Recombinant human insulin V Optimization of the reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic separation

The applicability of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to the analysis of the products of recombinant insulin was studied. The influence of several mobile phases in reversed-phase and ion-pair HPLC on selectivity, resolution and sensitivity was investigated. Optimum conditions for the separation of insulin-related proteins on commercial and laboratory-made supports were established by means of three-dimensional optimizations of selectivity and resolution as a function of pH and ionic strength (μ). A mechanism for the separation of proteins with a mobile phase containing a high salt concentration and a pH near the isoelectric point of proteins is proposed. The questions of scaling up are considered. The proposed techniques allow the analysis of the main impurities and ensures a high quality of active insulin production.     

Determination of acyclovir and its metabolite 9-carboxymethoxymethylguanine in serum and urine using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

A reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of acyclovir and its metabolite 9-carboxymethoxymethylguanine is described. The samples are purified by reversed-phase solid-phase extraction. The components are separated on a C₁₈ column with a mobile phase containing 18% acetonitrile, 5 mM dodecyl sulphate and 30 mM phosphate buffer, pH 2.1, and measured by fluorescence detection using an excitation wavelength of 285 nm and an emission wavelenght of 380 nm. Detection limits are 0.12 μM (plasma)) and 0.60 μM (urine) for acyclovir, and 0.26 μM (plasma) and 1.3 μM (urine) for metabolite. Correlation coefficients that were better than 0.998 were obtained normally. This analytical method, which enables simultaneous measurement of parent compound and metabolite, has been used in kinetics studies and for therapeutic drug monitoring in different patient groups with variable degrees of renal dysfunction.     

Assay of nicotinamide deamidase activity using high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid, simple and reproducible method has been developed for the determination of nicotinamide deamidase activity using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Nicotinic acid (NA) liberated from nicotinamide (NAA) after a 15-min enzyme reaction was determined directly by HPLC without further separation steps. Both NA, the product, and NAA, the substrate were separated by reversed-phase ion-pair isocratic chromatography and detected at 261 nm. The present method could be applied to the measurement of deamidase activity in crude cell extracts prepared from several bacterial strains. The Michaelis constant of nicotinamide deamidase in Enterobacter agglomerans was 36 μM for NAA. This method is useful for the measurement of nicotinamide deamidase from various sources.     

Ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of adenine nucleotides and nucleoside using triethylamine as a counterion

An isocratic HPLC method for the simple and selective determination of adenine nucleoside and nucleotides has been developed. The separation is achieved at room temperature by reversed-phase chromatography (Shiseido, Capcell Pak C18). A mixture of 0.1 M triethylamine (TEA) phosphate buffer and methanol (95:5, v/v) is used as a standard eluent. Influence of pH and concentrations of organic modifiers and TEA ion on capacity factors of adenine compounds has been investigated. It has been also found that the TEA ion in the eluent is adsorbed onto the reversed-phase surface. The results clearly demonstrate that ion-pair formation with TEA ion occurs probably both in the mobile phase and on the stationary phase and governs the retention of adenine and nucleotides in the present system. The HPLC system is applied to the analysis of adenine nucleotides formed as intermediates in the synthesis of 3′-phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphosulphate (PAPS) and to the assays of ATPases and 5′-nucleotidase activities in rat liver plasma membrane. This method is a new type of ion-pair reversed-phase HPLC system and is suitable for the separation of highly polar organic anions, especially for adenine nucleotides.     

Ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatographic assay of 4-aminopyridine in serum

An assay for the quantitative estimation of 4-aminopyridine in biological fluids has been developed using 2-aminopyridine as internal standard and ion-pair reversed-phase (C_1$$$) high-performance liquid chromatography with detection at 263 nm. A 7.5% solution of acetonitrile in water containing tetrabutylammonium iodide and sodium heptanesulfonate buffered at pH 3.0 provided excellent separation of the analytes from each other and from an interfering peak that was occasionally observed in the outdated human sera used in these studies. Sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy and reproducibility all were judged sufficient for the routine use of this assay for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of tramadol in human plasma

Tramadol has been determined in human plasma samples using a sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method. The plasma samples were extracted with tert.-butylmethyl ether in one-step liquid-liquid extraction (recovery 86%) and analyses of the extracts were performed on reversed-phase silica gel using ion-pair chromatography (verapamil as an internal standard) and fluorescence detection. The method was applied to the determination of tramadol levels in twelve healthy volunteers after oral administration of 100 mg of tramadol in capsules of Protradon and Tramal.     

High performance liquid chromatography of nucleotides. Major methods and their development

The separation of mono- and oligonucleotides possibilities by means of high performance ion-exchange, reversed-phase, so-called "ion-pair" and adsorption chromatography are studied. The influence of the eluent composition (solvent, salt) and pH on the retention, selectivity and resolution in reversed-phase and ion-exchange chromatography is investigated. The model of the hydrophobic-pair ion-exchange mechanism of ion-pair chromatography is considered. The conditions for analysis and preparative isolation of a desired component are optimized for selectivity, resolution and throughput. The methods for prediction of the optimal gradient elution program reasonable resolution at the desired retention time and for choosing the guard-column packing material are proposed. A design of the gradient for system and the version of slurry packing method for HPLC prolonged life-time columns are improved. The automatized analytical technique for determination of the oligonucleotide monomeric composition with two coupled microcolumns is described, that involves enzymatic digestion of an oligonucleotide followed by ion-exchange separation of the hydrolysate.     

Determination of leukocyte DNA 6-thioguanine nucleotide levels by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A HPLC method for determination of 6-thioguanine nucleotide in DNA was developed. Leukocyte DNA was isolated from peripheral blood, derivatized with chloroacetaldehyde and the formed etheno derivatives N(2),3-etheno 6-thioguanine (epsilon6TG), 1,N(6)-etheno adenine (epsilonA) and N(2),3-etheno guanine (epsilonG) were released from the DNA backbone by hydrolysis at pH 6.0 and 80 degrees C for 60 min. After extraction of epsilon6TG by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) the sample was analysed by ion-pair reversed-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection. The limit of quantification was 9.0 nM and the intra- and interday precision ranged from 2.8 to 15.5%. In a small cohort of eight children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a median of one 6-thioguanine base was found for each 3000 normal bases (range 1:2000-1:11000).     

Purification of dye-labeled oligonucleotides by ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Singly- and dually-labeled synthetic oligonucleotides were purified by ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using a 50x4.6-mm column packed with porous, 2.5 micrometer C(18) sorbent. We studied the mechanism of dye-labeled oligonucleotide retention in order to improve the quality of purification. By-products of oligonucleotide synthesis were characterized by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry detection (LC-MS). We purified oligonucleotides labeled with 6-carboxyfluorescein (6FAM), hexachlorofluorescein (HEX), tetrachlorofluorescein (TET), carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA) and indodicarboxycyanine (Cy3) dyes, as well as dually-labeled TaqMan probes. Purification of a 0.1-micromole oligonucleotide synthesis in a single injection was demonstrated.     

Analysis of phenolic acids in honeys of different floral origin by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

The determination of 18 aromatic and arylaliphatic carboxylic acids in honey from different floral origin using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) is reported. The behaviour of the solutes on SPE cartridges was predicted from preliminary calculations involving the pK(a) constants of the carboxylic groups, the n-octanol:water partition coefficients and the distribution coefficients at different pH values of the conditioning and washing solvents. The proposed SPE isolation and pre-concentration of the acids was achieved on reversed-phase Bond Elut C18 cartridges using an acetonitrile:tetrahydrofuran (1:1, v/v) elution system. RP-HPLC separations were performed on a Spherisorb ODS-2 column using linear gradient elution with a mobile phase composed of 20 mm phosphate buffer (pH 2.92) and methanol, and with UV detection. The reported SPE and RP-HPLC methods were applied to the analysis of 49 authentic honey samples from various floral sources and the results indicate that they may serve with respect to the quantitative control of a number of phenolic acids in plant-derived foods and medicinal plants.     

Extraction and determination of oxybutynin in human bladder samples by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method is described for the determination of oxybutynin (OXB) in human bladder samples. Following homogenization, tissue samples underwent double extraction with hexane and eventually were concentrated by freeze–drying before analysis. Chromatographic separation was performed with a mobile phase of acetonitrile–water–1 M ammonium acetate, pH 7.0 (85:13:2, v/v/v) at a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min and double (electrochemical and UV) detection was applied. The retention time of oxybutynin eluting peak was around 18 min. Using a standard curve range of 10 to 500 ng/ml the quantification limit with electrochemical detection was 5 ng/ml with an injection volume of 100 μl. Within-day and day-to-day relative standard deviation values were 4.9 and 9.81%, respectively, while a 94% accuracy and a 72% recovery was attained. We applied this method to compare the OXB levels into bladder wall tissue samples after passive diffusion and after electromotive drug administration (EMDA), using a two-chambered poly(vinyl chloride) diffusion cell designed and developed in our laboratory. The results obtained show that EMDA enhanced OXB penetration into bladder wall and that this novel way of local drug administration can be potentially used in patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction or urinary incontinence.     

Simultaneous determination of cortisol and cortisone in urine by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography clinical and doping control applications

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the simultaneous determination of cortisol and cortisone in human urine samples using methylprednisolone as the internal standard is decribed. The method involves the systematic use of isocratic mobile phases of water and methanol, acetonitrile or tetrahydrofuran and a reversed-phase Hypersil C₁₈ column. A water-acetonitrile mixture used as the mobile phase proved to be the most adequate one for analyzing urine samples purified by solvent extraction. The proposed method is sensitive, reproducible and selective. It was applied to the determination of cortisol and cortisone in several human urine samples: healthy subjects, sportsmen before and/or after stress for doping control purposes, and patients with Cushing's syndrome.     

Determination of codeine and metabolites in plasma and urine using ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography

A reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of codeine and seven metabolites is described. The samples are purified by reversed-phase solid-phase extraction. Codeine, norcodeine, codeine-6-glucuronide, norcodeine-6-glucuronide and morphine-3-glucoronide are measured with UV detection. Detection limits are 3 nmol/l (morphine-3-glucuronide) to 20 nmol/l (codeine). Morphine, normorphine and morphine-6-glucuronide are measured with electrochemical detection. Detection limits are 0.4 nmol/l (morphine-6-glucuronide) to 1.0 nmol/l (normorphine). Correlation coefficients better than 0.998 are normally obtained for all compounds. The method was applied to the determination of the kinetics of codeine and its metabolites in plasma and urine samples from healthy volunteers.     

Gradient ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatographic method for analysis of 3-hydroxypyridin-4-one iron chelators

A gradient ion-pair HPLC separation of highly hydrophilic 3-hydroxypyridin-4-one (HPO) iron chelators is described. The separation of HPOs was performed using a reversed-phase polymer HPLC column (PLRP-S 100 Å, 15×0.46 cm ID, 5 μm). The ion-pair buffer contained 1-heptanesulfonic acid (sodium salt) (5 mM) and the pH was adjusted to 2.0 using HCl. The gradient was 2%–35% CH₃CN in 20 min and post-run was followed for 5 min using 2% CH₃CN and 98% buffer. The flow-rate was 1 ml/min and the analytes were monitored at 280 nm. The retention times of 30 hydrophilic HPOs fell in the range of 10–18 min with sharp peak shapes, although these iron chelators possess various functional groups and distribution coefficients. The application of this HPLC method in the analysis of HPO chelators and their metabolites in rat bile and urine is described.     

Simultaneous determination of the new anticancer agent amidox and its metabolites in rat bile and plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

A new reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed to study the first-pass hepatic metabolism of the anti cancer drug amidox in bile. Separation of the metabolites was achieved on a Spherisorb C₁₈ column after liquid-liquid extraction using a linear gradient system of heptanesulfonic acid in potassium phosphate monobasic (pH 4.0) with increasing amounts of methanol (0–40%). The method was further applied to a pharmacokinetic study of amidox in rats after 200 mg kg⁻¹ intraperitoneal administration. Using 50 μl of rat bile and 300 μl of rat plasma the limit of detection for amidox was 60 ng and 85 ng, respectively, and the assay was linear from 0.1 to 150 μg ml⁻¹. This method appears to be sensitive enough to be used in further pharmacokinetic studies of amidox in human volunteers.     

Determination of timiperone in rat plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

We report a sensitive new method for the determination of timiperone in rat plasma by using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The method involves extraction of plasma samples with heptane-isoamyl alcohol at pH>8, followed by back-extraction into dilute acetic acid. Separation was accomplished by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on an ODS column with the mobile phase consisting of 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 3.5)-acetonitrile-methanol (65:20:15, v/v). Recovery was greater than 80%. Calibration curve was linear over the concentration range 0.5–50.0 ng/ml. The limit of quantitation of timiperone was 0.5 ng/ml plasma.     

Rapid determination of valsartan in human plasma by protein precipitation and high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the determination of valsartan in human plasma is reported. The assay is based on protein precipitation with methanol and reversed-phase chromatography with fluorimetric detection. The preparation of a batch of 24 samples takes 20 min. The liquid chromatography was performed on an octadecylsilica column (50 mm x 4 mm, 5 microm particles), the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile -15 mM dihydrogenpotassium phosphate, pH 2.0 (45:55, v/v). The run time was 2.8 min. The fluorimetric detector was operated at 234/374 nm (excitation/emission wavelength). The limit of quantitation was 98 ng/ml using 0.2 ml of plasma. Within-day and between-day precision expressed by relative standard deviation was less than 5% and inaccuracy did not exceed 8%. The assay was applied to the analysis of samples from a pharmacokinetic study.     

Determination of acyclovir by ultrafiltration and high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple, sensitive and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure to determine total serum acyclovir concentrations is described. The assay involves a heat inactivation step at 56°C to prevent risk of infection, ultrafiltration as a pretreatment step prior to ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography using guanosine as internal standard, and ultraviolet detection at 254 nm. This method has excellent recovery (97–100%), linearity (0.5–100 mg/l) and precision (1.2–8.0% coefficient of variation). The detection limit is 50 μg/l. The assay proved to be suitable for therapeutic drug monitoring of acyclovir.     

Determination of 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl derivatives of urinary polyamines by ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography

A sensitive and specific method for the determination of diamines and polyamines by ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography is described. The 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl derivatives of putrescine, 1,6-diaminohexane, spermidine and spermine are separated on a μBondapak C₁₅ reversed-phase column with 1-heptanesulfonic acid and acetonitrile as the mobile phase. All compounds are eluted within 30 min using a programmed solvent gradient system. The method has a lower detection limit of 1 pmole on column.Because of the simplicity of the method, its application provides a better means for closely monitoring patients undergoing treatment for various types of genito-urinary neoplastic diseases.     

Determination of hydroxyurea in plasma and peritoneal fluid by high-performance liquid chromatography using electrochemical detection

A sensitive method has been developed for the determination of hydroxyurea in plasma and peritoneal fluid using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. Plasma or peritoneal fluid samples were treated with acetonitrile to precipitate proteins then injected to the HPLC. A C₁₈ analytical column was used to separate hydroxyurea from interfering substances in the biological matrix. The mobile phase, consisting of 0.2 M sodium perchlorate–methanol (95:5, v/v) adjusted to pH 5.0, was delivered isocratically at a flow-rate of 1 ml/min and hydroxyurea was detected using a glassy-carbon electrode operating at an applied potential of +800 mV. Hydroxyurea eluted with a retention time of 3 min. The cycle time for analysis is short and the assay precision is acceptable (C.V. plasma=1.4–3.9%, C.V. peritoneal fluid=2.1–9.7%). The method has been validated and is linear from 25 to 400 ng/ml in plasma and 5 to 30 ng/ml in peritoneal fluid. The method has been shown to be applicable for pharmacokinetic studies.