Interaction of antiaggregant molecule ajoene with membranes. An ESR and 1H, 2H, 31P-NMR study.

The structure of ajoene, a molecule extracted from garlic, has been studied by 1H-NMR and its interaction with model membranes by 1H-, 2H-, 31-P-NMR and ESR experiments. This study clearly shows that the ajoene molecule is located deep in the layer and is close to the interlayer medium. Moreover while NMR experiments show that the membrane structure is only slightly affected by the presence of ajoene, ESR experiments reveal significant modifications in phospholipid dynamics. This interaction, observed before with the phenothiazine derivative, promazine, results in an increase of the membrane fluidity in its hydrophobic part and could be related to clinical properties of ajoene.