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The interaction of cetyltrimethylammoium bromide (CTAB) and its gemini homologue (butanediyl-1,4-bis (dimethylcetylammonium bromide), 16-4-16 with biocompatible polymer sodium alginate (SA) has been investigated in aqueous medium. Addition of K2CO3 influences viscoelastic properties of surfactant impregnated SA via competition between electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Viscosity of these polymer-surfactant systems increases with increase in concentration of K2CO3, and a cryogel is formed at about 0.5M K2CO3 concentration. The thermal stability of gel (5% SA+0.5M K2CO3) decreases with increase in surfactant concentration, a minimum is observed with increase in 16-4-16 concentration. The impact of surfactant addition on the alginate structure vis-à-vis its drug loading capability and release thereof was studied using Ibuprofen (IBU) as the model drug. The hydrogel with 16-4-16 exhibits higher IBU encapsulation and faster release in comparison to the one containing CTAB. This higher encapsulation-cum-faster release capability has been related to micelle mediated solubilization and greater porosity of the hydrogel with gemini surfactant., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The interaction of xanthine oxidase (XO), a key enzyme in purine metabolism, with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and bis(cetyldimethylammonium)butane dibromide (C16C4C16Br2) has been studied using tensiometry, spectrofluorometry, spectrophotometry, and circular dichroism at pH 7.4 and 25 °C. The tensiometric profiles of CTAB and C16C4C16Br2 in the presence of XO exhibit a single break at a lower surfactant concentration termed as C1 compared to their CMC in the buffered solution and show the existence of interaction between the surfactants and the enzyme. The results of the multitechnique approach showed that, although both CTAB as well as C16C4C16Br2 interact with the XO, C16C4C16Br2 interacts more strongly than its conventional single chain counterpart. Fluorescence and absorption measurements revealed that, compared to CTAB, C16C4C16Br2 is more effective in unfolding the enzyme. Change in XO activity by the surfactants was in concurrence with the structural alterations monitored by circular dichroism and showed structural stabilization of XO at higher surfactant concentrations, consistent with the aggregation results. This stabilization has been explained in light of strong tendency of C16C4C16Br2 for micellar growth and membrane/water stabilization of proteins by membrane-like fragments provided by higher concentrations of C16C4C16Br2 . The results are related to the stronger electrostatic and hydrophobic forces in C16C4C16Br2, owing to the presence of two charged headgroups and two hydrophobic tails.