Molecular machines do not apparently satisfy the second law of thermodynamics. This holds to the Loschmidt paradox. Boltzmann introduced the irreversible evolution of any system towards a state of mechanical and thermal equilibrium. He expressed this result in his H-theorem. Loschmidt objected that the Boltzmann's result was inconsistent because it was obtained by using a time-symmetric dynamics, in contrast with the time asymmetry of the result. In this letter we show how these two problems can be related to the Gouy-Stodola theorem and to the interactions between open systems or open subsystems in the case of closed or isolated systems. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.