Amira M. El-Kosasy

Membrane electrodes for the determination of glutathione

Four glutathione (GSH)-selective electrodes were developed with different techniques and in different polymeric matrices. Precipitation-based technique with bathophenanthroline-ferrous as cationic exchanger in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix was used for sensor 1 fabrication. beta-Cyclodextrin (beta-CD)-based technique with either tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)borate (TpClPB) or bathophenanthroline-ferrous as fixed anionic and cationic sites in PVC matrix was used for fabrication of sensors 2 and 3, respectively. beta-CD-based technique with TpClPB as fixed anionic site in polyurethane (Tecoflex) matrix was used for sensor 4 fabrication. Linear responses of 1x10(-5) to 1x10(-4)M and 1x10(-6) to 1x10(-3)M with slopes of 37.5 and 32.0mV/decade within pH 7-8 were obtained by using electrodes 1 and 3, respectively. On the other hand, linear responses of 1x10(-5) to 1x10(-2) and 1x10(-5) to 1x10(-3)M with slopes of 47.9 and 54.3mV/decade within pH 5-6 were obtained by using electrodes 2 and 4, respectively. The percentage recoveries for determination of GSH by the four proposed GSH-selective electrodes were 100+/-1, 100.5+/-0.7, 100+/-1 and 99.0+/-0.8% for sensors 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Determination of GSH in capsules by the proposed electrodes revealed their applicability for determination of GSH in its pharmaceutical formulations. Also, they were used to determine GSH selectively in presence of its oxidized form (GSSG). Sensor 4 was successfully applied for determination of glutathione in plasma with average recovery of 100.4+/-1.11%. The proposed method was compared with a reported one. No significant difference for both accuracy and precision was observed.

Comparative study of 2-hydroxy propyl beta cyclodextrin and calixarene as ionophores in potentiometric ion-selective electrodes for neostigmine bromide

Three novel neostigmine bromide (NEO) selective electrodes were investigated with 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether as a plasticiser in a polymeric matrix of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Sensor 1 was fabricated using tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)borate (TpClPB) as an anionic exchanger without incorporation of an ionophore. Sensor 2 used 2-hydroxy propyl β-cyclodextrin as an ionophore while sensor 3 was constructed using 4-sulfocalix-8-arene as an ionophore. Linear responses of NEO within the concentration ranges of 10(-5) to 10(-2), 10(-6) to 10(-2) and 10(-7) to 10(-2) mol L(-1) were obtained using sensors 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Nernstian slopes of 51.6 ± 0.8, 52.9 ± 0.6 and 58.6 ± 0.4 mV/decade over the pH range of 4-9 were observed. The selectivity coefficients of the developed sensors indicated excellent selectivity for NEO. The utility of 2-hydroxy propyl β-cyclodextrin and 4-sulfocalix[8]arene as ionophores had a significant influence on increasing the membrane sensitivity and selectivity of sensors 2 and 3 compared to sensor 1. The proposed sensors displayed useful analytical characteristics for the determination of NEO in bulk powder, different pharmaceutical formulations, and biological fluids (plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)) and in the presence of its degradation product (3-hydroxyphenyltrimethyl ammonium bromide) and thus could be used for stability-indicating methods.

Spectrophotometric and spectrodensitometric methods for the determination of rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate in presence of its degradation product.

Three sensitive, selective and precise stability-indicating methods for the determination of the anti-Alzheimers drug, rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate (RIV) in the presence of its alkaline degradation product (major metabolite, NAP 226-90) and in pharmaceutical formulation were developed and validated. The first method is a second derivative (D(2)) spectrophotometric one, which allows the determination of RIV in the presence of its degradate at 262 nm (corresponding to zero crossing of the degradate) over a concentration range of 50-500 microg/ml with mean percentage recovery 100.18 +/- 0.628. The second method is the first derivative of the ratio spectra (DD(1)) by measuring the peak amplitude at 272 nm over the same concentration range as (D(2)) spectrophotometric method, with mean percentage recovery 99.97 +/- 0.641. The third method is a TLC-densitometric one, where RIV was separated from its degradate on silica gel plates using methanol:butanol:H(2)O:ammonia (5:4:1:0.01 v:v:v) as a developing system. This method depends on the quantitative densitometric evaluation of thin layer chromatogram of RIV at 263 nm over a concentration range of 20-160 microg/spot, with mean percentage recovery 100.19 +/- 1.344. The selectivity of the proposed methods was tested using laboratory-prepared mixtures. The proposed methods have been successfully applied to the analysis of RIV in pharmaceutical dosage forms without interference from other dosage form additives and the results were statistically compared with reference method.

Stability-indicating spectrophotometric and spectrodensitometric methods for the determination of diacerein in the presence of its degradation product.

Three sensitive, selective, and precise stability-indicating methods for the determination of the novel osteoarthritis drug, diacerein (DIA) in the presence of its alkaline degradation product (active metabolite, rhein) and in pharmaceutical formulation were developed and validated. The first method is a first derivative (D(1) ) spectrophotometric one, which allows the determination of DIA in the presence of its degradate at 322 nm (corresponding to zero crossing of the degradate) over a concentration range of 4-40 µg/mL with mean percentage recovery 100.21 ± 0.833. The second method is the first derivative of the ratio spectra (DD(1) ) by measuring the peak amplitude at 352 nm over the same concentration range as (D(1) ) spectrophotometric method, with mean percentage recovery 100.09 ± 0.912. The third method is a TLC-densitometric one, where DIA was separated from its degradate on silica gel plates using ethyl acetate:methanol:chloroform (8:1.5:0.5 v:v:v) as a developing system. This method depends on quantitative densitometric evaluation of thin layer chromatogram of DIA at 340 nm over a concentration range of 1-10 µg/spot, with mean percentage recovery 100.24 ± 1.412. The selectivity of the proposed methods was tested using laboratory-prepared mixtures. The proposed methods have been successfully applied to the analysis of DIA in pharmaceutical dosage forms without interference from other dosage form additives and the results were statistically compared with reference method.

New methods for amlodipine and valsartan native spectrofluorimetric determination, with factors optimization study.

Four native fluorescence methods were suggested for simultaneous determination of amlodipine (AML) and valsartan (VAL). These methods were based on excitation of both drugs at λ(ex) 300 nm, in one step, to give maximum emission at λ(em) 378 and 496 nm for AML and VAL, respectively. The first method, single λ(ex) method, was used without any additions. The sensitivity of this method was further increased by the addition of hydroxy propylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) surfactant, β-cyclodextrin, or ferric oxide magnetite nanoparticles, in the other three methods. Different types of surfactants, and different concentration levels of both β-cyclodextrin and ferric oxide nanoparticles, were scanned to determine the optimum conditions for enhancing the sensitivity. Some factors affecting the fluorescence intensity of both cited drugs, like the type and volume of the added solvent (to be used as a sensing agent), and pH of measurement were studied and optimized. The proposed methods could be used in determination of AML and VAL in bulk powder, their laboratory prepared mixtures and pharmaceutical formulations. The obtained results were statistically compared to each other and to that of some reported methods. The specificity of the developed methods was investigated, and the methods were validated according to ICH guidelines.

Potentiometric determination of polyether ionophores growth promotors in animal feed preparations.

The construction and electrochemical response characteristics of four polyvinylchloride (PVC) membrane sensors for the determination of monensin (MN) and salinomycin (SL) were described. The membranes were prepared using 1 wt.% drug, 44 wt.% nitrophenyl octyl ether, 53 wt.% PVC and 2 wt.% lipophilic additive which is the anionic potassium tetra (4-chlorophenyl) borate in sensors 1 and 2 and the cationic nicklo-phenanthroline in sensors 3 and 4. Sensor 1 and sensor 2 show linear responses over concentration range of 10(-3)-10(-5) M drug with cationic slopes of 52.3 and 54.1 mV per concentration decade, respectively. On the other hand sensor 3 and sensor 4 show linear responses over concentration range 10(-4)-10(-5) M drug with anionic slopes of 28.1 and 29.7 mV per concentration decade, respectively. The 4 sensors were successfully applied to the determination of MN and SL in their pharmaceutical products (Premix) with average recoveries of 98.4-100.4+/-2.41-1.97% for sensors 1 and 2 and 97.6-98.8+/-3.16-3.07% for sensors 3 and 4. The obtained results were compared reasonably well with the data obtained using the USP method (2000). The proposed sensors were also applied for the direct determination of both drugs in animal feed preparations without prior treatment in low levels; 10-1000 microg per 5 g feed. The sensors were successfully used to follow up the drugs concentration in the presence of other growth promotors, other antibiotics and the coexisting fatty acids.

Sensitive spectrofluorimetric methods for determination of ethopabate and amprolium hydrochloride in chicken plasma and their residues in food samples

Two sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric methods are proposed to determine ethopabate (ETH) and amprolium hydrochloride (AMP). First derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetry determines the natively fluorescent ethopabate at 288 nm in presence of amprolium hydrochloride which is a non fluorescent quaternary compound with average recovery 100.54±0.721 over a concentration range of 0.01-0.8 μg/mL. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) are 0.002 and 0.007 μg/mL, respectively. The second method is direct synchronous spectrofluorimetry for determining amprolium hydrochloride at 362 nm after a reaction with 5% NaOH and 0.08% potassium ferricyanide that is optimized by a two-level factorial design. This method is linear over a concentration range of 0.01-0.65 μg/mL with average recovery 99.4±1.28. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) are 0.002 and 0.006 μg/mL, respectively. The proposed methods are found to be valid and applicable for the analysis of ETH and AMP in their veterinary formulation. They are successfully applied to determine the studied drugs in chicken plasma and their residues in chicken muscle, liver, egg and chicken-based baby food product with recoveries in the ranges of 95.71-108.73% and 97.36-111.89% and for ETH and AMP, respectively.

Spectrophotometric and chemometric methods for determination of imipenem, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, paracetamol and cilastatin sodium in human urine

New accurate, sensitive and selective spectrophotometric and chemometric methods were developed and subsequently validated for determination of Imipenem (IMP), ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIPRO), dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DEX), paracetamol (PAR) and cilastatin sodium (CIL) in human urine. These methods include a new derivative ratio method, namely extended derivative ratio (EDR), principal component regression (PCR) and partial least-squares (PLS) methods. A novel EDR method was developed for the determination of these drugs, where each component in the mixture was determined by using a mixture of the other four components as divisor. Peak amplitudes were recorded at 293.0 nm, 284.0 nm, 276.0 nm, 257.0 nm and 221.0 nm within linear concentration ranges 3.00-45.00, 1.00-15.00, 4.00-40.00, 1.50-25.00 and 4.00-50.00 μg mL(-1) for IMP, CIPRO, DEX, PAR and CIL, respectively. PCR and PLS-2 models were established for simultaneous determination of the studied drugs in the range of 3.00-15.00, 1.00-13.00, 4.00-12.00, 1.50-9.50, and 4.00-12.00 μg mL(-1) for IMP, CIPRO, DEX, PAR and CIL, respectively, by using eighteen mixtures as calibration set and seven mixtures as validation set. The suggested methods were validated according to the International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) guidelines and the results revealed that they were accurate, precise and reproducible. The obtained results were statistically compared with those of the published methods and there was no significant difference.

Optimization of Extraction, HPLC and Kinetic Studies for Determination of Some Food Tainting Compounds in Different Food Matrices

Solid-liquid extraction, ultrasonic-assisted extraction and matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) were optimized and compared in terms of recoveries for the simultaneous extraction of indole (IND) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) from catfish samples and for the extraction of IND alone from potato samples. Applying high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD) procedure using mobile phase of methanol : water (65 : 35) at 280 nm, MSPD was the method of choice for the extraction of IND and DCP from catfish and, also, for IND from potato. The extraction recoveries of MSPD were in the range (97.9-99.7%) and (99.8-100.6%); for IND and DCP, respectively, in catfish samples and (98.4-99.7%) for IND alone in potato samples. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) was chosen the method of choice for the extraction of DCP from fish farms water samples after optimization and comparison with direct sample injection and extraction recoveries were in the range (97.9-100.3%). Kinetics were further studied to follow each of production of IND in catfish during storage at different temperatures and uptake of DCP by tilapia in fish farms water samples using MSPD-HPLC and SPE-HPLC, respectively.

Chromatographic approaches for the characterization and quality control of therapeutic oligonucleotide impurities

Phosphorothioate (PS) oligonucleotides are a rapidly rising class of drugs with significant therapeutic applications. However, owing to their complex structure and multistep synthesis and purification processes, generation of low-level impurities and degradation products are common. Therefore, they require significant investment in quality control and impurity identification. This requires the development of advanced methods for analysis, characterization and quantitation. In addition, the presence of the PS linkage leads to the formation of chiral centers which can affect their biological properties and therapeutic efficiency. In this review, the different types of oligonucleotide impurities and degradation products, with an emphasis on their origin, mechanism of formation and methods to reduce, prevent or even eliminate their production, will be extensively discussed. This review will focus mainly on the application of chromatographic techniques to determine these impurities but will also discuss other approaches such as mass spectrometry, capillary electrophoresis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Finally, the chirality and formation of diastereomer mixtures of PS oligonucleotides will be covered as well as approaches used for their characterization and the application for the development of stereochemically-controlled PS oligonucleotides.