The interaction of mequitazine with phospholipid model membranes

The effect of increasing concentrations of mequitazine, a quinuclidinylmethyl-phenothiazine, on the phase transition temperature (T_c), the broadening of the transition peak, the enthalpy and entropy of transition of dimyristoyl-, dipalmitoyl- and distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes was studied. Pest critical micelle concentrations of mequitazine (CMC = 5.23 X 10^?2M), caused broadening of the transition peak and lowering of the T_c of pure liposomes. The ratio of peak heights from the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of egg phosphatidycholine liposomes was used as a criterion for assessing the interaction of the drug with phospholipid membranes. Mequitazine interacts with both the polar head groups and hydrophobic membrane interior.