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Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Development, Characterization, and Evaluation of CAGE-based Ionic Liquid Systems for Transdermal Delivery
Published on: September 26, 2025
Effect of choline carboxylate ionic liquids on biological membranes
Doris Rengstl1, Birgit Kraus2, Matthew Van Vorst3
1Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Choline carboxylates, ChCm, with m=2-10 and choline oleate are known as biocompatible substances, yet their influence on biological membranes is not well-known, and the effect on human skin has not previously been investigated. The short chain choline carboxylates ChCm with m=2, 4, 6 act as hydrotropes, solubilizing hydrophobic compounds in aqueous solution, while the longer chain choline carboxylates ChCm with m=8, 10 and oleate are able to form micelles. In the present study, the cytotoxicity of choline carboxylates was tested using HeLa and SK-MEL-28 cells. The influence of these substances on liposomes prepared from dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) was also evaluated to provide insights on membrane interactions. It was observed that the choline carboxylates with a chain length of m>8 distinctly influence the bilayer, while the shorter ones had minimal interaction with the liposomes.
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