Abstract: Described herein are pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising fullerene molecules dispersed in vesicles comprising phosphatidylcholine (PC) phospholipid molecules and non-PC phospholipid molecules suspended in aqueous solution. In preferred embodiments, the phospholipid molecules are substantially uniformly organized into vesicles composed of one or more lipid bilayers and the fullerene molecules are substantially uniformly distributed within the lipid bilayers of the vesicles. Methods of forming these fullerene containing liposomes are also described. Such fullerene containing liposomes provide carriers for delivery of fullerenes for cosmetic, therapeutic, and imaging applications among other uses.

Abstract: This invention provides novel fullerene derivatives, particularly fullerene derivatives that are water-soluble, that modulate the activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and/or calmodulin. The invention provides methods for modulating NOS activity and particularly provides methods for inhibiting NOS activity, by contacting one or more fullerene derivatives of this invention with cells or tissue that exhibit NOS activity. In a specific embodiment, the invention provides water-soluble fullerene derivatives that are selective inhibitors of neuronal NOS or iNOS. Preferred water soluble fullerenes have substituents that contain one or more amine groups, amine cationic groups.