Possibility of using fullerene C₂₄₀ as the carrier of steroid hormones

Fullerene molecules are created entirely of carbon and form orbicular or ellipsoidal cage shape similar to a hollow tube. The derivatives of fullerenes are classified into the following categories according to their functionalization: endohedral fullerenes with active molecules residing inside the carbon cage, exohedral with wide variety of both inorganic and organic groups existing outside and connected to the fullerenes’ exterior and heterofullerenes when one or more carbon atoms that form the fullerene carbon cage are replaced by a non-carbon atom, i.e. a heteroatom. Fullerene C₂₄₀belongs to the family of giant fullerenes and is characterized by a greater stability than that of the well-known fullerene C₆₀. This has been proved by observing an increased formation heat that accompanied the decreasing of the carbon cage size.In order to determine the fullerene C₂₄₀ ability to transport the steroid hormones: estradiol, progesterone, androsterone and their basic structures: estrone, androstane and pregnane, the following parameters, inter alia, have been calculated: energies of stabilization, interaction and deformation of each endohedral complex. The calculations for all chosen structures were carried out with the use of the molecular modeling technique. Based on all available studies, it can be stated that fullerene C₂₄₀ could be a solution for problems faced by medicine and pharmacy.