Effect of microwave radiation on permeability of liposomes. Evidence against non-thermal leakage.

PAPER pubmed Biochimica et biophysica acta 1994 In vitro study Effect: no_effect Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1016/0304-4165(94)90150-3 PMID: 7918582 Evidence Lab

Abstract

The effect of 2.45 GHz microwave radiation on the permeability of unilamellar phosphatidylcholine liposomes has been studied. Leakage of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein from the liposomes was measured using spectrofluorimetry after exposure to either microwaves or thermal heating for 5-20 min intervals. The exposure temperature, 37.6 +/- 0.5 degrees C, was well above the phase transition temperature of the lipid membrane. The microwave exposure did not result in any non-thermal increase in permeability above that produced by thermal heating. This study refutes the results reported by Saalman et al. [1] in which an increased liposome permeability due to microwave exposure was reported. The refined analysis in the present study shows that this increased liposome permeability was not a non-thermal microwave effect.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

In vitro study

Effect direction

no_effect

Population

—

Sample size

—

Exposure

microwave · 2450 MHz · 5–20 min

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 78% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

In unilamellar phosphatidylcholine liposomes exposed at 37.6 ± 0.5 °C, 2.45 GHz microwave exposure did not produce a non-thermal increase in permeability beyond that seen with thermal heating for the same 5–20 min intervals. The authors conclude that previously reported increased permeability was not a non-thermal microwave effect.

Outcomes measured

Liposome membrane permeability
Leakage of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein from unilamellar phosphatidylcholine liposomes

Limitations

No sample size reported in abstract
Specific absorption rate (SAR) or dosimetry details not reported in abstract
Exposure temperature was above the lipid phase transition temperature, which may limit generalizability to other membrane states

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "in_vitro",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "microwave",
        "source": null,
        "frequency_mhz": 2450,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "5–20 min"
    },
    "population": null,
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Liposome membrane permeability",
        "Leakage of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein from unilamellar phosphatidylcholine liposomes"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In unilamellar phosphatidylcholine liposomes exposed at 37.6 ± 0.5 °C, 2.45 GHz microwave exposure did not produce a non-thermal increase in permeability beyond that seen with thermal heating for the same 5–20 min intervals. The authors conclude that previously reported increased permeability was not a non-thermal microwave effect.",
    "effect_direction": "no_effect",
    "limitations": [
        "No sample size reported in abstract",
        "Specific absorption rate (SAR) or dosimetry details not reported in abstract",
        "Exposure temperature was above the lipid phase transition temperature, which may limit generalizability to other membrane states"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "2.45 GHz",
        "microwave radiation",
        "liposomes",
        "phosphatidylcholine",
        "permeability",
        "carboxyfluorescein leakage",
        "non-thermal effects",
        "thermal heating"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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