Application Method

Melting Point of Cholesterol

Application Method

Detailed Method to Determine the Melting Point of Cholesterol for COVID-19 Vaccines

Correct and accurate melting point measurements depend upon reliable instruments. Learn how to achieve compliant cholesterol measurements according to national and international Pharmacopoeia.
Correct and accurate melting point measurements depend upon reliable instruments. Learn how to achieve compliant cholesterol measurements according to national and international Pharmacopoeia.

Importance of the Melting Point of Cholesterol

Nucleic acid (RNA) vaccines have become the first COVID-19 vaccines approved for emergency use. A key ingredient used in RNA vaccines is cholesterol: this component is being recognized as a molecule involved in regulating the entry of the vaccine into the host cell. This occurs by a process known as endocytosis. In other words, cholesterol helps our cells for taking the vaccine in.

The cholesterol monograph is present in national and international pharmacopoeias such as the European Pharmacopoeia, United States Pharmacopoeia, Japanese Pharmacopoeia and Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China.

 

Melting Point Measurement Principle

To verify the identity and purity of a crystalline substance, the pharmacopoeia monograph requires a check of its melting point. Visually, this is observed as the point at which the last crystal of the substance melts. A pure substance has a sharp melting point, whereas an impure substance melts over a wide temperature range lower than the melting point of the pure substance.

With this application note you will learn how to determine the melting point of cholesterol using the METTLER TOLEDO Melting Point systems.

Download our free application note and benefit from our knowledge on measuring the melting point of cholesterol.