Effect of curcumin on liposome: curcumin as a molecular probe for monitoring interaction of ionic liquids with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine liposome.

Recent increase and wider use of ionic liquids (ILs) for various applications has drawn attention to their toxicological consequence on human health. The present study explores effects of three different kinds of widely used ILs, such as 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride, 1-buytl-3-methyl imadazolium tetrafluoroborate and 1-benzyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate, on liposome properties of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) by applying curcumin as molecular probe. Fluorescence intensity of curcumin is reported as a novel rotor which is sensitive to viscosity and thus the fluidity of the solvent. It follows a linear relationship of log fluorescence vs viscosity as proposed by Förster-Hoffmann equation. Curcumin binds strongly to liposome. At low concentration, the lipophilic drug curcumin does not appreciably influence the phase transition temperature of DPPC but as concentration reaches high levels significantly depresses the phase transition temperature. ILs diminish membrane fluidity. 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride disorders membrane properties by lowering the phase transition as is observed for higher concentration of curcumin, but 1-buytl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate and 1-benzyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate do not modify phase transition temperature perceptibly; rather they broaden the phase transition at low molar concentration ratio. The three different kinds of ILs under study behave similarly at a high IL:DPPC ratio (1:2), while they behave differently at lower ratios (1:10-1:5).