Sameh Ahmed

An ultrasensitive and highly selective determination method for quinones by high-performance liquid chromatography with photochemically initiated luminol chemiluminescence

Quinones are a class of compounds of substantial toxicological and pharmacological interest. An ultrasensitive and highly selective chemiluminescence (CL) method was newly developed for the determination of quinones based on the utility of photochemically initiated luminol CL. The method involved ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of quinones to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the unique photosensitization reaction accompanied with the photolytical generation of 3,6-dihydroxyphthalic acid (DHPA) from quinones. The photoproducts were detected by luminol CL reaction. Interestingly, it was noticed that DHPA had enhancement effect for the luminol CL. The generation of the enhancer (DHPA) in association with the oxidant (ROS) in the photochemical reaction greatly increases the sensitivity and selectivity of the proposed luminol CL method. In order to elucidate the type of ROS produced by the photosensitizaion reaction in relation to the proposed CL reaction, we investigated the quenching effect of selective ROS scavengers in the luminol CL. Although several ROS were generated, superoxide anion was the most effective ROS for the generated CL. Moreover, the enhancement mechanism of DHPA for luminol CL was confirmed. The enhancement was found to be through the formation of stabilized semiquinone anion radical that provided long-lived CL. The generation of the semiquinone radical was confirmed by electron spin resonance technique. Furthermore, we developed an HPLC method with on-line photochemical reaction followed by the proposed CL detection for the determination of four quinones. A luminol analogue, L-012, was used for its high sensitivity. The detection limits for quinones obtained with the proposed method (S/N=3) were in the range 1.5-24 fmol that were 10-1000 times more sensitive compared with the previous methods. Finally, the developed HPLC-CL system was successfully applied for the determination of quinones in airborne particulate samples collected at Nagasaki city.

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in patients with rheumatoid arthritis as potential biomarkers for disease activity and the role of antioxidants

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) have distinct contribution to the destructive, proliferative synovitis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and play a prominent role in cell-signaling events. However, few studies had clarified the role of individual ROS and RNS in the etiopathogenesis of RA. To date, most of the studies were concerned with the measurement of the total oxidative and nitrative stress levels in RA. The aim of this study was to monitor the levels of individual ROS and RNS to emphasize the role that each plays in the pathogenesis of RA and their usefulness as possible biomarkers for the disease activity. In addition, the effect of an antioxidant (ascorbic acid), added to the treatment regimen, on the levels of ROS, RNS and disease activity has been evaluated. Forty-two Saudi RA patients and 40 healthy controls of both genders were included in this study. Serum levels of six different ROS and three different RNS were measured using specific fluorescent probes. The ROS included the hydroxyl radical ((•)OH), the superoxide anion (O2(•-)), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the singlet oxygen ((1)O2), the hypochlorite radical (OHCl(•)), and the peroxyl radical (ROO(•)). The RNS included nitric oxide (NO(•)), nitrogen dioxide (ONO-) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-). The main clinical and biochemical markers for disease activity were assessed and correlated with ROS and RNS levels. The clinical markers included the 28 swollen joint count (SJC-28), the 28-tender joint count (TJC-28), morning stiffness and symmetric arthritis, in addition to the disease activity score assessing 28 joints with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR). The biochemical markers included undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-3), ESR, C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF) and anticyclic citrullinated polypeptide (Anti-CCP). Ascorbic acid (1mg/day) was added as an antioxidant to the regular treatment regimen of RA patients for two months, and the levels of ROS and RNS, as well as disease activity were re-evaluated. The results have shown significant higher serum levels of individual ROS and RNS in RA patients compared with healthy subjects. Moreover, this study might be the first to report strong positive correlations between most of the reactive species and the clinical and biochemical markers of RA. Interestingly, the addition of ascorbic acid had significantly reduced the levels of all ROS and RNS in RA patients. In conclusion, the role of oxidative and nitrative stress in the pathogenesis of RA has been confirmed by this study. Serum levels of ROS and RNS may effectively serve as biomarkers for monitoring disease progression. Finally, the addition of an antioxidant, such as ascorbic acid, in the management of RA may be of a great value.

Selective chemiluminescence method for monitoring of vitamin K homologues in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin involved in blood coagulation and bone metabolism. The detection and monitoring of vitamin K homologues in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is a challenging problem due to the smaller concentrations of vitamin K and the presence of several interfering medications. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a new highly sensitive and selective chemiluminescence (CL) method designated to quantify vitamin K homologues in plasma of RA patients including phylloquinone (PK, vitamin K(1)), menaquinone-4 (MK-4, vitamin K(2)) and menaquinone-7 (MK-7, vitamin K(2)). The method was based on the unique photochemical properties of vitamin K homologues that were exploited for selective luminol CL reaction. The correlation coefficients of 0.998 or more were obtained in the concentration ranges of 0.1-100 ng mL(-1) vitamin K homologues. The detection limits were 0.03-0.1 ng mL(-1) in human plasma for vitamin K homologues. The developed HPLC-CL system was successfully applied for selective determination of vitamin K homologues in plasma of RA patients. The developed method may provide a useful tool for monitoring vitamin K homologues in different clinical studies such as RA, osteoporosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in which vitamin K is intervented.

A novel salting-out assisted extraction coupled with HPLC- fluorescence detection for trace determination of vitamin K homologues in human plasma

Recently, new physiological roles of vitamin K homologues have been established in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and leukemia. However, relatively high plasma protein binding, low plasma concentrations and occurrences of interfering lipids make accurate determination of vitamin K homologues a challenging task. Therefore, a sensitive and reliable salting-out assisted liquid/liquid extraction (SALLE) method coupled with HPLC-Fluorescence detection was designed for efficient extraction and quantification of trace levels of vitamin K homologues in human plasma. The investigated vitamin K homologues were phylloquinone (PK, vitamin K1), menaquinone-4 (MK-4) and menaquinone-7 (MK-7). The method employed a new efficient fluorescence derivatization reaction using ethanolic solution of stannous chloride in acidic solution to generate highly fluorescent naphthohydroquinone derivatives. Correlation coefficients were more than 0.998 in the concentration ranges of 0.3-100 ng mL(-1) with detection limits of 0.1-0.17 ng mL(-1) in human plasma. The developed HPLC-FL system was successfully applied for sensitive determination of vitamin K homologues in plasma of healthy volunteers. The developed method may provide a valuable tool in the pharmacoinformatic studies concerning the roles of vitamin K homologues.

Dual separation mode for simultaneous determination of antihypertensive drug combinations by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A simple, reproducible and efficient dual separation mode high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for simultaneous determination of antihypertensive drug combinations including; hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), valsartan (VAL), amiloride (AML) and captopril (CAP). The newly developed Platinum™ column, which provides a dual-mode separation with its polar and non-polar sites, was used for rapid separation of these co-administered drugs. Good resolution was obtained when Platinum™ column was used compared with C(18) column. Additionally, simple isocratic mode with mobile phase containing methanol and 0.02 mole L(-1) phosphate buffer adjusted to pH 3.0 (45:55, v/v) was used for separation. The flow rate was 0.5 mL min(-1) and effluent was monitored at 270 nm. All the investigated drugs were completely separated within less than 6 min. The linearity range obtained for the developed HPLC method was 0.5-100 μg mL(-1) with detection limits of 0.13-1.2 μg mL(-1) for all the studied drugs. The method was validated in accordance with the requirements of ICH guidelines and shown to be suitable for intended applications. The method was successfully used for determination of the studied drugs in pure form and pharmaceutical dosage forms without prior need for separation. The method is valuable for quality control laboratories for simultaneous determination of these co-administered antihypertensive drugs in binary, ternary and quaternary mixtures.

A Specific High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection for the Determination of Some α1-Blockers

A specific high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method with fluorescence detection was developed for determination of selective α1-blockers, including terazosin (TER), doxazosin, prazosin, and alfuzosin. So far, this is the first HPTLC method using fluorescence detection mode for the determination of α1-blockers. It was designated to combine the specificity attributed to the drugs native fluorescence, the high sample throughputs of the HPTLC methods, and the use of environmentally safe reagents. Good resolution was obtained using simple mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer (0.02 mole/L) adjusted to pH 3.0 (30:70, v/v). The method used fluorescence detection mode and was validated according to the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The emission intensity was measured using optical filter K400 after excitation at 332 nm. The correlation coefficient in the range 0.9984–0.9997 was obtained in the concentration range 5–100 ng/band. The limits of detection and quantification were 3.52–6.91 and 11.76–23.02 ng/band, respectively. Forced degradation stability for TER was studied using the developed HPTLC method. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of the studied α1-blockers in pharmaceutical dosage forms and in human plasma without the need for complicated extraction and cleanup steps.

An efficient hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of metformin and pioglitazone using high-purity silica column.

Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) provides a feasible approach to effectively separate polar compounds in complex matrices. Herein, a simple, reproducible and efficient HILIC method was developed for the simultaneous determination of pioglitazone. HCl (PIO) and metformin HCl (MET) in rabbit plasma. High-purity silica column was used for rapid and efficient separation of these co-administered drugs. The chromatographic parameters were optimized for best separation. The proposed HILIC system provides high separation efficiency with good peak shape compared to reversed phase (RP) chromatography. Additionally, a simple isocratic elution mode with a mobile phase composed of a mixture of methanol and 10mM phosphate buffer (pH 3.0) (94:6, v/v) was used and the effluent was monitored at 230nm. The method was validated in accordance with the requirements of US-FDA guidelines and was found to behave efficiently for the intended purpose. The correlation coefficient of 0.9992 was obtained in the concentration ranges of 0.5-100μgmL(-1). The limits of detection (S/N=3) and quantification (S/N=10) were 0.16 and 0.5ngmL(-1), respectively. The retention times were 3.4 and 5.0min for PIO and MET, respectively. Plasma levels were successfully determined in rabbit with satisfactory precision and accuracy. In addition, the stability tests in rabbit plasma proved reliable stability under the experimental conditions. The developed HILIC method was applied successfully to study the pharmacokinetic behaviors of the studied analytes in rabbit plasma after a single oral dose containing PIO and MET.

Salting‐out thin‐layer chromatography and computational analysis of some oral hypoglycemic drugs

A quantitative structure-retention relationship study of some oral hypoglycemic drugs was carried out using a salting-out thin-layer chromatographic technique. Aqueous solution of ammonium sulfate and acetonitrile was used as a mobile phase. It was established that the applied mobile phase has different effects on retention of the studied oral antidiabetic drugs. The factors that affect the salting-out process were determined. In this study a good correlation between the structures of the investigated drugs with the retention data and molecular descriptors was established throughout computational analysis and using molecular operating environment software, focusing on octanol/water partition coefficient, molar refractivity, total hydrophobic surface area, hydrophobic volume, Van der Waals energy and solvation energy. Quantitative structure-retention relationship modeling for the separation of the investigated drugs was carried out, validated and evaluated.

Menaquinone-7 as a novel pharmacological therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: A clinical study

Menaquinones (MKs) have been reported to induce apoptosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial cells. Recently, menaquinone-4 (MK-4) was proven as a new potential agent for the treatment of RA. However, menaquinone-7 (MK-7) has greater bioavailability and efficacy than MK-4 after oral administration. Yet, the therapeutic benefits of MK-7 in the management of patients with RA have never been addressed. This study was designed to clarify the therapeutic role of MK-7 added to normal therapeutic regimen of RA in patients with different stages of the disease with a clinical follow up through a randomized clinical trial. In a cross sectional study, 84 RA patients (24 male, 60 female) (average age=47.2 years) were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into MK-7 treated group (n=42) and MK-7 naïve group (n=42). MK-7 capsules were administered in a dose of 100µg/day for three months in the first group without changing in other medications. The clinical and biochemical markers on RA patients treated with MK-7 and naïve group were assessed. In MK-7 treated group, serum concentrations of MK-7 were monitored before and after three months of MK-7 administration. In the cross sectional study, a significant decrease in MK-7 treated group for the levels of undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), disease activity score assessing 28 joints with ESR (DAS28-ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-3) was found. In MK-7 treated group, a marked decrease in RA clinical and biochemical markers for moderate and good response compared to non-responders was observed in ucOC, ESR and DAS28-ESR. A marked increase in the levels of MK-7 for the moderate and good responders compared to non-responders was observed. The results suggest that MK-7 improves disease activity in RA patients. Therefore, MK-7 represents a new promising agent for RA in combination therapy with other disease modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Ultrasound assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography designated for bioavailability studies of felodipine combinations in rat plasma

Felodipine (FLD), a calcium channel antagonist, is commonly prescribed for the treatment of hypertension either with Metoprolol (MET) or Ramipril (RAM) in two different drug combinations. FLD has high plasma protein binding ability affecting its extraction recoveries from plasma samples. Hence, a specific ultrasound assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (UA-DLLME) method coupled with HPLC using photodiode array detector was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of FLD, MET and RAM in rat plasma after oral administration of these combinations. The factors affecting UA-DLLME were carefully optimized. In this study, UA-DLLME method could provide simple and efficient plasma extraction procedures with superior recovery results. Under optimum condition, all target drugs were separated within 13min. The validation procedures was carried out in agreement with US-FDA guidelines and shown to be suitable for anticipated purposes. Linear calibration ranges were obtained in the range 0.05-2.0μgmL-1 for FLD and MET and 0.1-2.0μgmL-1 for RAM with detection limits of 0.013-0.031μgmL-1 for all the studied drug combinations. The%RSD for inter-day and intra-day precisions was in range of 0.63-3.85% and the accuracy results were in the range of 92.13-100.5%. The validated UA-DLLME-HPLC method was successfully applied for the bioavailability studies of FLD, MET and RAM. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated for all the investigated drugs in rats after single-dose administrations of two different drug combinations. Although FLD was bioequivalent in the two formulations, a small increase in plasma levels of MET and RAM was found in the presence of FLD.