High-pressure liquid chromatography assay methods

Since its creation around 1973, modern high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) has played a dominant role in the analysis of pharmaceuticals. It is used in many different applications for example, in content uniformity assays and stability-indicating methods, for the purity profiles of drug substances, or in the analysis of drug metabolism in animals and humans. The heart of all of these assays is the HPLC column. In this chapter, we will describe the fundamental properties of HPLC columns as well as how these properties influence column performance and separation characteristics in pharmaceutical assays. 

MTHF was initially measured by microbiological and radioisotope dilution assay [12, 13], and later by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) using electrochemical (EC), ultraviolet, or fluorescence detection [14-16]. Compared to other methods, EC detection is more sensitive. 

Analytical Techniques. Sorbic acid and potassium sorbate are assayed titrimetrically (51). The quantitative analysis of sorbic acid in food or beverages, which may require solvent extraction or steam distillation (52,53), employs various techniques. The two classical methods are both spectrophotometric (54—56). In the ultraviolet method, the prepared sample is acidified and the sorbic acid is measured at 250-260 nm. In the colorimetric method, the sorbic acid in the prepared sample is oxidized and then reacts with thiobarbituric acid the complex is measured at 530 nm. Chromatographic techniques are also used for the analysis of sorbic acid. High pressure liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection is used to separate and quantify sorbic acid from other ultraviolet-absorbing species (57—59). Sorbic acid in food extracts is determined by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (60—62). 

High sensitivity. Detecdon limits are in the range of 0.05-5 pmol/mol of unmodified parent base. This compares well to the sensidvides of commonly used methods, such as high pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (6,7), radiochromatographic analysis (8), radioimmunoassays, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (9,10). 

Preferably, high pressure liquid chromatography (hplc) is used to separate the active pre- and cis-isomers of vitamin D3 from other isomers and allows theic analysis by comparison with the chromatograph of a sample of pure reference j-vitamin D3, which is equilibrated to a mixture of pre- and cis-isomers (82,84,85). This method is more sensitive and provides information on isomer distribution as well as the active pre- and cis-isomer content of a vitamin D sample. It is applicable to most forms of vitamin D, including the more dilute formulations, ie, multivitamin preparations containing at least 1 lU/g (AOAC Methods 979.24 980.26 981.17 982.29 985.27) (82). The practical problem of isolation of the vitamin material from interfering and extraneous components is the limiting factor in the assay of low level formulations. 

Solid-phase parallel synthesis mimics the previously described solution phase strategy. This approach easily lends itself to both semi- and full automation. In contrast to the solution phase method, purification is easily achieved by simply washing the resin beads, and the reactions can be driven to completion by excess reagents, multiple cycles, and microwave techniques. The initial building block or scaffold is attached to the resin bead by a detachable linker. At the end of the synthesis, the final construct is released under the appropriate cleavage conditions for automated purification, usually by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). This allows bioanalysis of the final product in aqueous solution under standard assay conditions. 

Hou W, Watters JW, McLeod HL (2004) Simple and rapid docetaxel assay in human plasma by protein precipitation and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography B 804 263-267 Schuhmacher J, Zimmer D, Tesche F, Pickard V (2003) Matrix effects during analysis of plasma samples by electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry practical approaches to their elimination. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 17 1950-1957 Shah PW (2001) Guidance for Industry Bioanalytical Method Validation U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration... 

For confirmatory assay, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is becoming more frequently used in the analysis of OTC owing to its high sensitivity and ability. Electrospray ionization (ESI) [55-57] and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) [41] methods combined with tandem mass spectrometry are favored because of their higher sensitivity and better reproducibility. Hamscher et al. [58] developed a method for the determination of persistent TC residues in soil fertilized with manure by HPLC tandem mass spectrometry, MS-MS, and confirmation by MS-MS-MS. Zhu et al. [59] developed an LC-tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of common tetracyclines in water. The detection limit for oxytetracycline was 0.21 pg/L. Lykkeberg et al. [60] used LC-MS/MS for determination of oxytetracycline and its impurities EOTC, TC, ETC, ADOTC, oc-AOTC, and /i-AOTC. 

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