Edelfosine—A new antineoplastic drug based on a phospholipid-like structure: The Langmuir monolayer study

Edelfosine (1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine, Et-18-OCH3), an anticancer drug based on a phospholipid-like structure, was spread and investigated at the aqueous solution/air interface by means of surface pressure–area (π–A) and electric surface potential–area (ΔV–A) isotherms in addition to Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The influence of such factors as subphase temperature, ionic strength, speed of compression and number of molecules spread at the surface on the characteristics of the π–A isotherms was studied. Edelfosine was found to form stable Langmuir monolayers which are nearly not influenced by the experimental conditions. The relative reflectivity measurements proved that the thickness of monolayer in the vicinity of collapse is 2.4 nm, which corresponds to length of a vertically oriented molecule. Perpendicular orientation of edelfosine molecules just before the film collapse has been confirmed with the apparent dipole moment value, which attains the maximum value in this region.