amino acids, can be mixed, resulting in a compound that still will be liquid when all residual water has evaporated. This remaining liquid keeps the usually low polar volatile fragrances dissolved. To obtain evidence for the role of NADES in other biological
processes, Dr. Choi
conducted further experiments in an attempt to demonstrate the presence of NADES
in barley spectroscopy he was able
presence of equimolar amounts of choline and sugar in the tissues where germination starts. This NADES could thus serve as a solvent for the enzymes involved in germination, which become active when the NADES is diluted with water. Prof. Geert-Jan Witkamp says that the
stabilising nature of these liquids, their strong ability to retain water and the
seeds. Using NMR to show the
subject to limitations in terms of being administered, due to their resistance to being dissolved in water. Prof. Witkamp says that a large number of these drugs that cannot be dissolved using water, can quite easily be dissolved using NADES. One particular characteristic that makes
NADES well suited to this purpose is the ability to be tailor-made to suit different compounds. For example,
the antitumor
drug paclitaxel is not water soluble at all, but dissolved quite well in NADES, and thus could potentially be used for oral formulations. The food industry can also benefit from
the advent of these NADES. The ability to make a bespoke solvent that dissolves only the desired flavour-giving element of a food has massive potential for industrial application. A major advantage of all the
“In reality, there is a NADES in the flower which remains after the water has gone, and helps the flower to retain its fragrance”
lowered melting (and hence freezing) points, may be key to certain plants’ abilities to survive in extreme conditions. ‘‘There may be a way in which a plant
controls the water activity in its system, the water activity effectively representing the amount of free water available,’’ he explains. Prof. Witkamp is not solely interested in the solving of
biological phenomena,
however, and a large part of his work has been aimed at discovering ways to use these NADES and their unique properties in real world situations. An area in which these newly discovered
liquids can be put to use is the world of pharmaceuticals. Many existing drugs are
NADES components is that they are non- toxic, and are in fact
present in large
amounts in most food. Pharmaceuticals and the food industry are not the limit of possible applications
sustainable solvents, however, as
propensity for dissolving proteins may lead to their use in a great multitude of enzymatic reactions integral to the chemical industry. Prof. Witkamp draws an analogy with
ionic liquids, where it has been claimed that
around 1018 combinations are
possible. A similarly vast array of NADES with differing properties should also be achievable, but the professor and his colleagues are quick to point out that designing NADES with specific intended properties
such as polarity or strength
will only come through partnership with other companies and researchers who would help bring a deeper understanding of the fields in which the NADES may potentially be used. However, these three researchers also believe that the right kind of assistance will be attracted by the far-reaching
potential these new solvents. applications of
for these non-toxic and their
Young Hae Choi Young Hae Choi has been working as a head of Natural Products Laboratory group in Institute of Biology, Leiden University since 2009. His current research interests are plant metabolomics, biosynthesis, refining of metabolites by chemical engineering techniques, and natural deep eutectic solvents.
Contact: Tel: +31 71 527 4510 Email:
y.choi@
chem.leidenuniv.nl Web:
www.leidennpl.org
AT A GLANCE Project Information
Project Title: NADES: Natural deep eutectic solvents: the missing link in understanding cellular metabolism in physiology
Project Objective: The main objective of project is to confirm the presence of natural media alternative to water and lipids in living organisms, to clarify their physiological roles, and developing novel industrial applications of the NADES
Project Duration and Timing: 3 years, March 2013 to February 2016
Project Funding: NWO (Netherland Organisation for Scientific Research, Chemical Science)
Project Partners: TU-Delft
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