Determination of inorganic elements in poppy straw by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry as a means of ascertaining origin.

Cultivation of poppy as a source of opium alkaloids for legitimate medical purposes has a long tradition in Turkey. The main products are poppy straw and concentrate of poppy straw, obtained from dried poppy capsules. The aims of the study reported in the present article were to establish inorganic element profiles for the poppy-growing provinces of Turkey by means of x-ray analysis by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM/EDS) and to explore the potential of the technique for determination of origin. Ten elements (sodium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine, potassium, calcium, copper and zinc) were analysed in poppy straw samples from 67 towns in nine provinces. As regards the determination of origin, the most significant finding was the presence of copper and zinc in the poppy straw samples from 8 of the 15 towns in Afyon Province. Since those elements are not normally found in soil, it is assumed that their presence is the result of environmental (industrial) contamination. Differences in the samples from the other eight provinces were less significant, possibly a result of their geographical proximity. Nevertheless, differences in the samples were apparent. Because the findings are relative rather than absolute in terms of presence or absence of individual inorganic elements, further research is required to convert them into operationally usable results. The inorganic element profiles generated in the study have been used to form the basis for the development of a comprehensive database on poppy straw samples, which may be used in comparing samples and determining their origin.

Quantitative determination of piroxicam in a new formulation (piroxicam-beta-cyclodextrin) by derivative UV spectrophotometric method and HPLC.

A derivative ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometric method for the determination of piroxicam in piroxicam--beta-cyclodextrin tablets was developed. Phosphate buffer (pH 7.8, 0.1 M) and ethanol were used as a solvent system throughout the study. In this study, determination of piroxicam was conducted by using first order derivative amplitudes at 261.4 nm (n=4). Standards for the calibration graph ranging from 2.40 to 20.0 microg/ml were prepared from working standard. The proposed method is accurate with 99.70%+/-0.50 recovery value and precise with coefficient of variation (CV) of 1.29. The results were compared with those obtained using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedure. A reversed-phase C(18) column with aqueous phosphate buffer:methanol, 60:40, v/v, mobile phase was used. UV detector was set at 254 nm. Calibration solutions used in HPLC were ranging from 5 to 20 microg/ml. Results obtained in HPLC were comparable to those obtained by derivative UV spectrophotometric method.

Simultaneous determination of valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide in tablets by first-derivative ultraviolet spectrophotometry and LC.

First-derivative ultraviolet spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to determine valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide simultaneously in combined pharmaceutical dosage forms. The derivative procedure was based on the linear relationship between the drug concentration and the first derivative amplitudes at 270.6 and 335 nm for valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide, respectively. The calibration graphs were linear in the range of 12.0-36.1 microg x ml(-1) for valsartan and 4.0-12.1 microg x ml(-1) for hydrochlorothiazide. Furthermore, a high- performance liquid chromatographic procedure with ultraviolet detection at 225 nm was developed for a comparison method. For the HPLC procedure, a reversed phase column with a mobile phase of 0.02 M phosphate buffer (pH 3.2)-acetonitrile (55: 45; v/v), was used to separate for valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide. The plot of peak area ratio of each drug to the internal standard versus the respective concentrations of valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide were found to be linear in the range of 0.06-1.8 and 0.07-0.5 microg x ml(-1), respectively. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the determination of these drugs in laboratory-prepared mixtures and commercial tablets.