Speciation of insulin-mimetic VO(IV)-containing drugs in blood serum

The biospeciations of three potential insulin-mimetic VO(IV) compounds, VO(maltolate) 2, VO(picolinate) 2 and VO(6-Me-picolinate) 2, in blood serum were assessed via modelling calculations, using the stability constants reported in the literature for the binary insulin-mimetic complexes and their ternary complexes formed with the most important low molecular mass binders in the serum: oxalic acid, lactic acid, citric acid and phosphate. The binding capabilities of two high molecular mass serum proteins, albumin and transferrin, were also taken into account.