Comparison between the dissolution profiles of nine meloxicam tablet brands commercially available in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In this work, the dissolution profiles of nine meloxicam tablet brands marketed in Argentina have been evaluated. As meloxicam is a Class 2 Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BSC) drug, interchangeability between commercial products must be demonstrated through in vivo bioequivalence studies. However, in our country, such studies remain to be performed. Dissolution studies have been performed according to USP 38 and evaluated by fitting experimental data to the zero and first-order, the Hixson-Crowell, the Higuchi, and the Weibull model-dependent methods. To test the pertinence of these release models, the Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) were used. All brands satisfied the dissolution profiles (phosphate buffer, pH 7.5) established in the USP. The comparison between the dissolution profiles was carried out by model-dependent and model-independent methods. The Weibull model provided the best kinetic curve adjustment. Brands I, II, IV and VI had the best fitting, with the maximum determination coefficient and the smallest AIC values. Model-independent methods included ratio test and the fit factors. The Dissolution Efficiency (DE) and Mean Dissolution Time (MDT) were analysed with ANOVA and the DGC method. In both cases, brand I did not show similarity with the rest of the brands. Using fit factors, only brands I, II and V were similar to each other. Significant differences were found among the in vitro dissolution profiles of meloxicam tablets belonging to the nine brands. As meloxicam is a class 2 BCS drug, interchangeability between commercial products must be demonstrated through in vivo bioequivalence studies. However, in Argentina, such studies remain to be performed. Our results demonstrate that caution must be exercised as regards interchangeability of generic products.

A validated specific stability-indicating RP-HPLC assay method for the determination of loteprednol etabonate in eye drops.

A new stability-indicating RP-HPLC assay method was developed and validated for quantitative determination of loteprednol etabonate in bulk drugs and in ophthalmic suspensions in the presence of degradation products generated from forced degradation studies. The system consisted of Agilent Technologies Zorbax Eclipse XDB-Phenyl 5 µm 4.6 × 250 mm, and detection was performed at 244 nm. The mobile phase consisted of water-acetonitrile-acetic acid (34.5:65.0:0.5, v/v/v) run at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and maintained at room temperature. The calibration curve was linear from 30 to 70 µg/mL with r > 0.999. Accuracy (mean recovery 100.78%) and precision were found to be satisfactory. Stress conditions including acid and alkali hydrolysis, water stress, oxidation, photolysis and heat were applied. The degradation products did not interfere with the detection of loteprednol etabonate, thus the method can be considered as a stability-indicating method. The proposed method can be used for quality control assay of loteprednol etabonate in bulk drug and in ophthalmic suspensions and for stability studies as a result of the ability of the method to separate loteprednol etabonate from its degradation products and excipients.

Validation of simultaneous volumetric and HPLC methods for the determination of pridinol mesylate in raw material.

Simple, sensitive, and economical simultaneous volumetric and HPLC methods for the determination of pridinol mesylate in raw material have been developed. The volumetric method is based on the reaction of pridinol with sodium lauryl sulphate in diluted sulphuric acid. Dimethyl yellow was used as indicator to detect the end point of the titration in aqueous/organic layer. The HPLC method for the determination of pridinol mesylate employs a reverse phase C18 column at ambient temperature with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile: 0.05 M potassium dihydrogen phosphate, pH adjusted to 5.0 (1 : 2, v/v). The flow rate was 0.8 mL/min. Quantitation was achieved with UV detection at 258 nm based on peak area. Both methods were found to be suitable for the quality control of pridinol mesylate in raw material.

Drug-excipient compatibility studies in binary mixtures of avobenzone.

During preformulation studies of cosmetic/pharmaceutical products, thermal analysis techniques are very useful to detect physical or chemical incompatibilities between the active and the excipients of interest that might interfere with safety and/or efficacy of the final product. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used as a screening technique for assessing the compatibility of avobenzone with some currently used cosmetic excipients. In the first phase of the study, DSC was used as a tool to detect any interaction. Based on the DSC results alone, cetearyl alcohol, isopropyl myristate, propylparaben, diethylhexyl syringylidene malonate, caprylic capric triglyceride, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), glycerin, cetearyl alcohol/ceteareth 20, cetearyl alcohol/sodium lauryl sulfate/sodium cetearyl sulfate, and paraffinum liquidum exhibit interaction with avobenzone. Stressed binary mixtures (stored at 50°C for 15 days) of avobenzone and excipients were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Binary mixtures were further investigated by infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Based on DSC, isothermal stress testing, and fourier transform infrared results; avobenzone is incompatible with caprylic capric triglyceride, propylparaben, and BHT.

A stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of methocarbamol in veterinary preparations.

An isocratic HPLC method was developed and validated for the quantitation of methocarbamol in the presence of its degradation products. Quantitation was achieved using a reversed-phase C18 column at ambient temperature with mobile phase consisting of methanol-water-tetrahydrofuran (25 + 65 + 10, v/v). The flow rate was 0.9 mL/min. The detection was by UV light at 274 nm. The proposed method was validated for selectivity, precision, linearity, and accuracy. The assay method was found to be linear from 159.0 to 793.2 microg/mL (3.2 to 15.9 microg injected). All validation parameters were within the acceptable range. The developed method was successfully applied to estimate the amount of methocarbamol in a veterinary injection.

Validation of a liquid chromatographic method for determination of tacrolimus in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

An accurate, simple, and reproducible liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of tacrolimus in capsules. The analysis is performed at room temperature on a reversed-phase C18 column with UV detection at 210 nm. The mobile phase is methanol-water (90 + 10) at a constant flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, and specificity by forced decomposition of tacrolimus, using acid, base, water, hydrogen peroxide, heat, and light. The response was linear in the range of 0.09-0.24 mg/mL (r2 = 0.9997). The relative standard deviation values for intra- and interday precision studies were 1.28 and 2.91%, respectively. Recoveries ranged from 98.06 to 102.52%.

Simultaneous determination of chlorpheniramine maleate and dexamethasone in a tablet dosage form by liquid chromatography.

An accurate, simple, reproducible, and sensible liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of chlorpheniramine maleate and dexamethasone in a tablet formulation. The analysis was performed at room temperature on a reversed-phase C18 column with UV detection at 254 nm. The mobile phase consisted of 7.5 mM monobasic potassium phosphate in methanol-water (62.5 + 37.5) at a constant flow rate of 1 mL/min. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, and specificity by forced decomposition of chlorpheniramine maleate and dexamethasone initiated by using acid, base, water, hydrogen peroxide, heat, and light. The response was linear in the ranges of 0.04-0.12 and 0.006-0.016 mg/mL for chlorpheniramine maleate (r2 = 0.9999) and dexamethasone (r2 = 0.9994), respectively. The relative standard deviation values for intra- and interday precision studies were 2.39 and 2.02, respectively, for chlorpheniramine maleate and 2.39 and 1.25, respectively, for dexamethasone. Recoveries ranged from 95.07 to 101.95% for chlorpheniramine maleate and from 97.75 to 102.10% for dexamethasone.

Antitumoral activity of a new series of 5,6-dihydrobenzo(a)carbazoles.

The overlapping of three-dimensional structures of 5,6-dihydrobenzo(a)carbazole (DHBC) derivatives over the structure of 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OH-TAM), by means of the MDL CHEMLAB 11.0 computational program, shows a reasonable structural and spatial resemblance. This finding raised the hypothesis of their possible antitumoral activity, similar to that of tamoxifen (TAM). A number of DHBCs with an alkyl chain and a second basic nitrogen as substituent were synthesized in our laboratory and their possible antitumoral activity was tested by means of: 1) competitive radioligand assays to determine relative drug affinity for the estrogen receptor (ER); 2) in vivo studies, giving the synthetic drugs subcutaneously (1 mg kg-1 day-1) to Sprague-Dawley rats with N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU)-induced mammary tumors; and 3) in vitro cell proliferation experiments employing the soft agar clonogenic technique. Besides, studies on toxicity and histopathological analyses of organs and tumors from treated animals were performed. Results obtained showed that: 1) relative binding affinities (RBA) for the ER were similar to that of TAM; 2) some structures showed significant antitumoral activity and induced tumoral regression similar to TAM; and 3) these compounds had in vitro inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. Even though all the compounds of the series of synthesized DHBCs showed affinity for the ER similar to TAM, the results of in vivo experiments confirmed the crucial role of hydroxyl groups in the molecule and of the interatomic distance between them, similar to that of estradiol, as well as the necessary presence of the aminoalkyl chain on the annular N atom. However, the effect of alkyl chain enlargement in the nitrogen substituent on the biological activity of those drugs is as yet unclear.