A method is provided for enhancing the solubility of an ionizable compound
in a lipophilic medium by admixing the compound with an effective
solubility-enhancing amount of an N,N-dinitramide salt. The ionizable
compound, upon ionization, gives rise to a biologically active cationic
species that ionically associates with the N,N-dinitramide anion
N(NO.sub.2).sub.2.sup.- following admixture with the N,N-dinitramide salt.
The biologically active cationic species may be a pharmacologically active
cation, in which case the method is useful for enhancing the penetration
of the blood-brain barrier by the pharmacologically active cation. In
other embodiments, the ionizable compounds are medical imaging or
diagnostic agents, or agricultural agents such as pesticides. Salts of
biologically active cations and N,N-dinitramide ion are also provided as
novel compositions of matter.
