Determination of the active metabolites of sibutramine in rat serum using column-switching HPLC

Counterfeit formulations: analytical perspective on anorectics

Purpose

This paper examines the scope of anorectics in counterfeit weight-reducing formulations and provides insight into the present state of research in determining such adulterants. Analytical techniques utilised in profiling adulterants found in slimming products, including limitations and mitigation steps of these conventional methods are also discussed. The current legal status of the anorectics and analogues routinely encountered in non-prescription slimming formulations is also explored.

Methods

All reviewed literature was extracted from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases using relevant search terms, such as, ‘counterfeit drugs’, ‘weight loss drugs’, ‘weight-reducing drugs’, ‘slimming drugs’, ‘anorectic agents’, and ‘counterfeit anorexics’. Legislation related to anorectics was obtained from the portals of various government and international agencies.

Results

Anorectics frequently profiled in counterfeit slimming formulations are mostly amphetamine derivatives or its analogues. Five routinely reported pharmacological classes of adulterants, namely anxiolytics, diuretics, antidepressants, laxatives, and stimulants, are mainly utilised as coadjuvants in fake weigh-reducing formulations to increase bioavailability or to minimise anticipated side effects. Liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric detectors are predominantly used techniques for anorectic analysis due to the possibility of obtaining detailed information of adulterants. However, interference from the complex sample matrices of these fake products limits the accuracy of these methods and requires robust sample preparation methods for enhanced sensitivity and selectivity. The most common anorectics found in counterfeit slimming medicines are either completely banned or available by prescription only, in many countries.

Conclusions

Slimming formulations doped with anorectic cocktails to boost their weight-reducing efficacy are not uncommon. Liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry remains the gold standard for counterfeit drug analysis, and requires improved preconcentration methods for rapid and quantitative identification of specific chemical constituents. Extensive method development and validation, targeted at refining existing techniques while developing new ones, is expected to improve the analytical profiling of counterfeit anorectics significantly.

Analytical Methodologies for the Stereoselective Determination of Sibutramine: An Overview

Sibutramine is a chiral anti-obesity drug which decreases food intake and increases energy expenditure. In therapy it is used as a racemic mixture; however both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data have revealed enantioselective behavior of sibutramine and its major active metabolites. Several chromatographic and electrophoretic analytical methods have been published so far for the chiral determination of sibutramine from pharmaceutical preparations and biological samples. The current paper aims to provide a systematic review of the stereochemical aspects and analytical methods used for the enantiodetermination of sibutramine and its active enantiomers covering the last 15 years.

Quantification of sibutramine and its two metabolites in human plasma by LC-ESI-MS/MS and its application in a bioequivalence study

Obesity can be considered as a chronic illness of epidemic proportion and its incidents have increased exponentially in recent years. The use of anti-obesity drugs such as sibutramine is somewhat helpful. There is a need to quantify such drugs in biological samples, which is generally quite difficult. In this report, we developed and validated a simple, sensitive and specific liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for the quantification of sibutramine (SB) and its two metabolites N-des methyl sibutramine (DSB) and N-di desmethyl sibutramine (DDSB) in human plasma. Zorbax SB-C18 (4.6 mm×75 mm, 3.5 μm, 80 Å) analytical column and 5 mM ammonium formate:acetonitrile (10:90, v/v) mobile phase were used for chromatographic separation of SB, DSB and DDSB. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in the positive mode was used to detect SB, DSB and DDSB at m/z 280.3/124.9, 266.3/125.3 and 252.2/124.9, respectively. Liquid–liquid extraction was used for the extraction of analytes and internal standard from human plasma. This method was validated over a linear concentration range of 10.0–10,000.0 pg/mL for SB, DSB and DDSB with correlation coefficients (r) of ≥0.9997. The drug and the two metabolites were stable in plasma samples. The validated method was successfully applied in a bioequivalence and pharmacokinetic study with human volunteers under fasting condition.

Multiple effects of sibutramine on ejaculation and on vas deferens and seminal vesicle contractility

Sibutramine is an inhibitor of norepinephrine and 5-HT reuptake largely used in the management of obesity. Although a fairly safe drug, postmarketing adverse effects of sibutramine were reported including abnormal ejaculation in men. This study investigates the effects of sibutramine on ejaculation and vas deferens and seminal vesicle contractility. Adult male rats received sibutramine (5; 20; or 50 mg kg(-1), ip) and after 60 min were exposed to receptive females for determination of ejaculation parameters. The vasa deferentia and seminal vesicles of untreated rats were mounted in isolated organ baths for recording of isometric contractions and HEK293 cells loaded with fluorescent calcium indicator were used to measure intracellular Ca(2+) transients. Sibutramine 5 and 20 mg kg(-1) reduced ejaculation latency whereas 50 mg kg(-1) increased ejaculation latency. Sibutramine 3 to 30 microM greatly increased the sensitivity of the seminal vesicle and vas deferens to norepinephrine, but at concentrations higher than 10 microM there were striking depressions of maximal contractions induced by norepinephrine, carbachol and CaCl(2). In HEK293 cells, sibutramine 10 to 100 microM inhibited intracellular Ca(2+) transients induced by carbachol. Depending on the doses, sibutramine either facilitates or inhibits ejaculation. Apart from its actions in the central nervous system, facilitation of ejaculation may result from augmented sensitivity of smooth muscles to norepinephrine while reductions of intracellular Ca(2+) may be involved in the delayed ejaculation observed with high doses of sibutramine.