Some structural and dynamical properties of multilamellar vesicles incorporated with propranolol

Summary Spin labelling ESR, calorimetry and³¹P NMR have been used to investigate dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine dispersions incorporated with propranolol which is a β-adrenoceptor blocking drug, widely used in the treatment of arrhythmy. The drug appears to enter the lipid bilayer also at the lowest concentrations and to induce a progressive fluidification of multilamellar vesicles. In fact, the presence of drug reduces the temperature of chain melting transition and the corresponding cooperation number. Furthermore the phase transitionL _β′ −P _β′ is not observable also at the lowest drug concentrations. Work presented at the First USSR-Italy Bilateral Meeting on Liquid Crystals held in Portonovo, Ancona (Italy), September 30–October 2, 1987.