1-Dodecylimidazole

1-Dodecylimidazole (N-Dodecylimidazole) is a lysosomotropic detergent and a cytotoxic agent. 1-Dodecylimidazole causes cell death by its acid-dependent accumulation in lysosomes, disruption of the lysosomal membrane, and releaseof cysteine proteases into the cytoplasm. 1-Dodecylimidazole has hypocholesterolaemic activity and broad-spectrum antifungal activity.(In Vitro):N-dodecylimidazole, an acid activated detergent with a pKa of 6.3, has been shown to be cytotoxic to cells in culture. N-dodecylimidazole displayed extracellular pH (pHe)-dependent cytotoxicity against EMT-6 and MGH U1 cells. cell killing was dose dependent and was 100-fold greater at pHe 6.0 than pHe 7.0.(In Vivo):The hypocholesterolaemic activity of 1-dodecylimidazole results in part from the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis at the level of 2,3-oxidosqualene sterol cyclase.1-dodecylimidazole (150 mg/kg body wt; by stomach tube; daily for 10 days) has lower serum cholesterol concentrations than control rats.