Hemolytic activity of polyoxyethylene cholesteryl ethers

Hemolytic activity of nonionic surfactants, polyoxyethylene cholesteryl ethers, C₂₇H₄₅O(CH₂CH₂O) _n H (Chol-E _n ,n=, 25, 30, 50) and polyoxyethylene dihydrocholeseryl ethers, C₂₇H₄₇O(CH₂CH₂O) _n H (DHChol-E _n ,n=15, 30 50) were measured, changing the concentration of surfactant and erythrocyte at 37 °C. Maximum hemolytic activity was observed in these cholesteryl derivatives with 25–30 oxyethylene units. The time course of hemolysis was also measured as a function of the concentrations of surfactant and erythrocyte. Hemolysis started after a certain induction period,, and then apparently proceeded as a first-order reaction with respect to the erythrocyte concentration. The surfactant inducing 50% hemolysis at low concentration had a small value and large rate constant. The maximum amount of adsorption without inducing hemolysis,a ₀, decreased with increasing polyoxyethylene chain length. Chol-E₂₅ has the maximum activity for the solubilization of egg yolk lecithin at 37 °C. Based on these results, the mechanism of hemolysis by these surfactants was quantitatively discussed.