The physico-chemical properties of the levo- and dextrorotatory menthol isomers as well as the corresponding racemic compound were studied using X-ray single-crystal or powder diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry experiments. As a result, the not yet determined crystal structure of DL-menthol was solved. Moreover, the stable and metastable experimental temperature-composition phase diagrams of the L-menthol/D-menthol binary system were determined. The thermodynamic relative stability of the different menthol polymorphs was also established. The present paper provides new physical, chemical and thermodynamic data of L-, D- and DL-menthol and offers new insight into their polymorphism as well as into the levorotatory–dextrorotatory menthol interactions. Both the thermodynamic and crystallographic approaches demonstrate unambiguously that racemic menthol is a racemate.

We present the synthesis, structure determination, and thermodynamic properties of a never reported cocrystal prepared with lidocaine and l-menthol. The temperature−composition phase diagram of the lidocaine/l-menthol binary system was achieved using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction experiments. The present study demonstrates that the only way to perform a phase equilibrium survey of the lidocaine/l-menthol system is to prepare the binary mixtures from the cocrystal, an equimolar stoichiometric compound of l-menthol and lidocaine. We describe a process that is crucial to elaborate pharmaceutical agents that remain in their thermodynamical stable state throughout their preparation, manufacture, and storage for effective use.

(1) Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent cerebral tumor. It almost always relapses and there is no validated treatment for second-line GBM. We proposed the coencapsulation of fisetin and cisplatin into liposomes, aiming to (i) obtain a synergistic effect by combining the anti-angiogenic effect of fisetin with the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin, and (ii) administrate fisetin, highly insoluble in water. The design of a liposomal formulation able to encapsulate, retain and deliver both drugs appeared a challenge. (2) Methods: Liposomes with increasing ratios of cholesterol/DOPC were prepared and characterized in term of size, PDI and stability. The incorporation of fisetin was explored using DSC. The antiangiogneic and cytotoxic activities of the selected formulation were assayed in vitro. (3) Results: We successfully developed an optimized liposomal formulation incorporating both drugs, composed by DOPC/cholesterol/DODA-GLY-PEG2000 at a molar ratio of 75.3/20.8/3.9, with a diameter of 173 ± 8 nm (PDI = 0.12 ± 0.01) and a fisetin and cisplatin drug loading of 1.7 ± 0.3% and 0.8 ± 0.1%, respectively, with a relative stability over time. The maximum incorporation of fisetin into the bilayer was determined at 3.2% w/w. Then, the antiangiogenic activity of fisetin was maintained after encapsulation. The formulation showed an additive effect of cisplatin and fisetin on GBM cells; (4) Conclusions: The developed co-loaded formulation was able to retain the activity of fisetin, was effective against GBM cells and is promising for further in vivo experimentations.