Abstract
A crystalline mixture of 90 % Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and 10% Dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) was analyzed for its suitability as a surfactant replacement using a specifically designed modified Wilhelmy balance.A suspension prepared by vigorous shaking in 0.9% NaCl at 20° and 37° did not adsorb to the air-water interface (γ max 72.6 dyn/cm, γ min 69.8 dyn/cm,S.I. 0.04). When prepared in multilayered liposomes after drying,the material was adsorbed to the surface, spread rapidly to a film,and was highly surface-active (γ max 70.4 dyn/cm, γ min 3.7 dyn/cm,S.I. 1.83). After solubilization with ultrasound,a clear solution resulted which was not surface-active (γ max 72.2 dyn/cm, γ min 56.1 dyn/cm,S.I. 0.39) due to the formation of stable vesicles unable to form a film at the surface. Compared to DPPC alone which adsorbs to the surface in more than 90 minutes at 37°C,the material investigated adsorbed to a surface-active film in less than 10 minutes. The minimal film concentration of DPPC-DPPG displaying maximal surface-tension lowering ability was 2.55 μg/cm2 in the liposomal preparation.
No local or general toxicity was found in rabbits after tracheal instillation of the surfactant substitute during mechanical ventilation. Autohistoradiography showed the 3-H-labeled material at the alveolar wall 30 minutes after instillation into the tracheal tube.
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Obladen, M., Klatt, I. & Bickel, H. A Synthetic Surfactant Substitute: 80. Pediatr Res 14, 178 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198002000-00107
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198002000-00107