The haemolytic activity of sols containing progesterone solubilized by phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine

Abstract

Abstract Lysis of rat erythrocytes by aqueous dispersions containing lysophosphatidylcholine (lpc), phosphatidylcholine (pc) and progesterone has been studied. The haemolytic activity of lpc was reduced by saturating it with progesterone; mixed lpc-pc micelles owed their lytic activity to the lpc alone. Cholesterol solubilized together with progesterone by lpc greatly reduced the lytic activity of the lpc, and when solubilized with progesterone by a 1:1 mixture of lpc and pc, prevented haemolysis. Triolein also inhibited the haemolytic properties of the sols.