Estimation of the influence of the environmental factors on the accumulation of phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity in the ivy leaves (Hedera helix L.).

This study aimed at evaluating the impact of environmental factors on the accumulation of various components in Hedera helix L. folium collected from different European countries. The obtained results of studied samples showed that the antioxidant capacities were in the range of 0.027 to 0.688 mg/g. Contents of active components varied: phenolic acids - from 0.033 up to 2.92 gallic acid equivalents mg/g, flavonoids - from 0.031 to 0.281 mg/g and hederacoside C - 13.54-109.458 mg g-1 DW. Samples from the northern countries had higher amounts of all phytochemicals in comparison to the southern ones. Among all studied parameters, the duration of sunshine, soil and climate had the most significant influence on the accumulation of components in ivy raw materials while altitude and precipitations showed none impact. Hedera helix can be considered as an excellent source of triterpene saponins, flavonoids and phenolic acids, and growing it at the right conditions may significantly enhance the quality of its raw material for medicinal purposes.

The Influence of pH Values on the Rheological, Textural and Release Properties of Carbomer Polacril® 40P-Based Dental Gel Formulation with Plant-Derived and Synthetic Active Components.

The physicochemical properties, especially pH value of dental medicines, have significant influence on the health of oral cavity tissues. The pH of formulations should correspond to the value of saliva pH (5.5-8.0). For carbomer-based gels, the required pH value is obtained by neutralizing them with alkaline components, which leads to their structuring (thickening). This affects the physical properties of the gel, its residence time at the application site and the rate of release of active pharmaceutical ingredient. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to evaluate the rheological, textural, and biopharmaceutical properties of Carbomer Polacril® 40P-based dental gel depending on the pH value. Evaluation of the rheological properties of gel preparations were performed by measuring the structural viscosity of the samples as a function of pH and temperature. The textural properties of the gel were evaluated by performing tests regarding back extrusion and spreadability. Carbomer Polacril® 40P-based gels haven't shown noticeable thixotropic behavior, and were characterized by plastic flow in the whole studied pH range. The structural viscosity at the selected average pH value hasn't differed at storage (25 °C) and application (37 °C) temperature. Texture studies of dental gels have shown a strong correlation with rheoparameters. Their rheological behavior and textural properties haven't changed significantly between the pH range of 5.5-6.6. The relatively narrow range of working pH values does not affect the change in the viscosity of the preparation significantly and, consequently, does not affect the release of APIs from the developed Carbomer Polacril® 40P-based dental gel.

Development and validation of a HPLC method for quantifica-tion of degradation impurities of salbutamol sulfate with following long-term stability studies in multicomponent cough syrup.

Medicines containing both a herbal extract and a synthetic substance are in high demand due to their beneficial effects and synergism. The novel combination of salbutamol sulfate and Hedera helix extracts seems to be prospective in terms of pharmacological activity. But for quality assurance, impurities of the synthetic component have to be determined and quantified. Plant extracts consist of various phytochemical components, therefore, it is more complicated to develop a selective analytical method due to the sample matrix. To prove the safety and efficacy of the dosage form, a new HPLC method for analysis of salbutamol sulfate impurities was developed and validated. The method was used to estimate the safety of the novel syrup by performing long-term stability studies for 24 months. Obtained results indicated the absence in both significant reducing of the main components content and increasing of related substances level. Also, force degradation was carried out to prognosticate the possibility of impurities producing.

Development of a New Approach for Standardization of the Herb Centaurium erythraea Rafn. by High Performance Liquid Chromatography.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was the development a new, fully validated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the quantitative analysis of secoiridoid glycosides by an active marker swertiamarin in the herb Centaurium erythraea Rafn. The article describes a new approach to the standardization of C. erythraea and more specifically the development of a new validated HPLC method for the quantitative determination of secoiridoid glycosides by swertiamarin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The quantitative determination of swertiamarin was performed in isocratic mode on a Symmetry C18 column using water and acetonitrile as solvents for the mobile phase. RESULTS: Validation characteristics of the developed method showed that it was linear in the whole range of concentrations from 0.01 mg/mL to 0.05 mg/mL swertiamarin. All validation characteristics met the established acceptance criteria. CONCLUSION: This method can be used in the standardization of raw materials, as well as in the analysis of medicinal products and dietary supplements that include C. erythraea. The established chromatographic method was successfully applied for the analysis of raw materials of C. erythraea with the quantitative content determination of swertiamarin in the analyzed samples.