Photodegradation monitoring of amlodipine by derivative spectrophotometry

Drug administration via feeding tubes-a procedure that carries risks: systematic identification of critical factors based on commonly administered drugs in a cohort of stroke patients

PURPOSE

Drug administration via feeding tubes is considered a process with many uncertainties. This review aimed to give a comprehensive overview of data available on feeding tube application and to carry out risk assessments for drug substances commonly administered to stroke patients.

METHODS

Drugs frequently administered via feeding tubes were identified through a retrospective analysis of discharge letters from a stroke unit. Physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and stability properties of these drugs and data on drug-enteral nutrition interactions were systematically searched for in the European Pharmacopoeia, Hagers Handbook of Pharmaceutical Practice, Birchers clinical-pharmacological data compilation, and the Martindale Complete Drug Reference, as well as from databases including DrugBank, DrugDex, PubChem, Google Scholar, and PubMed.

RESULTS

Of the drugs most commonly administered via feeding tubes in the present stroke patient cohort, bisoprolol, candesartan, and ramipril could be considered the least critical due to their overall favourable properties. Acetylsalicylic acid, amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, omeprazole and esomeprazole, simvastatin, and torasemide pose risks based on pH or light-dependent instability or proposed food effects. The most critical drugs to be administered via feeding tubes are considered to be furosemide, levodopa, and levothyroxine as they show relevant instabilities under administration conditions and substantial food effects; the latter two even possess a narrow therapeutic index. However, little information is available on drug-tube and drug-formula interactions.

CONCLUSION

Feeding tube administration of medications turned out to be a highly complex process with several unmet risks. Therefore, investigations that systematically assess these risk factors using clinically relevant model systems are urgently needed.

Photostability evaluation of manidipine tablets and structural determination of its photoproducts

Manidipine (MP) is a dihydropyridine drug, which is treated for the reduction of high blood pressure. The aim of this study is to clarify the photochemical behavior of MP in the case of ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation for MP tablets (Calslot® tablets). The tablets and its altered forms (powders and suspensions) were UV-irradiated using a black light, and residual amounts of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Due to the photoproducts of MP were detected in HPLC chromatograms, the elucidation of their chemical structures was carried out utilizing electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). As a result, APIs in Calslot® tablets were almost completely photodegraded in the case that Calslot® tablets were suspended in an aqueous media along with the generation of some MP photoproducts. LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis clarified the chemical structures of three MP photoproducts, indicating that they were a pyridine analogue, benzophenone and a hydrolysate. Benzophenone was a main MP photoproduct. It was possible that MP might be firstly oxidized to form its pyridine analogue, followed by the oxidation of a dimethyl methylene moiety. This moiety seemed to be eliminated as a benzophenone, and the cleavage of an ester bond of the residual moiety resulted in the generation of a hydrolysate. Finally, toxicological potencies of MP and its photoproducts were predicted in silico toxicity evaluation, suggesting some of biological effects of the photoproducts might be altered compared with MP.

Targeted and untargeted screening for impurities in losartan tablets marketed in Germany by means of liquid chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry

Technical advances in the field of quality analysis allow an increasingly deeper look into the impurity profile of drugs. The ability to detect unexpected impurities in addition to known impurities ensures the supply of high-quality drugs and can prevent recalls due to the detection of harmful unexpected impurities, as has happened recently with the N-nitrosamine and azido impurities in losartan (LOS) drug products. In the present study, the LC-MS/HRMS approach described by Backer et al. was applied to an even more complex system, being the investigation of 35 LOS drug products and combination preparations purchased in 2018 and 2022 in German pharmacies. The film-coated tablets were analysed by means of four LC-MS/HRMS method variants. For the separation a Zorbax RR StableBond C18 column (3.0 ×100 mm, particle size of 3.5 µm, pore size of 80 Å), a gradient elution and for mass spectrometric detection a qTOF mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization in positive and negative mode was used. An information-dependent acquisition method was applied for the acquisition of high-resolution mass spectrometry data. The combination of an untargeted and a targeted screening approach revealed the finding of eight impurities in total. Beside the five LOS related compounds, LOS impurity F, J, K, L, M, and related compound D from amlodipine besilate, LOS azide and an unknown derivative thereof were detected. Identification and structure elucidation, respectively, were successfully performed using in silico fragmentation. Differences in the impurity profiles of drug products from 2018 and 2022 could be observed. This study shows that broad screening approaches like this are applicable to the analysis of drug products and can be an important enhancement of the quality assurance of medicinal products.

Changes in Tablet Color Due to Light Irradiation: Photodegradation of the Coating Polymer, Hypromellose, by Titanium Dioxide

The color of the tablets and capsules produced by pharmaceutical companies is important from the perspectives of product branding and counterfeiting. According to some studies, light can change tablet color during storage. In this study, tablets comprising amlodipine besylate (AB), a well-known light-sensitive drug, were coated with commonly used coating materials and exposed to light. Compared to the tablets that were not exposed to light, the color of those exposed to light changed over time. In fact, a faster and more pronounced color change was observed in the tablets exposed to light; however, the amount of AB did not decrease significantly in these tablets. The coating materials and their amounts were varied to clarify the materials involved in the color change. Based on the results, titanium dioxide and hypromellose may be involved in the color change process. As titanium dioxide is a photocatalyst, it may induce or promote chemical changes in hypromellose upon light irradiation. Overall, care should be exercised during selection of the coating polymer because titanium dioxide may promote photodegradation of the coatings while protecting the tablet's active ingredient from light.

Photodegradation profiling of nitrendipine: evaluation of active pharmaceutical ingredient, tablets and its altered forms

Nitrendipine (NTR) is a dihydropyridine drug, which is well-known as a photodegradable pharmaceutical. However, the photochemical reaction of NTR has not been evaluated in detail from now. In this study, we perform the photodegradation profiling of NTR for the elucidation of its photochemical behavior. NTR amounts during ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation were monitored using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). NTR was photodegraded almost completely within 24 h along with the generation of some photoproducts. Structural determination of two NTR photoproducts were carried out by means of electrospray ionization liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Obtained results from this study clarified one novel NTR photoproduct, a nitroso pyridine analogue, in addition to a pyridine analogue. Furthermore, photodegradation pathway of NTR was speculated based on chemical structures of NTR photoproducts to clarify its photochemical behavior. It was proposed that a singlet oxygen molecule might withdraw two hydrogen radicals resulting in the form of a pyridine analogue, and the following reduction of its nitro group might produce a nitroso pyridine analogue. Finally, we evaluated the photostability of NTR tablets and its altered forms, indicating that the change of the dosage form led to a decrease of the photostability of NTR tablets. The obtained results will be helpful for the additional research to evaluate the effect of NTR photodegradation on its own biological activities.

A new stability-indicating HPLC-UV method for determination of amlodipine besylate and its impurities in drug substance

A new fast stability-indication high performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for the determination of amlodipine besylate and its organic impurities in drug substance. The separation of amlodipine and its seven impurities was achieved on a core shell C18 column, 100 mm × 4.6 mm; 2.6 μm, within 15 min. The mobile phase comprised of 0.4% ammonium hydroxide in water and methanol delivered in a gradient mode; the method detection wavelength is 237 nm. The selected column is stable at high pH and provided a good peak shape for basic compounds. Amlodipine besylate was subject to acid, base, oxidative, thermal, and photolytic stress conditions. The degradation products were well resolved from the amlodipine peak and its impurities. Major degradants were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with single-quadrupole mass detector. Amlodipine peak was shown to be free of co-elution by mass spectral analysis in all stress conditions. The method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, and robustness. The developed method could be applied for routine quality control analysis of amlodipine besylate drug substance.

Evaluation of photostability of azelnidipine tablets and structure determination of its photoproducts

Photo-exposure has a crucial effect on the natures of photosensitive pharmaceuticals in addition to their contents in medicines through the photodegradation. Generated photoproducts might be more bioactive and contribute to the expression of adverse side effects. This study aimed to clarify the photochemical behavior of medicines of azelnidipine, which is a member of dihydropyridine antihypertensive drugs, by the evaluation of its photostability and the determination of chemical structures of generated photoproducts. Calblock® tablets and its altered forms (powders and suspensions) were UV-irradiated by a black light. Residual amounts of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography. The chemical structures of two photoproducts were determined by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. API of Calblock® tablets was photodegraded with the generation of several photoproducts. Its photodegradability was more significant when Calblock® tablets were crushed or suspended. Structural determination revealed that two photoproducts were benzophenone and a pyridine derivative. It was speculated that these photoproducts were generated by the elimination of diphenyl methylene radical and additional chemical reaction including oxidation and hydrolysis. Azelnidipine was photosensitive and its photodegradation in Calblock® tablets was promoted by the change of the dosage form. This difference might be derived from the light emission efficiency. This study suggests that API contents of Calblock® tablets might decrease when tablets or its altered forms are exposed to sunlight irradiation with the generation of benzophenone, which is a toxicological potent.

Structure Determination of Felodipine Photoproducts in UV-Irradiated Medicines Using ESI-LC/MS/MS

Dihydropyridine drugs are well known as photodegradable pharmaceuticals. Herein, we evaluate the photostability of felodipine (FL) medicine (Splendil^® (SPL) tablets) and its altered forms (powders and suspensions). FL is a type of dihydropyridine drug, but its photochemical behavior is unknown. FL contents after ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation for 24 h were monitored using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Values of the residual amounts of FL in UV-irradiated SPL powders and suspensions were 32.76 ± 4.88% and 0.79 ± 0.74%, respectively, with the generation of two photoproducts (FL photoproduct 1 and 2). To identify the chemical structures of these photoproducts, electrospray ionization liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (ESI-LC/MS/MS) analysis was performed. Based on their mass-to-charge ratio values and fragment patterns, it was proposed that FL photoproduct 1 was a pyridine derivative and FL photoproduct 2 was an FL dimer. Interestingly, generation rates of FL photoproduct 1 and 2 were dependent on the presence of the aqueous media. The photodimerization of FL was induced in UV-irradiated SPL suspensions. This is the first report evaluating the photostability of SPL tablets and its altered forms and estimating FL photoproducts induced by UV irradiation in the formulation of SPL.

High performance liquid chromatographic assay of amlodipine, valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide simultaneously and its application to pharmaceuticals, urine and plasma analysis

A Simple, Specific, Precise, Accurate, Linear, Rugged, Robust High Performance Liquid Chromatographic method of analysis for simultaneous determination of assay of Amlodipine, Valsartan and Hydrochlorothiazide drugs in the pharmaceuticals tablet formulations using Pioglitazone as a common internal standard was developed and validated. The assay was accomplished using a mixture of acetonitrile & methanol in the volume ratio of 20:80 v/v (mobile phase B) and Ammonium acetate buffer (Mobile phase A) in gradient flow as mobile phase on an Hibar RP-18e, 250 × 4.6 mm, 5µ as chromatographic column at a flow rate of 1.300 mLmin-1, injection volume 10 µL and at a wavelength 235 nm with UV detector. Linearity of the analytical method was evaluated at a concentration range of 2.5-45.3 µg/ml for Amlodipine, 32.0-720.1 µg/ml for valsartan and 5.0-112.6 µg/ml for Hydrochlorothiazide respectively with Correlation coefficient (r) value more than 0.9997. The limit of detection (LOD) for Amlodipine, Valsartan and Hydrochlorothiazide was found to be 1.1 µg/ml, 8.0 µg/ml & 1.0 µg/ml respectively. Specificity, Method Precision, System Precision, Ruggedness, Robustness, Recovery, Stability of analytical solution, Filter paper selection study, Stress testing (Force Degradation) at various conditions were performed as per the ICH (Q2) recommendations. The chromatographic method may also be applied for simultaneous estimation of analytes in plasma and urine.

Multicomponent spectrometric analysis of drugs and their preparations

Pharmaceutical preparations may contain a single ingredient or multi-ingredients as well as excipients. In multicomponent systems, specific analytical methods are required to determine the concentrations of individual components in the presence of interfering substances. Ultraviolet and visible spectrometric methods have widely been developed for the analysis of drugs in mixtures and pharmaceutical preparations. These methods are based on ultraviolet and visible multicomponent analysis and chemometrics (multivariate data analysis). The commonly used chemometric methods include principal component analysis (PCA); regression involving classical least squares (CLS), partial least squares (PLS), inverse least squares (ILS), principal component regression (PCR), multiple linear regression (MLR), artificial neural networks (ANNs); soft independent modeling of class anthology (SIMCA), PLS-discriminant analysis (DA); and functional data analysis (FDA). In this chapter, the applications of multicomponent ultraviolet and visible, derivative, infrared and mass spectrometric and spectrofluorimetric methods to the analysis of multi-ingredient pharmaceutical preparations, biological samples and the kinetics of drug degradation have been reviewed. Chemometric methods provide an efficient solution to calibration problems in the analysis of spectral data for the simultaneous determination of drugs in multicomponent systems. These methods facilitate the assessment of product quality and enhance the efficiency of quality control systems.

Phototransformation of amlodipine: degradation kinetics and identification of its photoproducts

Nowadays, monitoring focuses on the primary compounds and does not include degradation products formed during various biological and chemical processes. Transformation products may have the same effects to human health and the environment or sometimes they can be more toxic than the parent compound. Unfortunately, knowledge about the formation of degradation products is still limited, however, can be very important for the environmental risk assessment. Firstly, the photodegradation kinetic of amlodipine was investigated in two experimental conditions: during the exposure to solar radiation and during the exposure to the light emitted by the xenon lamp. In all cases degradation of amlodipine followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics. In the next step, identification of transformation products of amlodipine formed during the exposure to xenon lamp irradiation was performed using ultra high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS). As a result sixteen photoproducts were identified, their structures were elucidated and ultimately the transformation pathway was proposed. Fifteen compounds (out of 16 photoproducts) were newly identified and reported here for the first time; some of those compounds were formed from the first photoproduct, amlodipine pyridine derivative. Several analytes were formed only in acidic or basic conditions. Furthermore, the occurrence of amlodipine and its identified degradation products was investigated in environmental waters. Only one out of 16 compounds was found in wastewater effluent. The possibility of the sorption of examined analytes to sewage sludge particles was discussed based on QSAR.

LC, MS n and LC-MS/MS studies for the characterization of degradation products of amlodipine

In the present study, comprehensive stress testing of amlodipine (AM) was carried out according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) Q1A(R2) guideline. AM was subjected to acidic, neutral and alkaline hydrolysis, oxidation, photolysis and thermal stress conditions. The drug showed instability in acidic and alkaline conditions, while it remained stable to neutral, oxidative, light and thermal stress. A total of nine degradation products (DPs) were formed from AM, which could be separated by the developed gradient LC method on a C₁₈ column. The products formed under various stress conditions were investigated by LC–MS/MS analysis. The previously developed LC method was suitably modified for LC–MS/MS studies by replacing phosphate buffer with ammonium acetate buffer of the same concentration (pH 5.0). A complete fragmentation pathway of the drug was first established to characterize all the degradation products using LC–MS/MS and multi-stage mass (MSⁿ) fragmentation studies. The obtained mass values were used to study elemental compositions, and the total information helped with the identification of DPs, along with its degradation pathway.

Photostability of barnidipine in combined cyclodextrin-in-liposome matrices

Background: The improvement of barnidipine photostability was investigated in cyclodextrin or liposome matrices and in appropriate combinations of these matrices. These supramolecular systems allowed the preparation of liquid formulations, as an alternative to the current solid commercial specialties. Materials & methods: Photodegradation stressing tests were performed according to the ICH rules and monitored by derivative spectrophotometry. Optimization was evaluated in terms of drug-inclusion efficiency. Results: The photodegradation rate of barnidipine in ethanol proved rapid (residual percentage of 29.81%) after a radiation exposure of 225 kJ/m2. The residual concentrations detected for liposome and cyclodextrin complexes were 42.90 and 72.03%, respectively. The best results were obtained when the drug–cyclodextrin complex was in turn entrapped in liposomes (residual percentage of 90.78%). Conclusion: The stability of the drug-in-cyclodextrin-in-liposome system increased significantly with a value close to that of solid formulations whose residual percentage was 96.03%.

Estimation of Amlodipine Besylate, Valsartan and Hydrochlorothiazide in Bulk Mixture and Tablet by UV Spectrophotometry

A simple, precise, accurate and economic simultaneous UV spectrophotometric method has been developed for the estimation of amlodipine besylate, valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide in combination in bulk mixture and tablet. The estimation was based upon measurement of absorbance at absorbance maxima of 359 nm, 317 nm and 250 nm for amlodipine besylate, hydrochlorothiazide and valsartan in methanol, respectively in bulk mixture and tablet. The Beer Lambert's law obeyed in the concentration range 5-25 μg/ml, 10-50 μg/ml and 5-25 μg/ml for amlodipine besylate, hydrochlorothiazide and valsartan, respectively. The estimation of bulk mixture and tablet was carried out by simultaneous equation, Q-analysis and area under curve method for estimation of amlodipine besylate and hydrochlorothiazide and standard curve method for estimation of valsartan. The results were found to be in the range of 99.6±1.52% to 102±0.51%. Method was validated with respect to specificity, linearity, range, accuracy, precision, LOD, LOQ, robustness, ruggedness and can be applied for routine analysis of tablet dosage forms.

Kinetic spectrophotometric method for determination of amlodipine besylate in its pharmaceutical tablets

A simple and sensitive kinetic spectrophotometric method has been developed and validated for determination of amlodipine besylate (AML). The method was based on the condensation reaction of AML with 7-chloro-4-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole in an alkaline buffer (pH 8.6) producing a highly colored product. The color development was monitored spectrophometrically at the maximum absorption λmax 470 nm. The factors affecting the reaction were studied and the conditions were optimized. The stoichiometry of the reaction was determined, and the reaction pathway was postulated. Moreover, both the activation energy and the specific rate constant (at 70 °C) of the reaction were found to be 6.74 kcal mole-1 and 3.58 s-1, respectively. The initial rate and fixed time methods were utilized for constructing the calibration graphs for the determination of AML concentration. Under the optimum reaction conditions, the limits of detection and quantification were 0.35 and 1.05 μg/mL, respectively. The precision of the method was satisfactory; the relative standard deviations were 0.85-1.76%. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of AML in its pure form and tablets with good accuracy; the recovery percentages ranged from 99.55±1.69% to 100.65±1.48%. The results were compared with that of the reported method.

Simultaneous determination of amlodipine and valsartan

A spectrophotometric method was developed for simultaneous determination of amlodipine (Aml) and valsartan (Val) without previous separation. In this method amlodipine in methanolic solution was determined using zero order UV spectrophotometry by measuring its absorbency at 360.5 nm without any interference from valsartan.

Valsartan spectrum in zero order is totally overlapped with that of amlodipine. First, second and third derivative could not resolve the overlapped peaks.

The first derivative of the ratio spectra technique was applied for the measurement of valsartan. The ratio spectrum was obtained by dividing the absorption spectrum of the mixture by that of amlodipine, so that the concentration of valsartan could be determined from the first derivative of the ratio spectrum at 290 nm. Quantification limits of amlodipine and valsartan were 10–80 μg/ml and 20–180 μg/ml respectively. The method was successfully applied for the quantitative determination of both drugs in bulk powder and pharmaceutical formulation.

Inclusion complexes of amlodipine besylate and cyclodextrins

In this paper the procedure for the preparation of inclusion complexes of amlodipine besylate with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and 2-hydrohypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβ-CD) and their structural characterization was described. Molecular inclusion complexes of amlodipine besylate are prepared by the coprecipitation method and characterised by the application of spectroscopic methods FTIR, 1H-NMR and XRD. The photosensitivity of amlodipine besylate in the inclusion complexes was also determined with respect to uncomplexed agent. DSC curves indicate the loss of the clear peak due to melting of amlodipine besylate at about 200°C, while on XR diffractograms certain reflections are lost belonging to amlodipine besylate in complexes. This indicates its inclusion in the vacancies of the host. The inclusion of amlodipine besylate with cyclodextrins increases the stability, i.e. decreases the photosensitivity of amlodipine besylate.

Identification of Photoproducts of Hexahydroquinoline Derivatives by GC-EI-MS and HPLC-ESI-MS

Photoproducts of hexahydroquinoline derivatives have been analyzed with gas chromatography electro ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) and high performance chromatography electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS). The study was performed on four HHQ derivatives: 2,6,6-trimethyl-3-carbomethoxy-5-oxo-4-(R-phenyl)-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinoline; R=2'-Me, 3'-Me, 2'-MeO, and 3'-MeO. The photochemical degradation of each of the HHQ derivatives led to the appearance of one product. The photoproducts were identified as the corresponding tetrahydroquinoline analogues, which were formed by dehydrogenation of dihydropyridine moiety. In GC-mass spectra, the most frequent way of fragmentation was elimination of CH3* or CH3O* radical of the ester group. In the photoproducts substituted at 2'-position of the phenyl ring, elimination of isobutene (C4H8) was observed. In the photoproducts with 3'-position substituents, elimination of COOCH3* radical was noted.

Stability of amlodipine besylate and atenolol in multi-component tablets of mono-layer and bi-layer types

Multi-drug tablets of amlodipine besylate and atenolol were prepared as either mono-layer (mixed matrix) or bilayer tablets containing each drug in a separate layer by using similar excipients and processing. Each tablet batch was packed in strip and blister packs and kept under accelerated temperature and humidity conditions. The stability of two tablet and packaging types was compared by HPLC analysis after 0, 1, 3 and 4.5 months and expressed as the content of intact amlodipine and atenolol. The content of atenolol did not decline regardless of tablet and packaging type. Amlodipine content in bi-layer tablets decreased to about 95 and 88% when packed in strips and blisters, respectively. When prepared as mono-layer tablets, the content decreased to 72 and 32%, respectively.The study revealed that the bi-layer tablet formulation was more stable than the mono-layer type. Further, the stability was increased when the tablets were packed in aluminium strips as compared to PVC blisters.

Validated spectrofluorometric methods for determination of amlodipine besylate in tablets

Two simple and sensitive spectrofluorometric methods have been developed and validated for determination of amlodipine besylate (AML) in tablets. The first method was based on the condensation reaction of AML with ninhydrin and phenylacetaldehyde in buffered medium (pH 7.0) resulting in formation of a green fluorescent product, which exhibits excitation and emission maxima at 375 and 480 nm, respectively. The second method was based on the reaction of AML with 7-chloro-4-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-Cl) in a buffered medium (pH 8.6) resulting in formation of a highly fluorescent product, which was measured fluorometrically at 535 nm (lambda(ex), 480 nm). The factors affecting the reactions were studied and optimized. Under the optimum reaction conditions, linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (0.9949-0.9997) were found between the fluorescence intensity and the concentrations of AML in the concentration range of 0.35-1.8 and 0.55-3.0 microg ml(-1) for ninhydrin and NBD-Cl methods, respectively. The limits of assays detection were 0.09 and 0.16 microg ml(-1) for the first and second method, respectively. The precisions of the methods were satisfactory; the relative standard deviations were ranged from 1.69 to 1.98%. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the analysis of AML in pure and pharmaceutical dosage forms with good accuracy; the recovery percentages ranged from 100.4-100.8+/-1.70-2.32%. The results were compared favorably with those of the reported method.

Application of liquid chromatography-two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy using pre-concentration column trapping and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the identification of degradation products in stressed commercial amlodipine maleate tablets

Application of the HPLC hyphenated techniques of LC-two-dimensional (2D) NMR using pre-concentration column trapping and LC-MS was demonstrated by the identification of two major degradation products, DP-1 and DP-2, in stressed commercial tablets of amlodipine maleate. The molecular formulas were estimated by LC-MS. Sample pre-concentration by column trapping was conducted to obtain adequate 2D-NMR signals by reducing the peak widths of the degradation products and making sure that the maximum amount of each component was inside the flow cell for NMR detection. Double-quantum filtered correlation spectroscopy (DQF-COSY) was applied to identify DP-1 as beta-N-lactosylamlodipine by suppressing the residual water signal without affecting the sample signal and by measuring the coupling constant of the lactose anomeric proton. Heteronuclear multiple bond coherence spectroscopy (HMBC) was applied to characterize DP-2 as an aspartic acid derivative of amlodipine by detecting long-range CH correlations. The chemical structures of the degradation products could be successfully elucidated unambiguously without an isolation process.

Structure elucidation of thermal degradation products of amlodipine

Thermal degradation of amlodipine base causes intramolecular reactions affording three cyclic products, referred to as AMLDEG-I, AMLDEG-II, and AMLDEG-III, respectively. AMLDEG-I is a cyclized product formed by intramolecular elimination of ammonia from amlodipine. AMLDEG-II is a positional isomer of AMLDEG-I. AMLDEG-III is also intramolecular cyclisation product. The three degradation products were isolated by column chromatography and characterized by FT-IR and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy data. The AMLDEG-III was crystallized and its structure was solved by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD).

A stability-indicating high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay for the simultaneous determination of atorvastatin and amlodipine in commercial tablets

A simple, rapid, precise and accurate isocratic reversed-phase stability-indicating HPLC method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of atorvastatin (AT) and amlodipine (AM) in commercial tablets. The method has shown adequate separation for AM, AT from their associated main impurities and their degradation products. Separation was achieved on a Perfectsil Target ODS-3, 5 microm, 250 mm x 4.6 mm i.d. column using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-0.025 M NaH(2)PO(4) buffer (pH 4.5) (55:45, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 ml/min and UV detection at 237 nm. The drugs were subjected to oxidation, hydrolysis, photolysis and heat to apply stress conditions. The linearity of the proposed method was investigated in the range of 2-30 microg/ml (r=0.9994) for AT and 1-20 microg/ml (r=0.9993) for AM. The limits of detection were 0.65 microg/ml and 0.35 microg/ml for AT and AM, respectively. The limits of quantitation were 2 microg/ml and 1 microg/ml for AT and AM, respectively. Degradation products produced as a result of stress studies did not interfere with the detection of AT and AM and the assay can thus be considered stability-indicating.

Improvement of bioavailability and photostability of amlodipine using redispersible dry emulsion

To improve the bioavailability and photostability of poorly water-soluble and photosensitive amlodipine, dry emulsion (DE) was prepared by spray-drying the oil-in-water emulsion of amlodipine. Labrafil M 1944 CS and dextrin were employed as oil phase and matrix material, respectively. Dispersing DE in distilled water formed an emulsion with a mean droplet size 1.4-fold larger than that of the homogenized amlodipine emulsion before spray-drying (0.24 +/- 0.30 microm versus 0.17 +/- 0.02 microm). The mean droplet size of DE remained unchanged during 6-month storage at room temperature. 94.4% versus 33.1% of amlodipine remained intact after 24-h UV irradiation of amlodipine as DE formulation or as powder. These data suggest that DE formulation greatly improved the photostability of amlodipine, as well as increasing the physical stability of emulsion systems. In vitro release of DE was higher than that of amlodipine powder (66% versus 48% release at 60 min). Consequently, DE formulation resulted in 2.6- and 2.9-fold higher Cmax and AUC0-24 h of amlodipine compared after oral administration of amlodipine powder in rats. Our data suggest that the DE may be a potential oral dosage form for amlodipine to improve its bioavailability.

A rapid derivative spectrophotometric method for simultaneous determination of naphazoline and antazoline in eye drops

A zero-crossing first-derivative spectrophotometric method is applied for the simultaneous determination of naphazoline hydrochloride and antazoline phosphate in eye drops. The measurements were carried out at wavelengths of 225 and 252 nm for naphazoline hydrochloride and antazoline phosphate, respectively. The method was found to be linear (r2>0.999) in the range of 0.2-1 microg/ml for naphazoline hydrochloride in the presence of 5 microg/ml antazoline phosphate at 225 nm. The same linear correlation (r2>0.999) was obtained in the range of 1-10 microg/ml of antazoline phosphate in the presence of 0.5 microg/ml of naphazoline hydrochloride at 252 nm. The limit of determination was 0.2 microg/ml and 1 microg/ml for naphazoline hydrochloride and antazoline phosphate, respectively. The method was successfully used for simultaneous analysis of naphazoline hydrochloride and antazoline phosphate in eye drops without any interference from excipients and prior separation before analysis.

A critical study on the application of the zero-crossing derivative spectrophotometry to the photodegradation monitoring of lacidipine

An extensive study on the application of the "zero-crossing" technique for the analysis of a binary mixture of the photosensitive drug lacidipine and its corresponding by-product by derivative spectrophotometry is described. The technique has been compared to either conventional and recently developed UV spectrophotometric procedures, including chemometric methods. The prediction ability of the different analytical techniques has been checked by using the first-order derivative spectra of drug and photoproduct in binary mixtures. Relative advantages and drawbacks have been discussed. The zero-crossing technique suffers from several limitations, mostly ascribed to the selection of suitable signals along slopes of the spectral curve, giving rise to low accurate and precise results. The mean recovery from the zero-crossing analysis was calculated to lie in the 95.1-98.4% range for lacidipine, and 91.2-118.9% for the photoproduct. Chemometric methods showed a greater prediction ability with a 101.4-103.0% and 96.3-98.4% recovery for drug and degradation product, respectively.

Photoprotection of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives by dyes

The possibility of increasing the photochemical stability of nisoldipine by using indigotine and azorubine as photoprotectors has been studied. The course of the photodegradation was monitored by means of UV-vis spectrophotometry and HPLC. Quantitative assessments of the nisoldipine photodegradation included evaluation of the quantum yields and kinetic parameters. In order to establish the light intensity absorbed by a system, Reinecke salt was used as a chemical actinometer. The values of the quantum yields (phi) of photodegradation decreased with increasing dye concentration and were 0.24-0.15 and 0.27-0.25 for indigotine and azorubine, respectively. Furthermore, our attention was focused on determination the role of the selected dyes during the photodegradation of nisoldipine and the calculations were made to eliminate an inner filter effect. The values obtained were used to construct a Stern-Volmer plot and calculate the Stern-Volmer constants (KSV). On the basis of the KSV and the values of the quenching constant (kq) the exited state lifetime (tauo) of nisoldipine in the presence of indigotine and azorubine were estimated. The calculated values of tauo for NS were 6.66x10(-6)s--in the presence of indigotine and 2.76x10(-6)s--in the presence of azorubine, indicating that the photodegradation of nisoldipine occurs from the lowest triplet excited state.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identification of photoproducts of hexahydroquinoline derivatives: potential calcium channel antagonists

Photodegradation products of hexahydroquinoline derivatives (HHQ) have been analysed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The photodegradation was carried out under the conditions recommended in the first version of the document issued by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), currently in force in the studies of photochemical stability of drugs and therapeutic substances. The study was performed on the compounds having two chlorine atoms at different positions of the phenyl ring. Photodegradation of dichlorophenyl derivatives of HHQ resulted in formation of one or three photoproducts. The main product of their decomposition was aromatic compound formed as a result of dehydrogenation of the dihydropyridine ring. The most often observed fragmentation pathway of the photoproducts formed was elimination of methyl and methoxy radicals from the ester groups. The fragmentation of the photoproducts containing one chlorine atom at the ortho-position of the phenyl ring occurred through elimination of chlorine radical.

Simultaneous Determination of Cyproterone Acetate and Ethinylestradiol in Tablets by Derivative Spectrophotometry

Derivative spectrophotometry offers a useful approach for the analysis of drugs in multi-component mixtures. In this study a third-derivative spectrophotometric method was used for simultaneous determination of cyproterone acetate and ethinylestradiol using the zero-crossing technique. The measurements were carried out at wavelengths of 316 and 226 nm for cyproterone acetate and ethinylestradiol respectively. The method was found to be linear (r2>0.999) in the range of 0.5-6 mg/100 ml for cyproterone acetate in the presence of 35 microg/100 ml ethinylestsradiol at 316 nm. The same linear correlation (r2>0.999) was obtained in the range of 10-80 microg/100 ml of ethinylestradiol in the presence of 2 mg/100 ml of cyproterone acetate at 226 nm. The limit of determination was 0.5 mg/100 ml and 10 microg/100 ml for cyproterone acetate and ethinylestradiol respectively. The method was successfully applied for simultaneous determination of cyproterone acetate and ethinylestradiol in pharmaceutical preparations without any interferences from excipients.

Recent Developments of Derivative Spectrophotometry and Their Analytical Applications

Articles about the development of derivative spectrophotometric methods and analytical applications of derivative spectrophotometry (DS) published in the last nine years (since 1994) are reviewed.

Design and monitoring of photostability systems for amlodipine dosage forms

Photostability of amlodipine (AML) has been monitored in several pharmaceutical inclusion systems characterized by plurimolecular aggregation of the drug and excipients with high molecular weight. Several formulations including cyclodextrins, liposomes and microspheres have been prepared and characterized. The photodegradation process has been monitored according to the conditions suggested by the ICH Guideline for photostability testing, by using a light cabinet equipped with a Xenon lamp and monitored by spectrophotometry. The formulations herein tested have been found to be able to considerably increase drug stability, when compared with usual pharmaceutical forms. The residual concentration detected in the inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins and liposomes was 90 and 77%, respectively, while a very good value of 97% was found for microspheres, after a radiant exposure of 11,340 kJm(-2).