was an entropically spontaneous phenomenon, although the existence of salt in all studied systems can somewhat increase the spontaneity of the micellization process and in the aqueous U system, the spontaneity of the micellization process decreased. In an aqueous system, the interaction between IMP and TX-100 was also confirmed by UV–Visible study.

Influence of Smallanthus sonchifolius (Yacon) on the Activity of Antidepressant Drugs in Mice

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the world that negatively affects the daily functioning of patients. Numerous studies are currently being conducted to examine the antidepressant potential of innovative synthetic compounds and herbal substances. Yacon, Smallantchus sonchifolius, belongs to plants with numerous health-beneficial properties. Yacon-based products are regarded as a functional food. In our study, we attempted to check whether administration of Yacon tuber extract would have an antidepressant effect in the forced swim test (FST) in mice and whether its intake could influence the activity of conventional antidepressant drugs with different mechanisms of action, i.e., imipramine hydrochloride, fluoxetine hydrochloride, and reboxetine mesylate. The spontaneous locomotor activity of the tested mice was also investigated to eliminate any false-positive results. We demonstrated that an intragastric administration of the Yacon tuber extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg induced the antidepressant-like behavior in the FST in mice and that a combined administration of the sub-effective doses of the Yacon extract (50 mg/kg) with imipramine hydrochloride (7.5 mg/kg), fluoxetine hydrochloride (20 mg/kg), or reboxetine mesylate (5 mg/kg) significantly reduced the immobility time of animals in this behavioral test. The obtained results were not affected by the increased locomotor activity of the tested subjects. In conclusion, our findings suggest that Yacon tuber extract is promising as an alternative mood-improving product since it possesses an antidepressant potential and it can acts synergistically with conventional antidepressant drugs.