Application of quality by design approach for HPTLC simultaneous determination of amlodipine and celecoxib in presence of process-related impurity

First derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetric method for the simultaneous determination of tramadol and celecoxib in their dosage forms and human plasma

One of the most common features of many different clinical conditions is pain; hence, there is a crucial need for eliminating or reducing it to a tolerable level to retrieve physical, psychological and social functioning. A first derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetry technique is proposed for the simultaneous determination of celecoxib and tramadol HCl, a recent coformulation authorized for treating acute pain in adults. The method includes using synchronous spectrofluorimetry at ∆λ = 80 nm where tramadol HCl was determined using first derivative technique at λ = 230.2 nm, while celecoxib was determined at λ = 288.24 nm. The proposed method was successfully applied to their co-formulated dosage forms in addition to spiked human plasma and validated in agreement with the guidelines of the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The linear ranges were found to be 0.50-5.0 and 0.15-0.50, the limits of detection to be 0.088 and 0.011 and the limits of quantification to be 0.266 and 0.032 μg/ml for celecoxib and tramadol, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference when compared with previously reported methods as evidenced by the values of the variance ratio F-test and Student t-test. The proposed method was successfully applied to commercial dosage forms and spiked human samples. Moreover, the greenness of the proposed method was investigated based on the analytical eco-scale approach, with the results showing an excellent green scale with a score of 95.

Exciting Advances in Sustainable Spectrophotometric Micro-Quantitation of an Innovative Painkiller "Tramadol and Celecoxib" Mixture in the Presence of a Toxic Impurity, Promoting Greenness and Whiteness Studies

BACKGROUND

Tramadol (TRM) and celecoxib (CLX) form a novel mixture that helps relieve acute pain when other painkillers have no action. It is also reported that these drugs, TRM and CLX, are used to control COVID-19 symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

The current work highlights three important pillars of modern pharmaceutical analysis, which are as follows; impurity profiling, greenness/whiteness studies and simplicity accompanied by sensitivity. Since 4-methyl acetophenone inhibits the human carbonyl reductase enzyme (type I) and since this compound may pose a health risk, it is crucial to regulate its concentration in all dosage forms of CLX.

METHODS

Two simple and green spectrophotometric methods were developed, namely third derivative (D3) and Fourier self- deconvulation (FSD), for resolving severely overlapped spectra of TRM and CLX in the presence of 4-methyl acetophenone (4-MAP) as a process-related impurity in their novel tablet combination.

RESULTS

The two approaches showed acceptable linearity with an excellent correlation coefficient. In both methods, TRM was measured when CLX and 4-methyl acetophenone were zero-crossing. The same procedure was applied for measuring CLX and its process-related impurity 4-MAP.

CONCLUSION

The methodologies developed were thoroughly validated in compliance with ICH (International Council on Harmonisation) guidelines. Student t- and F-tests revealed no statistically significant variation among the current methods and the reported method.

HIGHLIGHTS

No spectrophotometric methods have been published previously for the simultaneous analysis of TRM and CLX along with 4-MAP. As a result, the newly developed spectrophotometric approaches have great relevance and originality in the field of pharmaceutical analysis.

An integrated strategy of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis, network pharmacology, and molecular docking to explore the chemical constituents and mechanism of Zixue Powder against febrile seizures

Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common type of seizures for children. As a commonly used representative cold formula for resuscitation, Zixue Powder (ZP) has shown great efficacy for the treatment of FS in clinic, while its active ingredients and underlying mechanism remain largely unclear. This study aimed to preliminarily elucidate the material basis of ZP and the potential mechanism for the treatment of FS through ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), network pharmacology, and molecular docking. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was firstly applied to characterize the ingredients in ZP, followed by network pharmacology to explore the potential bioactive ingredients and pathways of ZP against FS. Furthermore, molecular docking technique was employed to verify the binding affinity between the screened active ingredients and targets. As a result, 75 ingredients were identified, containing flavonoids, chromogenic ketones, triterpenes and their saponins, organic acids, etc. Through the current study, we focused on 13 potential active ingredients and 14 key potential anti-FS targets of ZP, such as IL6, STAT3, TNF, and MMP9. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis showed that inflammatory response, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction were the main anti-FS signaling pathways. Licochalcones A and B, 26-deoxycimicifugoside, and hederagenin were screened as the main potential active ingredients by molecular docking. In conclusion, this study provides an effective in-depth investigation of the chemical composition, potential bioactive components, and possible anti-FS mechanism of ZP, which lays the foundation for pharmacodynamic studies and clinical applications of ZP.

Eco-Friendly UV-Spectrophotometric Methods Employing Magnetic Nano-Composite Polymer for the Extraction and Analysis of Sexual Boosters in Adulterated Food Products: Application of Computer-Aided Design

BACKGROUND

Solid phase extraction (SPE) techniques, based on computationally designed magnetic-based multi-targeting molecular imprinted polymer (MT-MIP), combined with UV spectrophotometric approaches provide advantages in the examination of counterfeit samples.

OBJECTIVE

The current work describes an innovative and sustainable methodology for the simultaneous determination of tadalafil (TAD) and dapoxetine hydrochloride (DAP) in aphrodisiac counterfeit products (honey and instant coffee) utilizing SPE exploiting MT-MIP. Additionally, an innovative UV spectrophotometric method capable of resolving TAD in its pharmaceutical binary mixtures with DAP was developed. A novel computational approach was implemented to tailor the synthesis and design of the MT-MIP particles.

METHODS

We applied a newly developed UV spectrophotometric method which was based on a Fourier self-deconvolution (FSD) method coupled with the isoabsorptive point for determination of TAD and DAP in pharmaceutical dosage form. We also applied an SPE process based on MT-MIP designed particles, assisting in the analysis of both drugs in counterfeit food samples. The SPE process and the UV spectroscopic methodology were assessed regarding their greenness using the pioneering green analytical procedure index (GAPI), analytical greeness including sample preparation (AGREEprep) and AGREE tools. The synthesized MT-MIP particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy.

RESULTS

The suggested spectrophotometric methods revealed a wide linear concentration range of 2-50 µg/mL with lower LODs in the range of 0.604-0.994 µg/mL. Additionally, the suggested method demonstrated the utmost sensitivity and eco-friendliness for their target in its mixed dosage form and counterfeit food products.

CONCLUSION

The SPE process and the developed analytical UV spectroscopic methodology were validated as per the ICH guidelines, and were found to be suitable for overseeing some counterfeiting activities in commercially available honey and instant coffee aphrodisiac products.

HIGHLIGHTS

An SPE method based on MT-MIP magnetic-based polymer and a UV spectroscopic method were successfully developed for analysis of TAD and DAP in different matrices.

Computer-Aided Design of Eco-Friendly Imprinted Polymer Decorated Sensors Augmented by Self-Validated Ensemble Modeling Designs for the Quantitation of Drotaverine Hydrochloride in Dosage Form and Human Plasma

BACKGROUND

Computationally designed molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) incorporation into electrochemical sensors has many advantages to the performance of the designed sensors. The innovative self-validated ensemble modeling (SVEM) approach is a smart machine learning-based (ML) technique that enables the design of more accurate predictive models using smaller data sets.

OBJECTIVE

The novel SVEM experimental design methodology is exploited here exclusively to optimize the composition of four eco-friendly PVC membranes augmented by a computationally designed magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer to quantitatively determine drotaverine hydrochloride (DVN) in its combined dosage form and human plasma. Furthermore, the application of hybrid computational simulations such as molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical calculations (MD/QM) is a time-saving and eco-friendly provider for the tailored design of the MIP particles.

METHOD

Here, for the first time, the predictive power of ML is assembled with computational simulations to develop four PVC-based sensors decorated by computationally designed MIP particles using four different experimental designs known as central composite, SVEM-LASSO, SVEM-FWD, and SVEM-PFWD. The pioneering AGREE approach further assessed the greenness of the analytical methods, proving their eco-friendliness.

RESULTS

The proposed sensors showed decent Nernstian responses toward DVN in the range of 58.60-59.09 mV/decade with a linear quantitative range of 1 × 10-7 - 1 × 10-2 M and limits of detection in the range of 9.55 × 10-8 to 7.08 × 10-8 M. Moreover, the proposed sensors showed ultimate eco-friendliness and selectivity for their target in its combined dosage form and spiked human plasma.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed sensors were validated in accordance with International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) recommendations, proving their sensitivity and selectivity for drotaverine determination in dosage form and human plasma.

HIGHLIGHTS

This work presents the first ever application of both the innovative SVEM designs and MD/QM simulations in the optimization and fabrication of drotaverine-sensitive and selective MIP-decorated PVC sensors.

Eco-friendly simultaneous multi-spectrophotometric estimation of the newly approved drug combination of celecoxib and tramadol hydrochloride tablets in its dosage form

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved co-formulated celecoxib and tramadol for the treatment of acute pain in adults. Three spectrophotometric methods were efficiently applied to estimate the co-formulated Celecoxib and Tramadol in their tablets; second derivative 2D-spectrophotometry technique (method I), induced dual-wavelength technique (method II) and dual-wavelength resolution technique (method III). The proposed methods were successfully validated following the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines and statistically assessed based on the correlation coefficients, relative standard deviations as well as detection and quantitation limits. The obtained results revealed non-significant differences compared to the reported results as revealed by the variance ratio F test and Student t test. Moreover, the applied techniques were further assessed concerning their greenness based on the analytical eco-scale method revealing an excellent green scale with a final score of 95. The proposed spectrophotometric techniques could be applied for the routine analysis and quality control of the studied drugs in their dosage form.

Colorimetric ortho-aminobenzaldehyde assay developed for the high-throughput chemical screening of inhibitors against dihydrodipicolinate synthase from pathogenic bacteria

In search of a new class of antibacterial agents, compounds that target the essential bacterial enzyme, dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS), are of interest to drug discovery efforts. DHDPS catalyzes the first committed step in the diaminopimelate (DAP) pathway to the biosynthesis of lysine in bacteria and plants. The ortho-aminobenzaldehyde (o-ABA) assay is typically used as a qualitative tool for identifying fractions containing DHDPS during purification. This report is about the development of a high-throughput o-ABA assay format for the quantification of DHDPS enzyme activity using multi-well plates. The colorimetric assay is suitable for determining enzymatic parameters (K _M and V_max) and identifying inhibitors of DHDPS in a high-throughput screen.

An Efficient and Quick Analytical Method for the Quantification of an Algal Alkaloid Caulerpin Showed In-Vitro Anticancer Activity against Colorectal Cancer

Biological invasion is the successful spread and establishment of a species in a novel environment that adversely affects the biodiversity, ecology, and economy. Both invasive and non-invasive species of the Caulerpa genus secrete more than thirty different secondary metabolites. Caulerpin is one of the most common secondary metabolites in genus Caulerpa. In this study, caulerpin found in invasive Caulerpa cylindracea and non-invasive Caulerpa lentillifera extracts were analyzed, quantified, and compared using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) for the first time. The anticancer activities of caulerpin against HCT-116 and HT-29 colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines were also tested. Caulerpin levels were found higher in the invasive form (108.83 ± 5.07 µg mL^-1 and 96.49 ± 4.54 µg mL^-1). Furthermore, caulerpin isolated from invasive Caulerpa decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 values were found between 119 and 179 µM), inhibited invasion-migration, and induced apoptosis in CRC cells. In comparison, no cytotoxic effects on the normal cell lines (HDF and NIH-3T3) were observed. In conclusion, HPTLC is a quick and novel method to investigate the caulerpin levels found in Caulerpa extracts, and this paper proposes an alternative utilization method for invasive C. cylindracea due to significant caulerpin content compared to non-invasive C. lentillifera.

Validated green chromatographic methods for determination of amlodipine and celecoxib in presence of methylacetophenone

Aim: Green, accurate and rapid methods, namely LC-MS/MS and thin layer chromatography-densitometric methods, were developed for determination of amlodipine besylate and celecoxib in presence of its process-related impurities, 4-methylacetophenone in pure and formulated tablets. Results: LC-MS/MS was achieved on ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C₁₈ column using methanol:aqueous solution of 5 mM formic acid (95:5 v/v). High sensitivity with low limit of detection values 0.00028, 0.00027 and 0.0003 for amlodipine, celecoxib and 4-methylacetophenone, respectively were obtained. While, thin layer chromatography-densitometric was established using methanol:water:ammonia (70:25:1.5, by volume). Good linearity was obtained in the range of 0.1-10 μg/band, 1-150 μg/band and 0.01-2 μg/band for amlodipine, celecoxib and 4-methylacetophenone, respectively. Conclusion: The proposed method validation was achieved according to ICH guidelines. Those methods possess advantages of being ecofriendly methods which permit their application in quality control laboratories.