New spectrophotometric and smartphone-based colorimetric methods for determination of atenolol in pharmaceutical formulations

Bioequivalence Study of Atenolol Tablets in Healthy Chinese Subjects Under Fasting and Fed Conditions

Atenolol, a cardioselective β1-blocker, exhibits efficacy in treating cardiovascular diseases. We conducted a single-center, randomized, open, single-dose, 2-preparation, 2-cycle, 2-sequence, double-crossover trial with a 7-day washout period to investigate the pharmacokinetics, bioequivalence (BE), and safety of test and reference atenolol tablets (25 mg) in healthy Chinese volunteers. Forty-eight healthy participants were randomized into the fasting and fed arms. After administering a single oral dose of the test or reference formulation (25 mg), plasma atenolol concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained from concentration-time profiles. In total, 23 and 24 individuals were included in the fasting and fed arms, respectively. The mean concentration-time profiles for both formulations were similar, and Cmax, AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞ were within the BE range of 80%-125%. Thirteen adverse events (AEs) were observed in 7 participants in the fasting arm; 1 withdrew from the trial early owing to an AE. In the fed arm, 20 AEs were observed in 8 participants, and none withdrew from the trial. All adverse reactions were grade I, with no serious AEs or deaths. Therefore, the 2 tablets are bioequivalent in healthy Chinese individuals under fasting and fed conditions, supporting their further clinical development.

Smartphone based colorimetric approach for quantitative determination of uric acid using Image J

Recently, significant attention has been directed towards digital image colorimetry DIC using mobile applications or available software programs, which offer the advantage of analyzing samples without the need for sophisticated instruments. One such image processing program is Image J, widely used for obtaining quantitative information from scientific images. Image J could measure the color intensities by quantifying of the RGB (red-green-blue) gray levels across the images of colored substances. These values are correlated to the color intensities through conversion to CMY (cyan-magenta-yellow) values which are proportional to the color intensities. The objective of this study is to develop an innovative analytical method for the quantitative determination of uric acid using Image J for color quantification. Image J was utilized to analyze images captured by smart phone for successive concentrations of uric acid that were previously treated with phosphotungstate to develop a blue color. The proposed method has been applied for determination of uric acid in real urine using standard addition method and the results were compared with UV/VIS spectrophotometry as a reference method. In this research, we will also assess the effectiveness of quantitative analysis using Image J in comparison to a mobile application, namely RGB Color Detector.

Progress in the design of portable colorimetric chemical sensing devices

The need for precise determination of heavy metals, anions, biomolecules, pesticides, drugs, and other substances is vital across clinical, environmental, and food safety domains. Recent years have seen significant progress in portable colorimetric chemical sensing devices, revolutionizing on-the-spot analysis. This review offers a comprehensive overview of these advancements, covering handheld colorimetry, RGB-based colorimetry, paper-based colorimetry, and wearable colorimetry devices. It explores the underlying principles, functional materials (chromophoric reagents/dyes and nanoparticles), detection mechanisms, and their applications in environmental monitoring, clinical care, and food safety. Noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) have arisen as promising substitutes in the realm of sensing materials. They display notable advantages, including heightened sensitivity, the ability to fine-tune their plasmonic characteristics for improved selectivity, and the capacity to induce visible color changes, and simplifying detection. Integration of NPs fabricated paper device with smartphones and wearables facilitates reagent-free, cost-effective, and portable colorimetric sensing, enabling real-time analysis and remote monitoring.