Chiral drug bioanalysis

The second general approach to overcome poor reverse-phase retention is to employ NP-LC. By comparison to RP-LC, the historic use of NP-LC for bioanalysis is negligible because of several limitations. The most notable limitation is the inability to perform reproducible gradient elution. Nevertheless, NP-LC can be a viable option for analytes too polar for RP-LC and produces far less back pressure. Perhaps, the most visible application of NP-LC is for the bioanalysis of chiral drugs [96]. This critical niche is largely the result of the frequent use of NP mobile phases with chiral stationary phases. 

Chiral GC was under development and was being used successfully, for example for chiral dmg bioanalysis, at the same time as commercialised CSP for LC were breaking through. The technique received a boost when cyclodextrin GC phases came onto the market. However, with most drug bioanalysis being carried out by LC, and LC-MS in particular, chiral GC is more the preserve of application areas such as the analysis of odourous compounds [24] and the field of insect pheromones [25]. 

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