Lipophilic compounds, protein inactivation

Pharmacokinetic properties Fentanyl (Scholz et al., 1996) is a highly lipophilic compound and about 80% binds to plasma proteins. After parenteral administration it has a rapid onset and a short duration of action. The compound is rapidly transported into the CNS and lipid tissues. The short duration of action is due to redistribution rather than metabolic inactivation or excretion. It is released from tissue depots with a half-life of about 4 h and the terminal half-life is up to 7 h. The main metabolites, excreted in urine are 4-N-(N-propionylanilino)-piperidine and the N-hydroxypropionyl derivative. 

Lipophilic compounds, such as the various terpenoids, tend to associate with other hydrophobic molecules in a cell these can be biomembranes or the hydrophobic core of many proteins and of the DNA double helix [10,18,24,25]. In proteins, such hydrophobic and van der Waals interactions can also lead to conformational changes, and thus protein inactivation. A major target for terpenoids, especially saponins, is the biomembrane. Saponins (and, among them, the steroid alkaloids) can change the fluidity of biomembranes, thus reducing their function as a permeation barrier. Saponins can even make cells leaky, and this immediately leads to cell death. This can easily be seen in erythrocytes when they are attacked by saponins these cells burst and release hemoglobin (hemolysis) [1,6,17]. Among alkaloids, steroidal alkaloids (from Solanaceae) and other terpenoids have these properties. 

Phenolic compounds disrupt cell walls and membranes, precipitate proteins, and inactivate enzymes. They are bactericidal (including mycobacteria) and fungicidal and they are capable of inactivating lipophilic viruses. They are not sporicidal. Dilution and time of exposure recommendations of the manufacturer must be followed. 

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