Combined approach using capillary electrophoresis, NMR and molecular modeling for ambrisentan related substances analysis: Investigation of intermolecular affinities, complexation and separation mechanism.

A comprehensive investigation on the CE separation mechanisms and on the inclusion complexation with CyDs of the chiral drug S-ambrisentan (S-AMB), its R-enantiomer and other impurities was performed by different techniques. A CE method was previously set up allowing the simultaneous determination of the enantiomeric purity and of impurities of S-AMB, based on the addition of SDS micelles and γ-cyclodextrin (γCyD) to borate buffer. In this study, the electrophoretic behavior of the analytes in terms of selectivity and mobility with respect to the addition of different CyDs was first investigated, evidencing the presence of interactions for all the CyDs, but the unique ability of γCyD for obtaining the separation of all the compounds.

Fast analysis of glibenclamide and its impurities: quality by design framework in capillary electrophoresis method development.

A fast capillary zone electrophoresis method for the simultaneous analysis of glibenclamide and its impurities (I(A) and I(B)) in pharmaceutical dosage forms was fully developed within a quality by design framework. Critical quality attributes were represented by I(A) peak efficiency, critical resolution between glibenclamide and I(B), and analysis time. Experimental design was efficiently used for rapid and systematic method optimization.

Analytical Quality by Design in pharmaceutical quality assurance: Development of a capillary electrophoresis method for the analysis of zolmitriptan and its impurities.

A fast and selective CE method for the determination of zolmitriptan (ZOL) and its five potential impurities has been developed applying the analytical Quality by Design principles. Voltage, temperature, buffer concentration, and pH were investigated as critical process parameters that can influence the critical quality attributes, represented by critical resolution values between peak pairs, analysis time, and peak efficiency of ZOL-dimer. A symmetric screening matrix was employed for investigating the knowledge space, and a Box-Behnken design was used to evaluate the main, interaction, and quadratic effects of the critical process parameters on the critical quality attributes.

Application of quality by design to the development of analytical separation methods.

Recent pharmaceutical regulatory documents have stressed the critical importance of applying quality by design (QbD) principles for in-depth process understanding to ensure that product quality is built in by design. This article outlines the application of QbD concepts to the development of analytical separation methods, for example chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. QbD tools, for example risk assessment and design of experiments, enable enhanced quality to be integrated into the analytical method, enabling earlier understanding and identification of variables affecting method performance.

Evaluation of the separation mechanism of electrokinetic chromatography with a microemulsion and cyclodextrins using NMR and molecular modeling.

Electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) allows the separation of closely related substances by the detection of fine effects in analyte-separation system interactions. With the goal of understanding the fine effects involved in separation using a dual cyclodextrin-microemulsion EKC system, an integrated study of NMR and molecular modeling was carried out. The above dual cyclodextrin-microemulsion system was previously used in the separation of clemastine and its related substances and was prepared by the addition of methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD) and heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-β-cyclodextrin (DMβCD) to an oil-in-water microemulsion.

Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography: an application for the simultaneous determination of suspected fragrance allergens in rinse-off products.

A mixture of 18 neutral UV-active compounds with different characteristics of polarity was determined by capillary electrophoresis using a pseudostationary phase constituted by a microemulsion. The test analytes were volatile fragrance compounds, included in a list of 24 chemicals classified as suspected allergens according to Directive 2003/15/CE. The considered compounds were detected at 195 nm and p-anisaldehyde was chosen as internal standard.

Dual CD system-modified MEEKC method for the determination of clemastine and its impurities.

A dual system of CDs was used for the first time in MEEKC with the aim of determining clemastine and its three main related impurities in both drug substances and tablets. The addition of methyl-β-cyclodextrin and heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-β-cyclodextrin to the microemulsion pseudo-stationary phase was essential to increase the resolving power of the system to obtain a baseline separation among the compounds. The best microemulsion composition was identified by mixture design and the effects of the factors concentrations of CDs and voltage were investigated by a response surface study applying a Central Composite Design.

Cyclodextrin-MEEKC for the analysis of oxybutynin and its impurities.

The development of a cyclodextrin-MEEKC method for the analysis of oxybutynin and five related impurities is described. Experimental design strategies were applied in order to reach baseline separation of the compounds in a short analysis time. Mixture design made it possible to find the best composition for the microemulsion acting as pseudostationary phase, which was constituted by 89.

Pitfalls and success of experimental design in the development of a mixed MEKC method for the analysis of budesonide and its impurities.

A mixed MEKC method for the analysis of budesonide and its related substances is presented. The micelles were formed from sodium cholate (CHOL) and 3-(N,N-dimethylmyristylammonio)propanesulfonate (MAPS). A multivariate optimisation was carried out with the aim of obtaining a baseline separation of all compounds.

Multivariate optimisation and validation of a capillary electrophoresis method for the analysis of resveratrol in a nutraceutical.

A rapid and simple method based on capillary electrophoresis was developed for the quality control of nutraceuticals containing resveratrol. Setting the UV detector at 280nm, the optimisation involved the separation of 11 effervescent tablet components, including the active compounds vitamin C, vitamin B(2), flavanones and hydroxycinnamic acids. Flufenamic acid was employed as internal standard.

Identification and determination of mainstream and sidestream smoke components in different brands and types of cigarettes by means of solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The qualitative and quantitative determination of components of mainstream and sidestream smoke has been performed by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Several brands and types of cigarettes sold in Italy were considered: normal, mild, light, extra light, some with filter and some without. Extraction of the analytes was performed by means of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and the optimisation of the extraction procedure was performed by experimental design, taking into consideration type of fiber polymer, exposure temperature and time.

Development of a CZE method for the determination of mizolastine and its impurities in pharmaceutical preparations using response surface methodology.

A fast and selective CZE method for the determination of mizolastine and related impurities is described. Response surface methodology was applied to study the influence of phosphate/triethanolamine (TEA) buffer concentration, heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-beta-CD (TMbetaCD) concentration, voltage and temperature. The optimum conditions were: 105 mM phosphate/TEA buffer (pH 3.

Selection of background electrolyte for CZE analysis by a chemometric approach. Part II. Separation of a mixture of basic beta-blocker drugs.

In the first part of this study a chemometric approach to choose a suitable background electrolyte for CZE analysis was introduced. Two hundred and twenty-two possible electrolytes were previously characterized by means of the descriptors pH, conductivity, ionic strength and relative viscosity and the approach was applied to the separation of a mixture of acidic drugs. In this second part, another application concerning the analysis of basic drugs is presented.

Selection of background electrolyte for CZE analysis by a chemometric approach. Part I. Separation of a mixture of acidic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

This paper is the first part of the presentation of a chemometric approach for the rapid selection of a suitable background electrolyte (BGE) in CZE analysis of small drug molecules. The strategy is based on principal component analysis and experimental design. In this first section, the approach is applied to the analysis of a mixture of six arylpropionic anti-inflammatory drugs.

Mixture design in the optimization of a microemulsion system for the electrokinetic chromatographic determination of ketorolac and its impurities: method development and validation.

Microemulsion EKC (MEEKC) was used for the determination of ketorolac and its three impurities. The microemulsion system was optimized, for the first time in the literature, using a multivariate strategy involving a mixture design. A 13-run experimental plan covering an experimental domain defined by the components aqueous phase (10 mM borate buffer pH 9.

Analysis of catechins in Theobroma cacao beans by cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

A micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method was developed for the quantitation of polyphenols (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin (catechin monomers) and the methylxanthine theobromine in Theobroma cacao beans. Owing to the poor stability of catechin monomers in alkaline conditions, a 50 mM Britton-Robinson buffer at a pH 2.50 was preferred as the background electrolyte.

Analysis of ketorolac and its related impurities by capillary electrochromatography.

Capillary electrochromatography (CEC) was employed for the assay of ketorolac (KT) and its known related impurities [1-hydroxy analog of ketorolac (HK), 1-keto analog of ketorolac (KK), ketorolac decarboxylated (DK)] in both drug substance and coated tablets. Detection was made at 323 nm and flufenamic acid was selected as internal standard. The experiments were performed in a 100 microm i.

Simultaneous liquid chromatographic analysis of catecholamines and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethylene glycol in human plasma. Comparison of amperometric and coulometric detection.

The comparison of two HPLC methods, one with electrochemical detection and the other with coulometric detection, for the simultaneous analysis of catecholamines and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethylene glycol (MHPG) in human plasma is presented. The careful pre-treatment of plasma samples is based on an innovative two-step procedure by means of solid-phase extraction (SPE) which uses one single hydrophilic-lipophilic balance cartridge. The extraction yield values found were higher than 85% for epinephrine, norepinephrine and MHPG, and higher than 70% for dopamine.

Determination of reboxetine, a recent antidepressant drug, in human plasma by means of two high-performance liquid chromatography methods.

Reboxetine is a new norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (NRI) drug recently introduced in the therapy for depressed patients. It is effective in the treatment of severe depression and safer to use than traditional tricyclic antidepressants. In this paper an original high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with ultraviolet detection for the determination of reboxetine in human plasma is described.

Didanosine extended-release matrix tablets: optimization of formulation variables using statistical experimental design.

Statistical experimental design was applied to evaluate the influence of some process and formulation variables and possible interactions among such variables, on didanosine release from directly-compressed matrix tablets based on blends of two insoluble polymers, Eudragit RS-PM and Ethocel 100, with the final goal of drug release behavior optimization. The considered responses were the percent of drug released at three determined times, the dissolution efficiency at 6 h and the time to dissolve 10% of drug. Four independent variables were considered: tablet compression force, ratio between the polymers and their particle size, and drug content.