Assessing Ge-132 as an antioxidant in organic and water-containing media

Abstract

The antioxidant activity of Ge-132 (2-carboxyethylgermanium sesquioxide, [(O 0.5) 3 GeCH 2 CH 2 COOH] n), a widely used organic germanium dietary supplement, was assessed by cyclic voltammetry and through its interaction with a stable radical 2,2,-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) monitored by UV-Vis and EPR spectroscopy in water, CH 3 CN, DMF, MeOH, and their mixtures with water. The results obtained by these methods are coherent in that Ge-132 can manifest its antioxidant activity only in the absence of water because the latter hydrolyses its Ge-O-Ge fragment responsible for quenching free radicals. Thus, contrary to a common use of Ge-132 as a water-soluble agent, it can act as an antioxidant solely in a lipid environment, which is important for understanding the mechanism of its biological activity.

Organogermanium Nanowire Cathodes for Efficient Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

“…OG NWs have unique chemical structures, which can lead to highly efficient ASD activity through several paths (Scheme 1). 37,38 (Figure S7a), the hydrolysis evidence is that the bonds of OG NWs are more strongly assigned at ∼3000 cm −1 (C−H stretch), 1692 cm −1 (CO stretch), 1432 cm −1 (C−H stretch), and 1413−1253 cm −1 (O−H stretch) than that of activated OG NWs. 39 Additionally, by the O 1s XPS spectra, the peak of OG NWs exhibits a negative shift from the binding energy of 532 eV (OH − ) to the binding energy of 530.8 eV (O 2− ) after ASD activity (Figure S7b).…”

“…19−22 Organogermanium polymer treatment in the form of ([HOOCCH 2 CH 2 Ge] 2 O 3 ) n during biological processes protects the cell from oxidative damage via direct reducing action. 23 We postulate that this mechanism can be beneficially exploited for scavenging superoxide and thus reducing oxidative damage from oxidative stressors during the ORR/ OER in Li−O 2 batteries. The use of OG NWs based ASD membranes demonstrates enhanced surface-induced growth/ decomposition of the discharge product Li 2 O 2 .…”

2‐Carboxyethylgermanium Sesquioxide as A Promising Anode Material for Li‐Ion Batteries

“…Under the designation of Ge-132, repagermanium and others, it was investigated as having antioxidant, [18] antitumor, [19] antihepatitis, [20] and anti-inflammatory [21] properties. In water, hydrolyzed Ge-132 loses its antioxidant properties, but is effective as an anti-oxidant in an anhydrous environment [22] . This behavior formally resembles the working conditions of the anode material in a lithium-ion battery, where the anode acts as a reducing agent ("antioxidant") with respect to lithium cations.…”

Supramolecular D⋯A-layered structures based on germanium complexes with 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene and N,N′-bidentate ligands

“… 16 This property seems to make germanium unique among organometallic compounds due to, in some cases (for example, derivatives with carboxylic acid 17 ), the toxicity of its salts is comparable to sodium chloride 18 and other typical participants of physiological processes. These features led to the using of germanium derivatives as physiologically active compounds 19 (in particular, they exhibit antioxidant activity 20 ), as well as in green chemistry 21,22 and developing new approaches to functional materials 23 such as Li-ion batteries 24 etc.…”