Chiral separation by capillary affinity zone electrophoresis using an albumin-containing support electrolyte

Enantiomeric separation of β-blockers and tryptophan using heparin as stationary and pseudostationary phases in capillary electrophoresis

The separation methods of the enantiomers of two β-blockers and tryptophan were studied using capillary electrochromatography with heparin covalently as well as non-covalently, bonded onto the capillary inner wall as stationary phase and electrokinetic chromatography with heparin as pseudostationary phase. In the case of heparin, used as a stationary phase, the method was unable to resolve enantiomers in both cases β-blockers and tryptophan. On the other hand, when heparin was used as a pseudostationary phase, the resolution of the enantiomers was obtained only with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane which were immobilised onto the inner phase of the capillary. The results of this study let us infer that the electrostatic, hydrophobic, and steric interactions were involved in the separation mechanisms. The separation was achieved in less than 10 minutes under the optimized conditions: 30 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.5) with the adding of 15 mg/mL of heparin at 15°C and 10 kV. The usefulness of heparin as a chiral selector both in electrokinetic chromatography using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane attached to the capillary was demonstrated for the first time. The developed method was powerful, sensitive, and fast, and it could be considered an important alternative to conventional methods used for chiral separation.

Chiral separation of quinolones by liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis

The quinolones are derivatives of oxoquinolines and mostly known for their antibacterial and antiviral activities. Many quinolones are chiral compounds having asymmetric centers and important due to their enantioselective biological activities. In order to study the biological activities of quinolone enantiomers, to control the manufacturing of homochiral drugs and to prepare necessary quantities of pure enantiomers for preclinical or clinical trials, respective chiral separation methods are urgently needed. In this context, the present review discusses chromatographic and electrophoretic methods for the enantioseparation of chiral quinolones and provides some useful information on their physical and pharmaceutical properties. The drawbacks of currently used techniques are revealed and ways to overcome them are outlined. Moreover, recommendations for an optimal choice of a separation protocol are given.

Enantioseparation of ofloxacin and its four related substances with ligand exchange-micellar electrokinetic chromatography using copper(II)-L-isoleucine complex as chiral selector

A ligand-exchange micellar electrokinetic capillary electrophoresis system with copper(II)-L-isoleucine complexes as the chiral selector incorporated in micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was developed for the enantioseparation of ofloxacin and its four related substances (impurities A, C, E, and F). The effects of important parameters affecting separation such as buffer pH, SDS concentration, chiral selector concentration, and organic additive were investigated in detail. Under optimum experimental conditions, enantioseparation of ofloxacin, impurities A, C, E, and F enantiomers was accomplished with resolutions of 4.28, 2.83, 3.40, 3.58, and 2.46, respectively. Further, simultaneous separation of impurities A, C, E, and F enantiomers was achieved using 10 mmol/L NH₄ OAc as the running buffer containing 4 mmol/L copper sulfate,20 mmol/L L-isoleucine, 20 mmol/L SDS, and 5% methanol at pH 8.5. To the best of our knowledge, the simultaneous enantioseparation of four impurities of ofloxacin has not been reported previously.

Use of various β-cyclodextrin derivatives as chiral selectors for the enantiomeric separation of ofloxacin and its five related substances by capillary electrophoresis

A capillary electrophoretic method for the enantioseparation of ofloxacin and its five related substances (potential impurities, indicated as impurities B-F) was developed using β-cyclodextrin derivatives as chiral selectors. To our knowledge, there are no previous studies about using capillary electrophoresis for the separation of impurities B-D. Six β-cyclodextrin derivatives including cationic (piperidine- and cyclohexylamine-), neutral (dimethyl- and hydroxypropyl-), and anionic (carboxymethyl- and sulfated-) β-cyclodextrin derivatives were tested and operational parameters such as buffer pH and concentration of β-cyclodextrin derivatives were investigated. The best resolutions were all obtained with anionic β-cyclodextrin derivatives: ofloxacin, impurities C-F could be best resolved with carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin at satisfactory resolutions of 8.27, 9.98, 5.92, 8.49 and 6.78, respectively, while for impurity B, a particularly impressive resolution value, up to 21.38, was observed using sulfated-β-cyclodextrin. The enhancement of enantioseparation observed for the tested analytes using anionic β-cyclodextrin derivatives might be due to some favorable interaction between selectors and analytes. Given the fact that the selection of chiral selector depends on the structures of analytes, with the help of structural similarities and differences of the analytes, the structure-separation relationship was further discussed.

Serum albumins have five sites for binding of cationic dendrimers

The detailed analysis of the interaction between PAMAM G4 dendrimer and serum albumins was performed using circular dichroism, isothermal titration calorimetry, capillary electrophoresis, zeta-potential and fluorescence polarization. It was shown that serum albumins and PAMAM G4 dendrimer form the complex with stoichiometry of 4-6:1 for G4:HSA and 4-5:1 for G4:BSA molar ratio. The possible sites of PAMAM G4 dendrimers binding to protein surface were discussed. Also, it has been proposed that dendrimer does not significantly affect the protein secondary structure studied by circular dichroism.

Chiral separation of four fluoroquinolone compounds using capillary electrophoresis with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as chiral selector

A capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) investigation on the enantiomeric separation of lomefloxacin, gatifloxacin, pazufloxacin and ofloxacin was undertaken. Resolution of the enantiomers was achieved using hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) as the chiral selector. Parameters influencing separation include cyclodextrin concentration, separational potential, pH and organic additive are discussed. A buffer consisting of 70 mM phosphate and 40 mM HP-beta-CD at pH 3.96 was found to be highly efficient for the separation of lomefloxacin, at pH 3.90 for gatifloxacin, at pH 5.04 for pazufloxacin and at pH 2.16 for ofloxacin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the enantiomeric resolution of lomefloxacin and gatifloxacin applying CE.

2-O-(2-Hydroxybutyl)-.BETA.-cyclodextrin as a Chiral Selector for the Capillary Electrophoretic Separation of Chiral Drugs

A new beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) derivative, 2-O-(2-hydroxybutyl)-beta-CD (HB-beta-CD), was successfully synthesized and used as chiral selector in capillary zone electrophoresis. Six chiral drugs, such as anisodamine, ketoconazole, propranolol, promethazine, adrenaline and chlorphenamine enantiomers, belonging to different classes of compounds of pharmaceutical interest were resolved. The chiral resolution (R(S)) was strongly influenced by the concentrations of the cyclodextrin derivative, the background electrolyte, and the pH of the background electrolyte. Under the conditions of 50 mmol/L tris-phosphate buffer at pH 2.5 containing 5 mmol/L 2-O-(2-hydroxybutyl)-beta-CD, the baseline separation of enantiomers, such as anisodamine (R(S) = 3.10), ketoconazole (R(S) = 3.01), propranolol (R(S) = 3.87), promethazine (R(S) = 3.63), adrenaline (R(S) = 3.42) and chlorphenamine (R(S) = 2.96), could be achieved.

Liquid chromatographic resolution of gemifloxacin mesylate on a chiral stationary phase derived from crown ether

A new racemic fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent, gemifloxacin mesylate, has been successfully resolved on a chiral stationary phase (CSP) derived from (+)-(18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid. Compared to the Crownpak CR(+) column, the CSP used in this study was more effective for the resolution of racemic gemifloxacin mesylate, especially in terms of analytical time. The resolution of gemifloxacin mesylate enantiomers on the CSP was found to be dependent on the type and content of organic and acidic modifiers in the aqueous mobile phase and the column temperature.

Colominic acid: a novel chiral selector for capillary electrophoresis of basic drugs

We introduced colominic acid as a new chiral selector for capillary electrophoresis of basic drugs. Use of a low concentration phosphate buffer containing this polysaccharide and a Polybrene/colominic acid double coated capillary allowed excellent separation of the enantiomers of primaquine, chloroquine and tryptophan. Other drugs giving partial enantioseparation include laudanosine and salbutamol. Capillary coating with Polybrene followed by colominic acid eliminated the problems of peak tailing and low reproducibility of migration time in uncoated capillaries. The optimum pH was in the acidic region but varied among drugs. A low capillary temperature of 16 degrees C and a colominic acid concentration of 9 w/v% are recommended for practical analysis of these drugs. Colominic acid preparations having higher molecular masses gave better enantioseparation, and N-acetylneuraminic acid, the component monosaccharide, did not give any enantioseparation.

Inspection of the reversal of enantiomer migration order in ligand exchange micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

Enantiometers of D,L-phenylalanine were separated by capillary electrophoresis based on the principle of ligand exchange. Copper (II) complex of 4-hydroxy-L-proline was used as chiral selector. The separation and the migration order of D- and L-phenylalanine were strongly affected by adding an anion surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). Without SDS in the electrolyte, the separation was also carried out but the resolution was very small. With SDS added into the electrolyte, the resolution decreased with increasing concentration of SDS until 5.0 mM. When the concentration of SDS in the electrolyte was over 5.0 mM, inversion of the migration order of DL-phenylalanine was observed and the resolution was also increased with increasing concentration up to 20 mM. It was interesting to find that the inversion of the migration order took place not only in the enantioscparation but also in the positional isomers. A family of a fluorinated amino acid, o-, m- and p-fluoro-D,L-phenylalanine was separated and the inversion of the migration order is discussed.

Recent advances in enantiomer separations by affinity capillary electrophoresis using proteins and peptides

Enantiomer separations by capillary electrophoresis (CE), using proteins as chiral selectors--affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) with free solutions and capillary electrochromatography (CEC)--with protein immobilized capillaries, are reviewed. The separation principle, recent advances in this field and some interesting topics are presented. In ACE, various enantiomer separations have been already reported using either plasma proteins or egg white ones. Miscellaneous proteins were also explored in the last few years. On the contrary, only a limited number of enantiomer separations have been successfully achieved in CEC. CEC is not yet mature enough to date, and further investigations, such as efficiency, durability and reproducibility of capillaries, will be necessary for the use of routine analyses. The study of enantioselective drug-protein binding is important in pharmaceutical developments. Some applications including high-performance CE/frontal analysis (HPCE/FA) are introduced in this paper.

Direct liquid chromatographic enantiomer separation of new fluoroquinolones including gemifloxacin

The enantiomers of gemifloxacin mesylate (formerly LB20304a), a new fluoroquinolone compound with potent in vitro and in vivo antibacterial profile were resolved on a commercially available Crownpak CR chiral stationary phase (CSP). All of the fluoroquinolones, including gemifloxacin used in this study, were well enantioseparated on Crownpak CR(+) column. These results are the first reported for the direct separation of the enantiomers of quinolones on chiral crown ether coated Crownpak CR CSP. The behavior of chromatographic parameters by the change of mobile phase additives for the resolution of gemifloxacin was investigated. Also, the effect of structural change of gemifloxacin on chiral recognition was described.

New pseudo-stationary phases for electrokinetic capillary chromatography. Complexes between bovine serum albumin and sodium dodecyl sulfate

The complexes formed between a protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) and a surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) were studied as separation carriers in electrokinetic chromatography. Selectivities different from those with either SDS or BSA alone in the background electrolyte (BGE) were obtained. Separation performances were demonstrated to be closely related to the type of complex formed, as predicted by the isotherm curve of SDS on BSA. For each composition of background electrolyte, capacity factors and resolutions were calculated. We compared the results with these complexes to electropherograms using BGE containing either BSA or SDS alone. The separation of a mixture of phenols indicate that some compositions of the BSA-SDS complexes are efficient selectors.

Separation of drug enantiomers by capillary electrophoresis in the presence of neutral cyclodextrins

This is a selected review, highlighting our results obtained in an extended screening program ("The German-Chinese Drug Screening Program"), with a focus on a set of original data obtained with heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin (TM-beta-CD) as the chiral solvating agent (CSA). The enantioseparation of 86 drugs by capillary zone electrophoresis in the presence of this CSA was successful for 47 drugs. The migration separation factors (alpham) and the migration retardation factors (Rm) were compared with those found for native beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD). The patterns thus obtained were also compared with those observed for hexakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-alpha-CD (TM-alpha-CD) and octakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-gamma-CD (TM-gamma-CD), respectively. From the statistical data, it can be concluded that there is a remarkable influence of the analyte structure on the electrophoretic data. A substructure 4H was found in the analyte structure that has a significant influence on the analytes' behaviour. Thus, analytes bearing the substructure 4H do not only have a strong affinity to the CDs but also a high rate of success of chiral separation in all systems reviewed. In light of this, the different ring sizes of native cyclodextrins (alpha-, beta- and gamma-CD) readily explain their behaviour towards a limited test set of chiral drugs. Sterical considerations point to the significance of side-on-binding versus inclusion in the cavity of the host. In addition to the findings from the screening program, numerous references to the literature are given.

Enantiomer separation of drugs by capillary electrophoresis using proteins as chiral selectors

The separation of drug enantiomers using proteins as the chiral selectors in capillary electrophoresis (CE) is considered in this review. The proteins used include albumins such as bovine serum albumin, human serum albumin and serum albumins from other species, glycoproteins such as alpha1-acid glycoprotein, crude ovomucoid, ovoglycoprotein, avidin and riboflavin binding protein, enzymes such as fungal cellulase, cellobiohydrolase I, pepsin and lysozyme and other proteins such as casein, human serum transferrin and ovotransferrin. Protein-based CE is carried out in two modes: in one proteins are immobilized or adsorbed within the capillary, or protein-immobilized silica gels are packed into the capillary (affinity capillary electrochromatography mode), and in the other proteins are dissolved in the running buffer (affinity CE mode). Furthermore, the advantages and limitations of the two modes and the factors affecting the chiral separations of various drugs by protein-based CE are discussed.

Study of enantioselective interactions between chiral drugs and serum albumin by capillary electrophoresis

The separation of the enantiomers of three basic drugs, i.e., ofloxacin, propranolol and verapamil, was achieved by affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE), with human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as chiral selectors in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4. Ofloxacin was only separated in the presence of BSA, and verapamil only with HSA, while propranolol was separated with either HSA or BSA. The effects of protein concentration and column wall adsorption on the degree of separation were investigated. Two displacers, ketoprofen and warfarin, respectively, when added to the protein containing buffer, both showed significant effects on the separation behavior. From these data it was argued that verapamil may bind to HSA at both locations known, the warfarin binding site (I) and the ketoprofen binding site (II). While with BSA, binding of ofloxacin may also occur at site I, the preferential binding site for propanolol remains controversial. A drug-drug interaction between propranolol and ketoprofen due to opposite charges was concluded from the increase in migration time in BSA solution. The unbound concentration of verapamil enantiomers in solution in the presence of HSA, as estimated from CD-modified capillary zone electrophoresis, was triggered not only by the HSA concentration but also by the coadditive concentration.

Separation of drugs by capillary electrophoresis, Part 10. Permethyl-alpha-cyclodextrin as chiral solvating agent

Following the German-Chinese Drug Screening Program, 86 racemic drugs were investigated in capillary zone electrophoresis in the presence of the chiral solvating agent (CSA) hexakis-(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-alpha-cyclodextrin (TM-alpha-CD). Of the 86 drugs, 23 were separated into enantiomeric pairs. A comparison of the migration separation factors (alpha(m)) and the migration retardation factors (Rm) with previously published data for native alpha-CD revealed that the 'upper-rim' hydroxyl groups do not necessarily facilitate the recognition of the drug enantiomers by the chiral host. In contrast, an overall increase in affinity for the permethylated host led to a higher rate of successful enantiomer separations. A key substructure (4H) was identified in the analyte structure domain, with a crucial influence on the behavior of a particular drug.

Separation of chiral compounds by capillary electrophoresis

This review presents the different chiral selectors used in capillary electrophoresis (CE) for the separation of enantiomers. The use of charged cyclodextrins, crown ethers, polysaccharides, proteins, natural and synthetic micelles, macrocyclic antibiotics and ergot alkaloids is discussed in detail. Neutral native and derivatized cyclodextrins are not treated because several review articles have already been published on this topic. Recent developments like the application of two chiral selectors in the same background electrolyte are highlighted.

Chiral separation of pharmaceuticals possessing a carboxy moiety

The separation of carboxylic enantiomers in the pharmaceutical field using high-performance liquid chromatographic and capillary electrophoretic techniques is reviewed. The techniques used for chiral separation include diastereomer derivatization, a chiral mobile phase, a chiral stationary phase (high-performance liquid chromatography) and chiral additives (capillary electrophoresis). Practical and conventional separation systems for pharmaceutical applications, such as pharmacokinetics, optical purity testing and stability studies, are described. A comprehensive collection of applications to carboxylic drugs and other carboxylic compounds of pharmaceutical interest is listed in the tables. The characteristics of each enantioseparation method are also discussed briefly.

Selectivity in capillary electrophoresis: the use of proteins

Proteins, by their very diverse nature, provide a wide variety of options for generating selectivity in capillary electrophoresis (CE). Their use in different modes of CE will be considered in this review. Proteins added in solution to the background electrolyte allow separations to be made in a similar fashion to other electrokinetic chromatography methods, e.g., micellar separations. Alternatively, different immobilization schemes can be used to secure proteins within the capillary; these have included capillary electrochromatography with the protein grafted onto a silica support, or immobilization of the protein within a gel structure. Compounds varying in size from small inorganic ions to biopolymers may be bound by proteins. There is the potential for any sort of intermolecular interaction to play a role in the binding process (e.g., hydrophobic interactions, electrostatic interactions, etc.). Very specific high-affinity binding often occurs, but also there is often weaker, non-selective binding. Frequently the interactions of chiral compounds with proteins are stereoselective. Obtaining chiral selectivity has been one of the main applications of protein selectors in CE, and this use will be emphasized here in a discussion structured by type of protein. As well as utilizing the selectivity of proteins to develop separations, the role of CE in investigating ligand-protein interactions will be emphasized.

Analysis of antibiotics by capillary electrophoresis

The broad category of antibiotics encompasses some of the most widely prescribed pharmaceuticals in the world. As is the case with any pharmaceutical, an antibiotic must be characterized in terms of its potency or activity, and the presence and quantity of impurities. Additionally, any residue or metabolite that may be present as a result of its use must be monitored. Many capillary electrophoretic techniques have been utilized in the analysis of antibiotics, addressing the various aspects of their quantitation, profiling, and monitoring. Some of the more recent applications are summarized in this review article.

Chiral separations in capillary electrophoresis using proteins as stereoselective binding agents

Proteins are receiving increased attention in capillary electrophoresis (CE) for use as ligands in chiral separations. This review examines the types of proteins that have been employed in CE for the analysis of chiral compounds and provides a summary of applications for such an approach. Several formats for this type of analysis are discussed, including methods that use immobilized proteins (i.e., affinity capillary electrochromatography and capillary gel affinity electrophoresis) or techniques that use proteins as running buffer additives (i.e., affinity capillary electrophoresis). The role of various experimental factors in these separations are considered, and a comparison is made between the general analytical properties of CE systems that use immobilized versus solution-phase proteins.

Recent advances in chromatographic and electrophoretic methods for the study of drug-protein interactions

Drug-protein binding is an important process in determining the activity and fate of a pharmaceutical agent once it has entered the body. This review examines various chromatographic and electrophoretic methods that have been developed to study such interactions. An overview of each technique is presented along with a discussion of its strengths, weaknesses and potential applications. Formats that are discussed include the use of both soluble and immobilized drugs or proteins, and approaches based on zonal elution, frontal analysis or vacancy peak measurements. Furthermore, examples are provided that illustrate the use of these methods in determining the overall extent of drug-protein binding, in examining the displacement of a drug by other agents and in measuring the equilibrium or rate constants for drug-protein interactions. Examples are also given demonstrating how the same methods, particularly when used in high-performance liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis systems, can be employed as rapid screening tools for investigating the binding of different forms of a chiral drug to a protein or the binding of different proteins and peptides to a given pharmaceutical agent.

Analysis of amino acid enantiomers derived from antitumor antibiotics using chiral capillary electrophoresis

The chiral separation of enantiomeric forms of derivatized amino acids have been achieved based on a metalchelate chiral capillary electrophoretic method and a cyclodextrin mediated host-guest interaction approach in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) mode with laser-induced fluorescence detection. This approach has been applied to the determination of enantiomeric forms of amino acids derived from novel depsipeptide antitumor antibiotics, BMY-45012 and its analogs. Amino acids were analyzed by complete hydrolysis and the hydrolysate was derivatized with either dansyl chloride for UV absorbance detection or fluorescein isothiocyanate for laser based fluorescence detection. The presence of several amino acids, serine and beta-hydroxyl-N-methy-valine in the proposed structure have been confirmed as D-serine and L-beta-hydroxyl-N-methy-valine enantiomeric forms by both chiral capillary electrophoresis (chiral CE) and MEKC approaches. A non-chiral amino acid, sarcosine, was also confirmed. These methodologies provide a quick and sensitive approach for the determination of amino acids racemization of pharmaceutical natural products and have proven to be useful for structural elucidation refinement.

Capillary electrophoresis in pharmaceutical analysis

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a separation technique particularly suited to the analysis of pharmaceutical compounds. This review offers a detailed discussion of the four common modes of detection coupled to CE-UV absorption, fluorescence, electrochemical, and mass spectrometry-and gives examples of the use of these methods in pharmaceutical analyses. Sample preparation and pretreatment techniques used for CE separations are described, as well as methods of preconcentration including hydrophobic retention, affinity concentration, sample stacking, and isotachophoresis. The use of affinity CE, chiral CE, and capillary gel electrophoresis for analysis of pharmaceuticals is covered in detail, and recent advances in capillary electrochromatography and CE on a chip are also discussed.

Comparison of the Hummel-Dreyer method in high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis conditions for study of the interaction of (RS)-, (R)- and (S)-carvedilol with isolated plasma proteins

The Hummel-Dreyer method in capillary zone electrophoresis was compared with the corresponding high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) variant in order to study the interaction of racemic carvedilol and its individual enantiomers with isolated human plasma proteins [alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and human serum albumin (HSA)]. The binding parameters characterizing the high-affinity binding site of AGP evaluated by using capillary electrophoresis [Ka(RS) = (3.01 +/- 1.15).10(6) l/mol; Ka(S) = (2.13 +/- 0.53).10(6) l/mol; Ka(R) = (4.88 +/- 1.57).10(6) l/mol] were in good accordance with those obtained by HPLC [Ka(RS) = (3.88 +/- 1.74).10(6) l/mol: Ka(S) = (1.80 +/- 0.53) x 10(6) l/mol; Ka(R) = (5.43 +/- 2.53).10(6) l/mol]. Relatively small quantitative differences have been observed considering the attachment of (R)-carvedilol to the secondary low-affinity binding sites on alpha 1-acid glycoprotein by comparing these two methods. In general, the Hummel-Dreyer method applied to capillary zone electrophoresis conditions was verified to be an efficient and fast technique for reliable description of quantitative binding parameters of hydrophobic drugs.

Investigation of enantioselective separation of quinolonecarboxylic acids by capillary zone electrophoresis using vancomycin as a chiral selector

When a chiral selector that is a pharmaceutical compound is added to the separation buffer in capillary electrophoresis, the enantioselectivity and the mobility of analytes which interact with that chiral selector may be altered. The changes in enantioselectivity and mobility of the analyte are a function of the strength of the affinity interaction, which depends on the structure of each. The macrocyclic antibiotic vancomycin contains a variety of functionalities that are known to be useful for enantioselective interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonding groups, hydrophobic pockets, aromatic groups, amide linkages). Capillary electrophoresis with vancomycin as a buffer additive was used to separate the enantiomers of different compounds. In this study, the chiral separation of quinolonecarboxylic acids that exhibit marked antibacterial activity and of related compounds was achieved by capillary electrophoresis using vancomycin. The correlations between the separation parameters and analyte structures were investigated. The molecular interaction, which is based on the differences of structure, and the effect of experimental parameters on the enantioselective separation between the quinolonecarboxylic acids and vancomycin are discussed.

Identification of chiral drug isomers by capillary electrophoresis

Separation of optical isomers of compounds of pharmaceutical interest by capillary electrophoretic techniques is reviewed. The direct and indirect separation method, as well as the main resolution mechanisms and the parameters influencing the stereoselectivity are discussed considering capillary zone electrophoresis, micellar electrokinetic chromatography, isotachophoresis and electrochromatography. Several chiral selectors have been successfully used in CE for chiral separation, including cyclodextrins and their derivatives, modified crown-ethers, proteins, antibiotics, linear saccharides and chiral surfactants. Only applications in the pharmaceutical field with the most important experimental conditions are summarised in the Tables reported in this paper. The chiral analyses of drugs in real samples like biological fluids or pharmaceutical formulations are also reported.

Enantiomer separation of drugs by electrokinetic chromatography

This review surveys the enantiomer separation of drugs by electrokinetic chromatography (EKC). EKC is one option of capillary electrophoretic (CE) techniques, which permits the separation of electrically neutral drugs. In enantiomer separation by EKC, ionic pseudo-stationary phases such as chiral micelles and proteins, which can migrate with its electrophoretic mobility and can interact with the solutes, are employed as chiral selectors. Addition of electrically neutral chiral selectors such as cyclodextrins and precolumn conversion of solutes into diastereomers are also successful in EKC. A brief theory of separation and modes of EKC enantiomer separation are described with some typical applications.

Drug-protein binding sites. New trends in analytical and experimental methodology

In the last few years, continuous progress in instrumental analytical methodology has been achieved with a substantial increase in the number of new, more specific and more flexible methods for ligand-protein assays. In general, the methods used for drug-protein binding studies can be divided into two main groups: separation methods (enabling the calculation of binding parameters, i.e. the number of binding sites and their respective affinity constants) and non-separation methods (describing predominantly qualitative parameters of the ligand-protein complex). This review will be focussed particularly on recent trends in the development of drug-protein binding methods including stereoselective and non-stereoselective aspects using chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and microdialysis as compared to the "conventional approach" using equilibrium dialysis, ultrafiltration or size exclusion chromatography. The advantages and limitations of various methods will be discussed including a focus on "optimal" experimental strategies taking into account in vitro, ex vivo and/or in vivo studies. Furthermore, the importance of some particular aspects concerning the drug binding to proteins (covalent binding of drugs and metabolites, stereoselective interactions and evaluation of binding data) will be outlined in more detail.

Investigation of enantioselective ofloxacin-albumin binding and displacement interactions using capillary affinity zone electrophoresis

The direct chiral separation of ofloxacin by capillary affinity zone electrophoresis using serum albumins from different animal sources as chiral selector in the supporting electrolyte is described. In addition, the effects of displacers on the mobility and enantioselectivity of ofloxacin were studied. Firstly, the separation behaviour of the enantiomers of the ofloxacin (OFLX) and tryptophan (Trp) was compared. The influence of albumin types, including chemically modified bovine serum albumins (BSAs), and buffer types on the migration behaviour of enantiomers was investigated. The results showed that stereoselectivity of Trp is independent of the type of albumin used. However, chiral separation of OFLX depends on the biological species of albumin. Use of chemically modified BSA led to poorer resolution of enantiomers. Only with acetylated BSA could chiral separation of Trp be achieved. Using Good's buffer solutions (DIPSO and HEPES) as a supporting electrolyte affected the migration times of OFLX enantiomers. Finally, a variety of displacers were added to the buffer along with the protein, and the effects on separation behaviour were observed. The displacers included warfarin, ketoproten, diazepam, propranolol, benzoinphenylbutazone, digitoxin and octanoic acid. From the results obtained, it is concluded that capillary affinity zone electrophoresis using albumin as a chiral selector may allow screening of OFLX-displacer interactions.