Features
- Nycodenz® is an off-white powder, freely soluble in water. Solution up to 80% (w/v) with a density of 1.426 g/ml can be prepared
- were originally developed as an X-ray contrast medium and have therefore been subjected to rigorous clinical testing
- is non-ionic, non-toxic to cells and metabolically inert
- can be used for the isolation of cells, subcellular organelles and membranes, macromolecules and viruses
- forms true solutions. It is therefore easy to remove the medium from the cells after fractionation
- is resistant to bacterial degradation
- solutions can be autoclaved
- is the trademark name for iohexol, whose systematic name is 5-(N-2,3-dihydroxypropylacetamido)-2,4,6-tri-iodo-N-N’-bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)isophthalamide. It has a molecular weight of 821
The chemical properties and stability of Nycodenz® are related to its structure. Its high density derives from the presence of a substituted triiodobenzene ring linked to a number of hydrophilic groups which are responsible for the high water solubility of Nycodenz®. It is a nonionic derivative of metrizoic acid; the carboxyl group present in metrizoic acid is linked to the amine group of 3-amino-1,2-propanediol. The dihydroxypropylacetamido side chain is responsible for the very low toxicity of Nycodenz® compared to metrizamide. Nycodenz® has a defined melting point between 174 and 1800C. The iodinated aromatic nucleus absorbs strongly in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum with an absorbtion maximum of 244 nm.
Menu
X
