Bupropion hydrochloride: the development of a chiral separation using an ovomucoid column

Development and validation of a high-throughput stereoselective LC-MS/MS assay for bupropion, hydroxybupropion, erythrohydrobupropion, and threohydrobupropion in human plasma

A stereoselective analytical method was developed and validated for the quantification of bupropion, and principle metabolites hydroxybupropion, erythrohydrobupropion and threohydrobupropion in human plasma. Separation of individual enantiomers (R)-bupropion, (S)-bupropion, (R,R)-hydroxybupropion, (S,S-hydroxybupropion), (1S,2S)-threohydrobupropion, (1R,2R)-threohydrobupropion, (1R,2S)-erythrohydrobupropion, and (1S,2R)-erythrohydrobupropion was achieved utilizing an α1-acid glycoprotein column within a 12-min run time. Chromatograph separation was significantly influenced by mobile phase pH and variability between columns. Analytes were quantified by positive ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry following plasma protein precipitation with 20% trichloroacetic acid. Identification of erythrohydrobupropion enantiomer peaks and threohydrobupropion enantiomer peaks was achieved by sodium borohydride reduction of enantiopure (R)- and (S)-bupropion. Initial assay validation and sensitivity determination was on AB Sciex 3200, 4000 QTRAP, and 6500 mass spectrometers. Accuracy and precision were within 15% for each analyte. The assay was fully validated over analyte-specific concentrations using an AB Sciex 3200 mass spectrometer. Intra- and inter-assay precision and accuracy were within 12% for each analyte. The limits of quantification for bupropion (R and S), hydroxybupropion (R,R and S,S), threohydrobupropion (1S,2S and 1R,2R), and erythrohydrobupropion (1R,2S and 1S,2R) were 0.5, 2, 1, and 1ng/mL, respectively. All analytes were stable following freeze thaw cycles at -80°C and while stored at 4°C in the instrument autosampler. This method was applicable to clinical pharmacokinetic investigations of bupropion in patients. This is the first chromatographic method to resolve erythrohydrobupropion and threohydrobupropion enantiomers, and the first stereoselective LC-MS/MS assay to quantify bupropion, and principle metabolites hydroxybupropion, erythrohydrobupropion, and threohydrobupropion in human plasma.

Separation of mandelic acid and its derivatives with new immobilized cellulose chiral stationary phase

A new liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the chiral separation of the enantiomers of mandelic acid and their derivatives 2-chloromandelic acid, 4-hydroxymandelic acid, 4-methoxymandelic acid, and 3,4,5-trismethoxymandelic acid. The enantiomers were separated by a CHIRALPAK(®) IC (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm). Mandelic acid, 4-methoxymandelic acid, and 3,4,5-trismethoxymandelic acid were baseline resolved (resolution factor (RS)=2.21, RS=2.14, and RS=3.70, respectively). In contrast, the enantioselectivities between CHIRALPAK(®) IC and 2-chloromandelic acid and 4-hydroxymandelic acid investigated were low. By comparing the chromatographs of mandelic acid enantiomers and mandelic acid spiked with (R)-mandelic acid, it was determined that the first effluent was (R)-mandelic acid.

High-performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of (RS)-bupropion using isothiocyanate-based chiral derivatizing reagents

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for enantioseparation of bupropion was developed using two isothiocyanate-based chiral derivatizing reagents, (S)-1-(1-naphthyl) ethyl isothiocyanate, (S)-NEIT, and (R)-α-methyl benzyl isothiocyanate, (R)-MBIT. The diastereomers synthesized with (S)-NEIT were enantioseparated by reversed-phase HPLC using gradient elution with mobile phase containing water and acetonitrile, whereas diastereomers synthesized with (R)-MBIT were enantioseparated using triethyl amine phosphate buffer and methanol. Derivatization conditions were optimized and the method was validated for accuracy, precision and limit of detection. The limit of detection was found to be 0.040-0.043 µg/mL for each of the diastereomers prepared with (S)-NEIT.

Sensitive, selective and rapid determination of bupropion and its major active metabolite, hydroxybupropion, in human plasma by LC-MS/MS: application to a bioequivalence study in healthy Indian subjects

A sensitive, selective and rapid liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of bupropion (BUP) and its major active metabolite hydroxybupropion (HBUP) in human plasma. Separation of both the analytes and venlafaxine as internal standard (IS) from 50 μL human plasma was carried out by solid-phase extraction. The chromatographic separation of the analytes was achieved on a Zorbax Eclipse XDB C(18) (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) analytical column using isocratic mobile phase consisting of 20 mm ammonium acetate-methanol (10:90, v/v), with a resolution factor of 3.5. The method was validated over a wide dynamic concentration range of 0.1-350 ng/mL for BUP and 0.1-600 ng/mL for HBUP. The matrix effect was assessed by post-column infusion and the mean process efficiency was 96.08 and 94.40% for BUP and HBUP, respectively. The method was successfully applied to a bioequivalence study of 150 mg BUP (test and reference) extended release tablet formulation in 12 healthy Indian male subjects under fed conditions.

Stereoselective metabolism of bupropion by cytochrome P4502B6 (CYP2B6) and human liver microsomes

PURPOSE

Hydroxylation of the antidepressant and smoking deterrent drug bupropion is a clinically important bioactivation and elimination pathway. Bupropion hydroxylation is catalyzed selectively by cytochrome P4502B6 (CYP2B6). CYP2B6-catalyzed bupropion hydroxylation has been used as an in vitro and in vivo phenotypic probe for CYP2B6 activity and CYP2B6 drug interactions. Bupropion is chiral, used clinically as a racemate, and disposition is stereoselective. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether CYP2B6-catalyzed bupropion hydroxylation is stereoselective.

METHODS

Hydroxylation of racemic bupropion by recombinant CYP2B6 and human liver microsomes was evaluated using a stereoselective assay.

RESULTS

At therapeutic concentrations, hydroxylation of (S)-bupropion was threefold and 1.5-greater than (R)-bupropion, respectively, by recombinant CYP2B6 and human liver microsomes. In vitro intrinsic clearances were likewise different for bupropion enantiomers.

CONCLUSIONS

Stereoselective bupropion hydroxylation may have implications for the therapeutic efficacy of bupropion as an antidepressant or smoking cessation therapy, and for the use of bupropion as an in vivo phenotypic probe for CYP2B6 activity.

Streptavidin chiral stationary phase for the separation of adenosine enantiomers

In this paper, a microbore column packed with streptavidin particles was used, at various temperatures (0-24 degrees C), to separate the adenosine enantiomers by HPLC. Using an aqueous mobile phase, the apparent enantioseparation was high for a small molecule, varying from 11.5 at 0 degrees C to 6.2 at 24 degrees C. From the experiments carried out with a streptavidin-biotin complex stationary phase, it was demonstrated that the blockage of the biotin sites of the immobilized streptavidin was responsible for a strong decrease in the enantioselectivity via a direct and/or an indirect effect. From the analysis of the concentration dependencies of the solute retention factor, it was also shown that a reduction of the D-adenosine specific binding sites occurred at the lowest temperature. The thermodynamic parameters determined from the van't Hoff plots indicated that the D-adenosine binding to the streptavidin specific sites was enthalpically driven.

Separation of drug enantiomers by liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, using immobilized proteins as chiral selectors

Proteins display interesting chiral discrimination properties owing to multiple possibilities of intermolecular interactions with chiral compounds. This review deals with proteins which have been used as immobilized chiral selectors for the enantioseparation of drugs in liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. The main procedures allowing the immobilization of proteins onto matrices, such as silica and zirconia particles, membranes and capillaries are first presented. Then the factors affecting the enantioseparation of drugs in liquid chromatography, using various protein-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs), are reviewed and discussed. Last, chiral separations already achieved using immobilized protein selectors in affinity capillary electrochromatography (ACEC) are presented and compared in terms of efficiency, stability and reproducibility.