Simultaneous determination of antiarrhythmia drugs by high-performance thin-layer chromatography

Screening of orange peel waste on valuable compounds by gradient multiple development diode-array high-performance thin-layer chromatography

High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), as the modern form of TLC (thin-layer chromatography), is suitable for detecting pharmaceutically active compounds over a wide polarity range using the gradient multiple development (GMD) technique. Diode-array detection (DAD) in conjunction with HPTLC can simultaneously acquire ultraviolet‒visible (UV‒VIS) and fluorescence spectra directly from the plate. Visualization as a contour plot helps to identify separated zones. An orange peel extract is used as an example to show how GMD‒DAD‒HPTLC in seven different developments with seven different solvents can provide an overview of the entire sample. More than 50 compounds in the extract can be separated on a 6-cm HPTLC plate. Such separations take place in the biologically inert stationary phase of HPTLC, making it a suitable method for effect-directed analysis (EDA). HPTLC‒EDA can even be performed with living organism, as confirmed by the use of Aliivibrio fischeri bacteria to detect bioluminescence as a measure of toxicity. The combining of gradient multiple development planar chromatography with diode-array detection and effect-directed analysis (GMD‒DAD‒HPTLC‒EDA) in conjunction with specific staining methods and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF‒MS) will be the method of choice to find new chemical structures from plant extracts that can serve as the basic structure for new pharmaceutically active compounds.

Micellar liquid chromatography: a worthy technique for the determination of beta-antagonists in urine samples

Several beta-antagonists (acebutolol, atenolol, celiprolol, labetalol, metoprolol, nadolol, propranolol) were determined in urine samples with fluorometric detection after direct injection, in less than 15 min, with a micellar mobile phase of 0.1 M sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 15% propanol, and 1% triethylamine at pH 3. The limits of detection (38 criterion) were usually between 3 and 30 ng/mL. The addition of propanol and triethylamine and the reduction of the pH of the mobile phase improved the efficiency of the chromatographic peaks that was rather low in pure micellar eluents. The selection of the composition of the mobile phase was easily performed through the use of an interpretive procedure which considered the retention times and peak shapes of the beta-antagonists in six chromatograms, obtained at varying concentrations of SDS (0.05-0.15 M) and propanol (5-15% v/v). The chromatograms of urine samples from healthy volunteers, which were administered atenolol, metoprolol, and propranolol, showed only one peak for the former drug and several peaks for the other two. These peaks corresponded to the parent drug and metabolites, which indicated the partial and the extensive degradation of metoprolol and propranolol, respectively.

Drug level monitoring: cardiovascular drugs

Methods for the determination of cardiovascular drugs in blood and plasma are critically reviewed with emphasis on gas and liquid chromatographic techniques. The importance of the various procedures is discussed, in particular sample work-up where the conditions for isolation and derivatization of the compounds are decisive for the accuracy and precision of the methods. Compared with other assay techniques chromatographic methods are generally to be preferred owing to their better selectivity. In the review the following groups are discussed: digitalis glycosides, antiarrhythmic agents, beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, vasodilating agents, antihypertensive compounds, and diuretics.

Determination of nafazatrom in body fluids by high-performance thin-layer chromatography with post-chromatographic derivatization

A sensitive, accurate and specific high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method has been developed for determination of nafazatrom, a pyrazolinone derivative with antithrombotic and antimetastatic activity. Because of the instability of the drug during clean-up procedures, nafazatrom is recovered from plasma and urine with a single extraction and the extract is spotted directly onto the chromatographic plate. The specificity of the assay was increased by post-chromatographic derivatization with 4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde. Up to eight primary metabolites with an unchanged position 4 in the heterocyclic ring were also detected and separated chromatographically. The detection limit for nafazatrom is 0.5 ng per spot and 5 ng/ml. The analytical error in the nanogram per millilitre range is less than 10%, low enough for pharmacokinetic studies and for plasma level monitoring in patients.

Determination of quinidine in serum by spectrofluorometry, liquid chromatography and fluorescence scanning thin-layer chromatography

Quinidine is determined in serum by direct and extraction spectrofluorometry, by reflectance fluorescence scanning thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Least-squares analyses of patients' sera (n = 62) analyzed first by direct fluorometry (x) and then HPLC (y) gave a slope of 0.52, an y-intercept of -0.40, a standard error of estimate of 0.65, and a correlation coefficient of 0.83. Comparison of patients' sera (n = 59) determined by extraction fluorometry (x) and then HPLC (y) gave a slope of 0.998, an y-intercept of -0.175, a standard error of estimate of 0.30, and a correlation coefficient of 0.96. Comparison of patients' sera (n = 36) by HPLC (x) and then reflectance fluorescence scanning TLC (y) gave a slope of 0.837, an y-intercept of 0.152, and a correlation coefficient of 0.94. Methaqualone and oxazepam interfere with HPLC. Within-run precision is 1.6, 1.0, 5.2 and 3.0% by direct fluorometry, extraction fluorometry, TLC and HPLC while between-run precision is 5, 3.5, 9 and 6.0%, respectively.

Thin-layer chromatographic determination of procainamide and N-acetylprocainamide in human serum and urine at single-dose levels

Thin-layer chromatographic methods were applied for bioavailability studies of procainamide in serum and urine. Detection of the parent compound and the major metabolite was performed in the ultraviolet range at 275 nm. Using 100-microliter samples, detection limits were 60 ng of procainamide-HCl per ml serum and 7 micrograms/ml urine, and 60 ng of N-acetylprocainamide-HCl per ml serum and 5 micrograms/ml urine. Advantages over previous methods are discussed. From serum and urine data of five volunteers, the bioavailability of procainamide from a 250-mg dragee preparation compared with an intravenous dose was verified. Pharmacokinetic data were computed using one-compartment open models. Results corresponded well with values previously published.

High-pressure liquid chromatography of nadolol and other beta-adrenergic blocking drugs

A high-pressure liquid chromatographic assay was developed for the analysis of the beta-adrenergic blocking agent nadolol as a bulk material or formulated in a tablet. Other beta-adrenergic blocking drugs such as acebutolol, alprenolol, atenolol, metoprolol, oxprenolol, pindolol, practolol, propranolol, sotalol, and timolol can be chromatographed in this system. An ethylsilane column and a mobile phase consisting of 35% methanol-65% aqueous 0.0005 M hydrochloric acid-0.05 M sodium chloride are used. Detection is either at 254 nm with a variable-wavelength detector. As exemplified by nadolol, the drug content can be quantitated with or without atenolol as an internal standard.

Determination of the quinidine analog, 7'-trifluoromethyldihydrocinchonidine-2HCl in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid and specific high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay was developed for the determination of the antiarrhythmic quinidine analog, 7'-trifluoromethyldihydrocinchonidine.2HCl ([I].2HCl) in plasma and urine. The overall recovery of [I] from plasma was 86 +/- 9% with a sensitivity limit of detection of 0.2 microgram/ml. The assay involves extraction of [I] into benzene--methylene chloride (9:1) from plasma or urine made alkaline with 0.1 N sodium hydroxide (pH 13) and saturated sodium chloride, the residue of which is dissolved in methylene chloride, an aliquot of which is analyzed by HPLC using adsorption chromatography on silica gel with UV detection at 254 nm. The mobile phase composed of methylene chloride--methanol--conc. ammonium hydroxide (95.5:4:0.5) yields baseline resolution of quinidine used as the internal (reference) standard, compound [I] and dihydroquinidine, a common contaminant in quinidine. The assay was applied to the analysis of plasma and urine samples taken from a dog administered a single 20 mg/kg dose via intravenous and oral routes. The stability of [I] in human plasma for up to 37 days of storage at -17 degrees C was also demonstrated.