Ravi P. Shah

A critical review on the use of modern sophisticated hyphenated tools in the characterization of impurities and degradation products

With ever increasing regulatory and compendial stringency on the control of impurities (IMPs) and degradation products (DPs) (including genotoxic impurities) in drug substances and finished pharmaceutical formulations, a profound emphasis is being paid on their characterization and analysis at trace levels. Fortunately, there have been parallel tremendous advancements in the instrumental techniques that allow rapid characterization of IMPs and/or DPs at the prescribed levels of ∼0.1%. With this, there is perceptible shift from conventional protocol of isolation and spectral analysis to on-line analysis using modern sophisticated hyphenated tools, like GC-MS, LC-MS, CE-MS, SFC-MS, LC-NMR, CE-NMR, LC-FTIR, etc. These are already being extensively used by industry and also there is tremendous increase in publications in the literature involving their use. This write-up critically reviews the literature for application of hyphenated tools in impurity and degradation product profiling of small molecules. A brief mention is made on possible pitfalls in the experimentation and data interpretation. Appropriate strategies are proposed, following which one can obtain unambiguous characterization of the unidentified IMPs and/or DPs.

Screening of Indian aphrodisiac ayurvedic/herbal healthcare products for adulteration with sildenafil, tadalafil and/or vardenafil using LC/PDA and extracted ion LC-MS/TOF

Ayurvedic/herbal healthcare products are considered safe under the impression that they are derived from natural products. But recently, there have been several reports worldwide on the adulteration of synthetic PDE-5 inhibitors in aphrodisiac herbal formulations. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to explore the presence of synthetic PDE-5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil and/or vardenafil) in ayurvedic/herbal healthcare products sold in Indian market for aphrodisiac/related uses. In total, 85 herbal formulations (HFs) were included in the study. The formulations were extracted with methanol and subjected to centrifugation. The supernatant was analysed by HPLC and LC-MS/TOF. Early detection of the presence of sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil in the herbal samples was done by the study of extracted ion mass chromatograms at the m/z values of respective parent ions, and two prominent fragments of each. In case of sildenafil and tadalafil, adulteration was also detected by comparing the relative retention times (RR(T)) and UV spectra. Further substantiation was done through comparison of accurate mass spectra with those of the two available standards. Of the 85 HFs tested, only one was eventually found to be adulterated with sildenafil. The extent of adulterant in this sample was determined to the therapeutic dose in the formulation. The study thus indicates emergence of the problem of adulteration of Indian herbal products with PDE-5 inhibitors.

Critical practical aspects in the application of liquid chromatography–mass spectrometric studies for the characterization of impurities and degradation products

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is considered today as a mainstay tool for the structure characterization of minor components like impurities (IMPs) and degradation products (DPs) in drug substances and products. A multi-step systematic strategy for the purpose involves high resolution mass and multi-stage mass studies on both the drug and IMPs/DPs, followed by comparison of their fragmentation profiles. Its successful application requires consideration of many practical aspects at each step. The same are critically discussed in this review.

LC and LC-MS/TOF studies on stress degradation behaviour of candesartan cilexetil.

Stress degradation studies were conducted on candesartan cilexetil under the ICH prescribed conditions of hydrolysis (acidic, basic and neutral), photolysis, oxidation and thermal stress. Maximum degradation was observed on hydrolysis, especially in the neutral condition. The drug was also degraded significantly under photolytic conditions. However, it was stable to oxidative and thermal stress. A total of eight degradation products were formed, the separation of which was successfully achieved on a C-18 column employing a gradient method. In order to characterize each degradation product, a complete mass fragmentation pathway of the drug was initially established with the help of MS(n) and MS/TOF accurate mass studies. Subsequently, degradation products were also subjected to LC-MS/TOF investigations, which resulted in their fragmentation pattern and also accurate masses. The latter helped in the elucidation of the structure of all the degradation products, which was achieved through comparison of their fragmentation pattern with that of the drug. The major product was isolated and its structure was confirmed through NMR studies. On the whole, a more comprehensive fragmentation behaviour and degradation profile of the drug was established than reported in the literature.

Characterization of degradation products of amorphous and polymorphic forms of clopidogrel bisulphate under solid state stress conditions.

The present study deals with the stress degradation studies on amorphous and polymorphic forms of clopidogrel bisulphate. The objective was to characterize the degradation products and postulate mechanism of decomposition of the drug under solid state stress conditions. For that, amorphous form, polymorph I and polymorph II of the drug were exposed to 40 degrees C/75% relative humidity (RH), with and without stressors for 3 months. The samples were analyzed by HPLC, and the relative extent of degradation as well as nature of decomposition was compared among three solid forms. In total, eight degradation products were observed under various stress conditions. The structures of all of them were elucidated using LC-MS/TOF and LC-MS(n) studies. While one matched the known hydrolytic decomposition product of the drug in solution, seven others were new. The postulated degradation pathway and mechanism of decomposition are discussed.

Strategy for identification and characterization of small quantities of drug degradation products using LC and LC-MS: Application to valsartan, a model drug

The present study demonstrates the applicability of a strategy involving use of liquid chromatography (LC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques for the identification and characterization of minute quantities of degradation products, without their isolation from the reaction matrix in pure form. Valsartan was used as a model drug. It was subjected to forced degradation studies under the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) prescribed conditions of hydrolysis (acid, base and neutral), photolysis, oxidation and thermal stress. The drug showed lability under acid/neutral hydrolytic and photolytic conditions, while it was stable to base hydrolytic, oxidative and thermal stress. Three small degradation products were formed, which were separated on a C-18 column using a gradient method. The same were characterized with the help of their fragmentation pattern and accurate masses obtained upon LC-MS/TOF analyses and online H/D exchange studies. The structures were supported by appropriate mechanistic explanation. The strategy involving use of LC and LC-MS for the identification and characterization of minute quantities of degradation products was applied on a model drug, valsartan. Three degradation products were successfully characterised without their isolation from the reaction matrix in pure form. The structures were supported by appropriate mechanistic explanation.

Stress degradation studies on lornoxicam using LC, LC–MS/TOF and LC–MSn

Lornoxicam was subjected to forced degradation studies under hydrolytic (acidic, basic and neutral), oxidative, photolytic and thermal stress conditions, as defined under ICH guideline Q1A (R2). The drug degraded significantly in hydrolytic, oxidative and photoneutral conditions, leading to the formation of eight degradation products in total. It was stable on exposure to light and dry heat in the solid state. The stressed samples in which degradation was observed were mixed together and used to develop a stability-indicating HPLC method wherein degradation products were separated from the drug and also from each other. To characterize the degradation products, a complete mass fragmentation pathway of the drug was first established with the help of MS/TOF, MS(n) and H/D exchange mass studies. The same was followed by LC-MS/TOF and on-line H/D exchange experiments on the degradation products. The degradation pathway of the drug was outlined, justified by the mechanisms of formation of the degradation products.

Compatibility of atenolol with excipients: LC-MS/TOF characterization of degradation/interaction products, and mechanisms of their formation.

A study was carried out to investigate compatibility of atenolol, a beta(1) blocker, with a variety of pharmaceutical excipients. The binary mixtures (1:1) of atenolol with the excipients were stored for 1 month at 40 degrees C/75% RH. The samples were directly observed for the physical changes, and also analyzed by a validated HPLC method to determine the chemical changes. The study revealed that atenolol was incompatible with ascorbic acid, citric acid and butylated hydroxyanisole. The degradation/interaction products formed in these mixtures were characterized by high resolution mass spectrometric and fragmentation analyses, using a LC-MS/TOF system. The identity of characterized structures was justified through mechanistic explanations.

ICH guidance in practice: Degradation behaviour of oseltamivir phosphate under stress conditions

Oseltamivir phosphate was subjected to stress degradation conditions prescribed by ICH guideline Q1A (R2). A total of five degradation products (Os I to Os V) were generated under hydrolytic (acid and alkaline) stress conditions. Their unambiguous structural elucidation was carried out using LC-MS, LC-NMR and HR-NMR data. First, accurate masses of Os I, Os II, Os IV and Os V were determined by LC-MS/TOF. Subsequently, (1)H and COSY NMR studies were carried on the drug and these four degradation products using LC-NMR. The structure of Os III was elucidated after preparative isolation and purification, followed by MS/TOF and HR-NMR studies. The degradation products, Os II, Os IV and Os V were characterized as 4-acetamido-5-amino-3-(pentan-3-yloxy)cyclohex-1-ene carboxylic acid, 4,5-diamino-3-(pentan-3-yloxy)cyclohex-1-ene carboxylic acid and ethyl 4,5-diamino-3-(pentan-3-yloxy)cyclohex-1-ene carboxylate, respectively. Os I and Os III were identified as positional isomers of Os II and the drug, respectively, involving N,N-acyl migration from 4-amino to 5-amino position in the ring. Two degradation products (Os IV and Os V) were found to be new and previously unreported. The degradation pathway for all five was outlined and justified mechanistically. In silico toxicity of the drug and degradation products was also assessed using TOPKAT and DEREK software and compared.

Successful characterization of degradation products of drugs using LC-MS tools: Application to piroxicam and meloxicam

The degradation behavior of piroxicam and meloxicam was studied by subjecting the drugs individually to hydrolytic (acidic, basic and neutral), oxidative, photolytic and thermal stress. Both the drugs showed significant degradation in hydrolytic, oxidative and photo-neutral conditions, while they were stable under dry heat and on exposure to light in the solid state. In total, five and four degradation products were formed from piroxicam and meloxicam, respectively. For characterization of the degradation products, mass fragmentation pathways of both the drugs were established with the help of MS/TOF, MSn and H/D exchange mass studies, followed by LC-MS/TOF and on-line H/D exchange experiments on the degradation products. The collected data helped to identify the degradation products of both the drugs. Eventually, degradation pathways were established, along with proposition of mechanisms for the formation of the degradation products.