[Quality control of cod liver oil, physicochemical methods of analysis]. / Contrôle de qualité de l'huile de foie de Morue, méthodes physicochimiques d'analyse.

The control of oils and fats requires analytical processes far surpassing the traditional framework of physical properties and chemical characteristics. The control of cod liver oil is improved by the use of these procedures. The present report is devoted to the measurement of vitamin A by ultraviolet spectrophotometry and of vitamin D3 by high performance liquid chromatography, to the determination of the profile of their fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats, as well as to their measurement by liquid gas chromatography after derivatisation. The results permit the definition of the cod liver oil's quality, the differentiation between fish oils and the detection of possible changes. A technique for verifying the absence of butylhydroxyanisol and of butylhydroxytoluen is also described.

Titrimetric assay of pancreatic lipase in pharmaceutical preparations.

Lyophilized pancreas and pancreatic extracts are widely used in therapy of pancreatic exocrine function deficiencies. Among the measures for quality of the extracts, assay for lipolytic activity appears to be one of the best. However, assay precision is poor, because the specificity and mode of action of lipase requires careful optimization of the assay parameters, especially substrate and measurement conditions. In the method proposed here, substrate quality is improved by the use of sodium desoxycholate and a high-speed stirrer for more reproducible emulsions. Fatty acids are assayed by a titrimetric method, using an electronically monitored pH meter. A comparative statistical study of the U.S. Pharmacopeia method, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) method, and a modified FIP method showed the latter to have improved accuracy and reproducibility.