Speciation of insulin-mimetic VO(IV)-containing drugs in blood serum

The biospeciations of three potential insulin-mimetic VO(IV) compounds, VO(maltolate)(2), VO(picolinate)(2) and VO(6-Me-picolinate)(2), in blood serum were assessed via modelling calculations, using the stability constants reported in the literature for the binary insulin-mimetic complexes and their ternary complexes formed with the most important low molecular mass binders in the serum: oxalic acid, lactic acid, citric acid and phosphate. The binding capabilities of two high molecular mass serum proteins, albumin and transferrin, were also taken into account. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.