Biocompatible magnetite nanoparticles coated with ionic liquid-based surfactantas a hydrophilic sorbent for dispersive solid phase microextraction of cephalosporins prior to their quantitation by HPTLC.

Extraction of highly hydrophilic compounds from biological fluids including urine or plasma samples is a dilemma due to high hydrophilicity of the matrix itself. The main aim of the current work is to explore the competence of ionic liquid (IL)-based surfactant-coated mineral oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in dispersive solid-phase microextraction (d-SPME) of highly hydrophilic analytes taking cefoperazone (CPZ) as a model analyte for the study. The IL-based surfactant coated Fe3O4 NPs is utilized as an innovative adsorbent for the separation and pre-concentration of CPZ after intramuscular injection (I.M) in rabbits. The utilized magnetite NPs were synthesized via simple and reliable co-precipitation procedure, which doesn't require any air-free environment and depends on a single iron (III) salt. Characterization of the as-synthesized NPs was achieved by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Surface area measurements show that Fe3O4 NPs have large surface area of 75 m2 g-1. The developed approach utilizes the unique properties of the IL-based surfactant including multiple polar interaction types provided by the polar head in addition to merits of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which include large adsorptive capacity and magnetic properties, to improve separation, save time, and achieve satisfactory recovery. Comprehensive study was developed for the factors, that affect the adsorption capacity such as pH, NPs amount, IL-based surfactant concentration, ionic strength, adsorption time, and desorption conditions. Moreover, the adsorption data was fitted to Langmuir and second-order kinetic models as reflected by the reasonable determination coefficients of 0.9319 and 0.9726, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, the developed approach achieves good correlation coefficient of 0.9975, and 0.9981 over linearity range of 0.7-12.0 and 4.0-50.0 µg mL-1 for both CPZ standard solutions and spiked rabbit plasma, respectively. It also provides good sensitivity expressed by the low values of limit of detection (LOD) of 0.2 and 1.2 µg mL-1 and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 0.7 and 4.0 µg mL-1 for both the standard solutions and spiked plasma, respectively. The developed approach was also applied successfully for monitoring CPZ in rabbit plasma samples with satisfactory recovery % (83-110). In addition, a detailed pharmacokinetic study is performed where pharmacokinetic parameters of CPZ in rabbit plasma samples were calculated.

Towards understanding of the interaction of certain carbapenems with protein via combined experimental and theoretical approach.

The interactions of the recent carbapenems; ertapenem (ERP) and meropenem (MRP); with serum albumin (SA) were closely investigated by a combined spectrofluorometric experimental and theoretical approach. The approach is based on the quenching of fluorescence intensity of bovine serum albumin (BSA) upon binding with different carbapenems. The quenching was observed at λem 333-340 nm after excitation at 280 nm. Mechanism of interaction was found to be static quenching through hydrophobic and H-bonding interactions and confirmed with molecular docking using MOE software. Binding constant, binding number were estimated for both MRP and ERP. Thermodynamic parameters including entropy change (ΔS), enthalpy change (ΔH) and free energy change (ΔG) were calculated at three different temperatures. Moreover, BSA configuration during binding was investigated via synchronous and 3D spectrofluorimetry. Förster resonance energy transfer calculated (FRET), integration interval (J) and distance (ro) between BSA and the studied drugs were calculated to confirm the static quenching.

Poly (bromocresol green) flakes-decorated pencil graphite electrode for selective electrochemical sensing applications and pharmacokinetic studies.

A square wave voltammetric method for selective determination of meropenem (MRP) and ertapenem (ERP) was developed using pencil graphite electrode modified with poly (bromocresol green) (PGE/PBCG). The modified electrode film was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and electro-chemical impedance spectroscopy. Under the optimized conditions, the prepared electrode has good linearity over concentration range 1.0-60.0 and 0.3.0-75.0 µM for MRP and ERP, respectively. The developed method was validated according to ICH guidelines. In addition, the diffusion co-efficients of MRP and ERP were estimated to be 1.24 × 10-6 and 9.09 × 10-6 cm2 s-1, respectively using chronoamperometric technique. The developed method was highly sensitive and selective for the determination of MRP or ERP in the presence of their corresponding open beta-lactam ring degradation products. Consequently, it was successfully utilized for in-vitro and in-vivo applications in spiked and real plasma samples of healthy rabbits for their pharmacokinetic studies. Furthermore, the method was applied for the assay of the available dosage forms of both drugs.

Hydrophilic-interaction planar chromatography in ultra-sensitive determination of α-aminocephalosporin antibiotics. Application to analysis of cefalexin in goat milk samples using modified QuEChERS extraction technique.

A highly sensitive, selective and precise HPTLC method coupled with fluorescence detection was developed and validated for the determination of α-aminocephalosporin antibiotics; namely cefalexin, cefadroxil and cefradine in their standard solutions. The applicability of the developed methodology was demonstrated via analysis of cefalexin in goat milk samples. Full optimization of the fluorescence derivatization reaction was carried out with regard to the standard solutions of the studied compounds or after extraction of milk samples. The separation of the studied compounds was performed on HPTLC precoated silica gel plates 60 F254 using acetonitrile: water in a ratio 85:15 (v/v) as a mobile phase. The retention behavior of the formed derivatives was discussed in detail. It was found that hydrophilic interaction mode is the main interaction mechanism governing the retention of the formed derivatives. In addition, an experimental design approach was conducted for optimization of the chromatographic conditions. Modified QuEChERS was applied as an efficient extraction technique of cefalexin from both spiked and real goat milk samples. Optimization of QuEChERS extraction technique to achieve the highest extraction recovery was performed and the results indicate that this method provides a good extraction recovery (83-116%) for cefalexin from goat milk samples. Limit of detection (LOD) of the developed method was found to be 0.023, 0.005, and 0.023 ng band-1 for cefalexin, cefadroxil and cefradine, respectively in their standard solutions and 0.165 ng band-1 for cefalexin in goat milk samples. According to the achieved LOD values, the method sensitivity was quasi-equivalent to other methods based on expensive techniques such as HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS and it is sufficient to determine cefalexin below its MRL in milk samples. Moreover, the method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of cefalexin in goat milk after single intramuscular injection of 10 mg of cefalexin kg-1 per body weight.

Stability-indicating thin-layer chromatographic method for quantitative determination of ribavirin.

A simple and accurate stability-indicating thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) method is developed and validated for the quantitative determination of ribavirin (RBV) in its bulk and with used for development consists of chloroform-methanol-acetic acid (60:15:15, v/v/v). The separated spots are visualized as bluish green spots after being sprayed with anisaldehyde reagent. RBV is subjected to different accelerated stress conditions. The drug is found to undergo degradation under all stress conditions, and the degradation products are well resolved from the pure drug with significantly different Rf values. The optical densities of the separated spots are found to be linear with the amount of RBV in the range of 5-40 microg/spot with a good correlation coefficient (r=0.9980). The limit of detection and limit of quantitation values are 1.40 and 4.67 microg/spot, respectively. Statistical analysis proves that the method is repeatable and accurate for the determination of RBV in the presence of its degradation products. The method meets the International Conference on Harmonisation/Food and Drug Administration regulatory requirements. The proposed TLC method is successfully applied for the determination of RBV, pure and in capsules, with good accuracy and precision; the label claim percentages are 98.8%+/-1.5%. The results obtained by the proposed TLC method are comparable with those obtained by the official method.

Quantitative thin-layer chromatographic method for determination of amantadine hydrochloride.

A simple and accurate thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) method for quantitative determination of amantadine hydrochloride (AMD) was developed and validated. The method employed TLC aluminum plates pre-coated with silica gel 60F-254 as a stationary phase. The solvent system used for development consisted of n-hexane-methanol-diethylamine (80: 40: 5, v/v/v). The separated spots were visualized as brown spots after spraying with modified Dragendorff's reagent solution. Amantadine hydrochloride was subjected to accelerated stress conditions: boiling, acid and alkaline hydrolysis, oxidation, and irradiation with ultraviolet light. The drug was found to be stable under all the investigated stress conditions. The method was validated for linearity, limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ), precision, robustness, selectivity and accuracy. The optical densities of the separated spots were found to be linear with the amount of AMD in the range of 5-40 µg/spot with good correlation coefficient (r=0.9994). The LOD and LOQ values were 0.72 and 2.38 µg/spot, respectively. Statistical analysis proved that the method is repeatable and accurate for the determination of AMD. The method, in terms of its sensitivity, accuracy, precision, and robustness met the International Conference of Harmonization/Federal Drug Administration regulatory requirements. The proposed TLC method was successfully applied for the determination of AMD in bulk and capsules with good accuracy and precision; the label claim percentages were 99.0 ± 1.0%. The results obtained by the proposed TLC method were comparable with those obtained by the official method. The proposed method is more advantageous than the previously published chromatographic methods as it involved the most simple chromatographic technique; TLC. In addition, method relies on the use of inexpensive equipment, a scanner and software, and not critical derivatizing reagent, thus maximizing the ability of laboratories worldwide to analyze samples of AMD.

A selective spectrophotometric method for determination of rosoxacin antibiotic using sodium nitroprusside as a chromogenic reagent.

A selective spectrophotometric method for the determination of rosoxacin (ROS), a 4-quinolone antimicrobial agent, has been developed and validated. The method was based on the reaction of ROS with alkaline sodium nitroprusside (SNP) reagent at room temperature forming a red colored chromogen measured at 455 nm. The conditions affecting the reaction (SNP concentration, pH, color-developing time, temperature, diluting solvent and chromogen stability time) were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, good linear relationship (r=0.9987) was obtained between the absorbance and the concentration of ROS in the range of 20-50 microg ml(-1). The assay limits of detection and quantitation were 2.5 and 8.4 microg ml(-1), respectively. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of bulk drug and laboratory-prepared tablets; the mean percentage recoveries were 100.1+/-0.33 and 101.24+/-1.28%, respectively. The results were compared favourably with those obtained by the reported method; no significant difference in the accuracy and precision as revealed by the accepted values of t- and F-tests, respectively. The robustness and ruggedness of the method was checked and satisfactory results were obtained. The proposed method was found to be highly selective for ROS among the fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The reaction mechanism was proposed and it proceeded in two steps; the formation of nitroferrocyanide by the action of sodium hydroxide alkalinity on SNP and the subsequent formation of the colored nitrosyl-ROS derivative by the attack at position 6 of ROS.

A validated spectrofluorometric assay for the determination of certain macrolide antibiotics in pharmaceutical formulations and spiked biological fluids.

This paper describes a simple spectrofluorometric method for the analysis of 4 macrolide antibiotics. The method is based on the condensation of 10% (w/v) malonic acid and acetic acid anhydride under the catalytic effect of tertiary amine groups of the studied macrolides. The relative fluorescence intensity of the condensation product was measured at 397/452 nm (excitation/emission) for azithromycin dihydrate and at 392/445 nm (for clarithromycin, erythromycin ethylsuccinate, and roxithromycin. All variables affecting the reaction conditions were studied. The effects of potential interference due to common excipients, such as starch, lactose, sucrose, glucose, gum acacia, and magnesium stearate, as well as trimethoprim and sulfisoxazole acetyl formulated in primomycin capsules and pediazole oral suspension, respectively, were studied. A validation study for the proposed method was carried out according to U.S. Pharmacopeia 2002. The linearity ranges were 3-80 ng/mL for all of the cited macrolides. The limit of detection range was 0.74-1.20 ng/mL, while the limit of quantitation range was 2.47-4.02 ng/mL. The method was applied for the assay of the studied macrolides in pure pharmaceutical formulations and in spiked biological fluids. Results were compared with those obtained from the reported method, where calculated t- and F-values indicated high accuracy and good precision for the proposed method.

Generic nonextractive spectrophotometric method for determination of 4-quinolone antibiotics by formation of ion-pair complexes with beta-naphthol.

This paper describes the development of a generic spontaneous nonextractive spectrophotometric method for determination of 13 pharmaceutically important 4-quinolone antibiotics. The method was based on the formation of yellow-colored water-soluble ion-pair complexes between 2% (w/v) beta-naphthol reagent and each of the studied drugs in sulfuric acid medium at room temperature. The formed ion-pair chromogens have maximum absorption peaks in the range of 365-391 nm. The concentrations of the reagents and the experimental conditions affecting the reaction were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, linear relationships with good linear coefficients (0.9987-0.9995) were found between the absorbance and concentration of the investigated drugs in the range of 10-350 microg/mL. The assay limits of detection and quantitation were 1-9.9 and 3.4-32.9 microg/mL, respectively. The precision of the method was satisfactory; the values of relative standard deviations did not exceed 2%. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of the investigated drugs in pure and pharmaceutical dosage forms with good accuracy and precision; the percentages of label claim ranged from 97.8-102.8 +/- 0.35-1.60%. The results obtained by the proposed spectrophotometric method were comparable with those obtained by the official or reported methods. The proposed method is superior to all the previously reported ion-pair formation-based methods in terms of simplicity because it did not involve extraction procedures for the ion-pair complex. Therefore, this method might be recommended for routine use in quality control laboratories for analysis of the investigated 4-quinolone antibiotics in their pure forms, as well as in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Application of inorganic oxidants to the spectrophotometric determination of ribavirin in bulk and capsules.

Eight spectrophotometric methods for determination of ribavirin have been developed and validated. These methods were based on the oxidation of the drug by different inorganic oxidants: ceric ammonium sulfate, potassium permanganate, ammonium molybdate, ammonium metavanidate, chromium trioxide, potassium dichromate, potassium iodate, and potassium periodate. The oxidation reactions were performed in perchloric acid medium for ceric ammonium sulfate and in sulfuric acid medium for the other reagents. With ceric ammonium sulfate and potassium permanganate, the concentration of ribavirin in its samples was determined by measuring the decrease in the absorption intensity of the colored reagents at 315 and 525 nm, respectively. With the other reagents, the concentration of ribavirin was determined by measuring the intensity of the developed colored reaction products at the wavelengths of maximum absorbance: 675, 780, 595, 595, 475, and 475 nm for reactions with ammonium molybdate, ammonium metavanidate, chromium trioxide, potassium dichromate, potassium iodate, and potassium periodate, respectively. Different variables affecting the reaction conditions were carefully studied and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (0.9984-0.9998) were found between the absorbance readings and the concentrations of ribavirin in the range of 4-1400 microg/mL. The molar absorptivities were correlated with the oxidation potential of the oxidants used. The precision of the methods were satisfactory; the values of relative standard deviation did not exceed 1.64%. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the analysis of ribavirin in pure drug material and capsules with good accuracy and precision; the recovery values were 99.2-101.2 +/- 0.48-1.30%. The results obtained using the proposed spectrophotometric methods were comparable with those obtained with the official method stated in the United States Pharmacopeia.

Simple fluorimetric method for determination of certain antiviral drugs via their oxidation with cerium (IV).

A simple and sensitive fluorimetric method for determination of antiviral drugs: ribavirin, acyclovir, and amantadine hydrochloride has been developed. The method was based on the oxidation of these drugs by cerium(IV) in presence of perchloric acid and subsequent monitoring the fluorescence of the induced cerium(III) at lambdaexcitation 255 and lambdaemission 355 nm. Different variables affecting the reaction conditions such as the concentrations of cerium(IV), type and concentration of acid medium, reaction time, temperature, and the diluting solvents were carefully studied and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (0.9978-0.9996) were found between the relative fluorescence intensity and the concentrations of the investigated drugs in the range of 50-1400 ng ml-1. The assay limits of detection and quantitation were 20-49, and 62-160 ng ml-1, respectively. The precision of the method was satisfactory; the values of relative standard deviations did not exceed 1.58%. No interference could be observed from the excipients commonly present in dosage forms. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of the investigated drugs in pure and pharmaceutical dosage forms with good accuracy and precision; the recovery percentages ranged from 99.2 to 101.2+/-0.48-1.30%. The results obtained by the proposed fluorimetric method were comparable with those obtained by the official method stated in the United States Pharmacopoeia.

Spectroscopic analytical study for the charge-transfer complexation of certain cephalosporins with chloranilic acid.

Studies were carried out to develop a simple, rapid and accurate spectrophotometric method for the analysis of fifteen cephalosporins. The method depends on the charge-transfer complexation reaction between any of these drugs as an n-electron donor and p-chloranilic acid (p-CA) as a pi-acceptor to form a violet chromogen measured at 520 nm. Different variables affecting the reaction were studied and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (0.9986-0.9996) were found between the absorbances and the concentrations of the studied drugs in the range of 4-1,200 microg ml(-1). The limits of assay detection ranged from 2.54 to 42.83 microg ml(-1). The accuracy and precision of the method were satisfactory. The method was successfully applied to an analysis of the studied drugs in their pharmaceutical formulations; the recovery percentages ranged from 96.76 +/- 0.87% to 100.50 +/- 1.30%. The interaction sites were confirmed by UV/VIS, IR, 1H-NMR techniques. Molecular modeling for the interaction was used for deriving an equation for calculating the epsilon value for a particular drug. This equation gave a perfect prediction for the degree of interaction of the investigated drugs with the p-CA reagent.

Frontal analysis of drug-plasma lipoprotein binding using capillary electrophoresis.

High performance frontal analysis coupled with capillary electrophoresis (HPFA/CE) was applied to the ultramicroanalysis of enantioselective binding of drug to plasma lipoproteins. A small volume (ca. 80 nl) of (R)- or (S)-propranolol (PRO, 25-150 microM) and human high-density lipoprotein (HDL, 2.63 g/l) or human low-density lipoprotein (LDL, 4.37 g/l) mixed solution, which was in the state of binding equilibrium, was introduced hydrodynamically into a non-coated fused silica capillary. Positively charged unbound PRO enantiomers migrated toward cathodic end much faster than negatively charged lipoproteins and the bound form. Once unbound PRO migrated apart from lipoprotein, the bound PRO was quickly released from the lipoprotein to maintain the binding equilibrium. Thus, PRO migrated as a zone in the capillary, giving a peak with a plateau region, where the concentration is the same as the unbound PRO concentration in the original sample solution. The unbound PRO concentration calculated form the plateau height agreed with that determined by a conventional ultrafiltration method used as a reference method. It was found that the bindings of PRO to HDL and PRO to LDL were not enantioselective, while the total binding affinity of PRO to LDL (4.01 x 10(5) per M) was 17 times higher than that of PRO-HDL binding (2.38 x 10(4) per M).