Stability-indicating method for determination of oxyphenonium bromide and its degradation product by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for determination of oxyphenonium bromide (OX) and its degradation product. The method was based on the HPLC separation of OX from its degradation product, using a cyanopropyl column at ambient temperature with mobile phase of acetonitrile-25 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate, pH 3.4 (50 + 50, v/v). UV detection at 222 nm was used for quantitation based on peak area. The method was applied to the determination of OX and its degradation product in tablets. The proposed method was also used to investigate the kinetics of the acidic and alkaline degradation of OX at different temperatures, and the apparent pseudo first-order rate constant, half-life, and activation energy were calculated. The pH-rate profile of the degradation of OX in Britton-Robinson buffer solutions within the pH range 2-12 was studied.

Masking mechanisms of bitter taste of drugs studied with ion selective electrodes.

The masking mechanisms of the bitter taste of propantheline bromide (PB) and oxyphenonium (OB) bromide by native and modified cyclodextrins, saccharides, surfactants, organic acids, nonionic and anionic polymers, and other compounds were investigated with ion selective electrodes. The intensity of the bitter taste for a mixed solution of cyclodextrin with PB or OB was quantitatively explained from the observed electromotive force with the following assumptions: the complex and the masking agent do not have any tastes and the bitter taste is independent of other tastes. Sodium dodecyl sulfate reduced the bitter taste remarkably, and this reduction was also explicable on the basis of the same mechanism. Sodium taurodeoxycholate enhanced the bitter taste, because of its strong bitterness, although it formed 1 : 1 complexes with PB and OB. The masking mechanism of saccharides was ascribed to overcoming the weak bitterness of the drug by the strong sweetness. Lambda-carrageenan suppressed the bitter taste remarkably. This suppression was ascribed to the binding of PB and OB to lambda-carrageenan, the effect of the solution viscosity on the bitter taste, and the covering of the bitter taste receptor by lambda-carrageenan. It was suggested that the moderate masking by other polymers was attributable to the effect of the solution viscosity or the receptor covering. Native and modified beta-cyclodextrins, sodium dodecyl sulfate, lambda-carrageenan, Tween 20, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose are good masking agents for the bitter tastes of PB and OB. The drug ion selective electrode is a useful tool for understanding of the masking mechanism of the bitter taste, screening of masking agents, and estimation of appropriate concentrations of the masking agents.

Solution structures of 1:1 complexes of oxyphenonium bromide with beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins.

The solution structures of complexes of oxyphenonium bromide (OB) with beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins (beta- and gamma-CDs, respectively) in deuterium oxide have been investigated by 500 MHz proton NMR spectroscopy and molecular mechanics calculations. The chemical shifts induced by complex formation provide the 1:1 binding constants and the chemical shift variations, DeltadeltaOB-CD, with complexation for the protons of OB and the CDs. The observed binding constants are very close to those obtained by other methods and are in the following order: beta-CD > gamma-CD > alpha-CD. Initial structures of the complexes are constructed on the basis of the ROESY spectra and the DeltadeltaOB-CD values and are optimized by molecular mechanics calculations. The intermolecular distances between the protons of OB and CD calculated for these structures are well-correlated with the observed ROESY intensities. The cyclohexyl group of OB penetrates deeply into a beta-CD cavity, and the phenyl group is close to the wide rim of the cavity. The phenyl and cyclohexyl groups of OB are both incorporated into a gamma-CD cavity. Furthermore, these structures of the complexes are consistent with the suppression of bitter taste and basic hydrolysis of OB by CDs and the polarity of binding sites of OB.

Effect of purification followed by solubilization of receptor material on quantitative receptor assays for anticholinergic drugs.

In order to optimize quantitative receptor assays for anticholinergics, the different receptor preparations resulting from the purification and the solubilization of the P2 pellet from the calf striatum were evaluated. The dissociation constants for two chemically different anticholinergics, the tertiary amine scopolamine and the quaternary amine oxyphenonium, were calculated from inhibition studies of 3H-NMS binding in buffer and plasma. The Kd values for both anticholinergics were similar for all the membrane-bound receptor preparations (unpurified and the purified P2 pellet) either in buffer or in plasma. More pronounced differences were observed between the membrane-bound and solubilized receptors. By introducing the solubilized receptor as well, differences between the individual anticholinergics appeared. On the one hand, for scopolamine, a gain in sensitivity of 1.5-2.8 in plasma was observed for the solubilized receptor. On the other hand, in the case of oxyphenonium, a dramatic loss in sensitivity (by a factor of about 24) was observed with the solubilized receptor, as compared to the membrane-bound receptor, in buffer. Very interestingly, however, when the solubilized receptor was used in plasma, a lowering of the Kd value was found for both anticholinergics, i.e. the assays became more sensitive. Such an effect (not observed for the membrane-bound receptor) could be obtained only when the percentage of digitonin present in the assay was at least 0.12% (w/v) or higher.