Novel cruzipain inhibitors for the chemotherapy of chronic Chagas disease.

Despite current efforts worldwide to develop new medications against Chagas disease, only two drugs are available, nifurtimox and benznidazole. Both drugs require prolonged treatment and have multiple side effects and limited efficacy on adult patients chronically infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Recently, computer-guided drug repositioning led to the discovery of the trypanocidal effects of clofazimine and benidipine. These compounds showed inhibitory effects on cruzipain, the major cysteine protease of T. cruzi, of different parasite stages and in a murine model of acute Chagas disease. The aim of this work was to determine the efficacy of these novel cruzipain inhibitors when administered in a murine model of chronic Chagas disease. Benidipine and clofazimine were able to reduce the parasite burden in cardiac and skeletal muscles of chronically infected mice compared with untreated mice as well as diminish the inflammatory process in these tissues. Further studies should be performed to study the synergism with benznidazole and nifurtimox in view of combined therapies.

Desirability function approach for the optimization of an in-syringe ultrasound-assisted emulsification-microextraction method for the simultaneous determination of amlodipine and nifedipine in plasma samples.

In the present study, an in-syringe ultrasound-assisted emulsification-microextraction using a low-density organic solvent was developed for simultaneous extraction and pre-concentration of amlodipine besylate and nifedipine from plasma samples. The extracts were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Central composite design combined with desirability function was applied to find out the optimal experimental conditions providing the highest global extraction efficiency. The optimal conditions identified were volume of the extracting solvent 45 µL, ionic strength 18.95% w/v, sonication time 2.58 min, and centrifugation time 3 min. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method was evaluated, and applied to the analysis of amlodipine besylate and nifedipine in plasma samples. The validation results of the method indicated a wide linear range (2-1200 ng/mL) with a good linearity (r(2) >0.9991) and low detection limits (0.17 ng/mL for amlodipine besylate and 0.15 ng/mL for nifedipine) with RSD less than 5.2% for both components, both in intra- and inter-day precision studies. The applicability of the proposed in-syringe ultrasound-assisted emulsification-microextraction coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection method was demonstrated by analyzing the drugs in spiked plasma samples.

[The detection of nifedipine in biological materials].

The objective of the present study was to find optimal conditions for the isolation of nifedipine from biological materials by ethylacetate. It was shown that nifedipine can be purified from co-extracted substances of the biological material on a Silasorb C-18 column with the size of the particles 30 microns. The authors propose to use thin-layer chromatography, IR spectrophotometry, and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography for the identification and quantitative determination of nifedipine extracted from cadaveric liver samples.

A vascular smooth muscle/cell membrane chromatography-offline-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for recognition, separation and identification of active components from traditional Chinese medicines.

We describe an analytical method of vascular smooth muscle cell membrane chromatography (VSM/CMC) combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for recognition, separation and identification of active components from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). VSM cells by means of primary culture with rat thoracic aortas were used for preparation of the stationary phase in the CMC model. Retention components by the VSM-CMC model were collected and then analyzed by GC/MS under the optimized conditions in offline conditions. After investigating the suitability and reliability of the VSM/CMC-offline-GC/MS method using nifedipine and nitrendipine as standard compounds, this method was applied in screening active components from the extracts of TCMs such as Radix Angelicae Dahuricae (RAD), Rhizomza Seu Radix Notopterygii (RSRN), Radix Glehniae (RG) and Fructus Cnidii (FC). Retention components from the extracts in the VSM-CMC model were imperatorin and osthole identified by the GC/MS method. In vitro pharmacological trials indicated that imperatorin and osthole could concentration dependently relax the rat thoracic artery pre-contracted by KCl (P<0.05). The maximum relaxation effects (R(max)) were 63+/-5% and 40+/-6% for imperatorin and osthole, respectively. The VSM/CMC-offline-GC/MS method is an effective screening system that can rapidly detect and enrich target components from a complex sample and then accurately identify them.

Addition of N-carbobenzyloxy-L-tryptophan as a co-template molecule to molecularly imprinted polymer monoliths for (+)-nilvadipine.

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) monoliths for (+)-nilvadipine have been prepared using 4-vinylpyridine as a functional monomer and toluene/1-dodecanol as a porogen without or with addition of N-carbobenzyloxy-L-tryptophan (Cbz-L-Trp) as a co-template molecule. The MIP monoliths prepared with (+)-nilvadipine as a sole template molecule had no macro through-pores, while those could be formed by addition of Cbz-L-Trp as the co-template molecule. Furthermore, on the former nilvadipine enantiomers could not be separated, but on the latter they could. The presence of Cbz-L-Trp affected the polymerization process and resulted in forming macro through-pores of the MIP monoliths for (+)-nilvadipine and attaining separation of nilvadipine enantiomers. These results suggest that co-addition of Cbz-L-Trp could be effective for preparing MIP monoliths for (+)-nilvadipine, whose preparation is difficult.

Retentivity and enantioselectivity of uniformly-sized molecularly imprinted polymers for (S)-nilvadipine in aqueous and non-aqueous mobile phases.

Uniformly-sized molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for (S)-nilvadipine have been prepared by a multi-step swelling and polymerization method using methacrylic acid or 4-vinylpyridine (4-VPY) as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as a cross-linker, and toluene, chloroform, cyclohexanol or phenylacetonitrile as a porogen. The chiral recognition abilities of the MIPs for nilvadipine were evaluated using aqueous and non-aqueous mobile phases. Among the MIPs, the (S)-nilvadipine-imprinted 4-VPY-co-EDMA polymers prepared using toluene as a porogen showed the highest recognition ability for nilvadipine in both aqueous and non-aqueous mobile phases. In addition to molecular shape recognition, hydrogen-bonding interactions of the NH proton of nilvadipine with a pyridyl group of the (S)-nilvadipine-imprinted 4-VPY-co-EDMA polymers could play an important role in the retention and chiral recognition of nilvadipine in aqueous and non-aqueous mobile phases. Furthermore, the MIP for (S)-nilvadipine gave the highest molecular recognition ability when a porogenic solvent during polymerization was used as the mobile phase modifier.

Uniformly sized molecularly imprinted polymer for (S)-nilvadipine. Comparison of chiral recognition ability with HPLC chiral stationary phases based on a protein.

Uniformly sized molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for (S)-nilvadipine have been prepared by a multistep swelling and polymerization method using methacrylic acid, 2-(trifluoromethyl)acrylic acid, 2-vinylpyridine, or 4-vinylpyridine (4-VPY) as a functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as a cross-linker. The chiral recognition abilities of the MIPs for nilvadipine and other dihydropyridine calcium antagonists were evaluated using a mixture of sodium phosphate buffer (or water) and acetonitrile or only acetonitrile as the mobile phase. The (S)-nilvadipine-imprinted 4-VPY-co-EDMA polymers gave the highest resolution for nilvadipine among the MIPs prepared. In addition, the enantioseparation of nilvadipine was attained using the (S)-nilvadipine-imprinted EDMA polymers, without use of a functional monomer. 1H NMR and molecular modeling studies suggested a one-to-one hydrogen-bonding-based complex formation of (S)-nilvadipine with 4-VPY in chloroform. These results reveal that the (S)-nilvadipine-imprinted EDMA polymers could recognize the template molecule by its molecular shape, and that in addition to this recognition, hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions seems to play important roles in the retention and chiral recognition of nilvadipine on the 4-VPY-co-EDMA polymers in hydroorganic mobile phases. By optimizing chromatographic conditions such as column temperature and flow rate, the baseline separation of nilvadipine enantiomers was attained with a short analysis time and with a column efficiency comparable to commercially available chiral stationary phases based on a protein, such as ovomucoid or alpha1-acid glycoprotein.

Nifedipine loaded chitosan microspheres prepared by emulsification phase-separation.

A high yield of nifedipine-chitosan microspheres could be obtained using an emulsification phase-separation method. A high level of entrapment of nifedipine in the microspheres was achieved. The microspheres exhibited excellent swelling properties. Differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry, and scanning electron microscopy confirmed that at 1.84% loading, nifedipine was dispersed molecularly. The microspheres exhibited faster release at low loadings compared to high loadings. Fitting the data to the coupled Fickian/case II equation, showed that at low loadings polymer relaxation coefficients (k2) were high. As the polymer content increased in the microspheres, the value of n (diffusional exponent characteristic of the release mechanism) approached one, which is indicative of zero order.

Normal-phase TLC separation of enantiomers of 1.4-dihydropyridine derivatives.

A new TLC-based method was proposed for the separation of enantiomers and mixtures of racemic DHP derivatives differing in the kind of substituent in the phenyl ring. The conditions for the effective determination of the substances involved and the mechanism of their sorption were also studied. For the separation of felodipine, nilvadipine, and isradipine enantiomers, thin-layer chromatography was used, with a chiral stationary phase of the ligand exchange type, and developing phases of a different concentration of methanol (phi) as an organic modifier. The retention coefficient values k' were used to make the plots log k' = f(log phi) and log k' = f(phi). The processes taking place in the chromatographic systems were shown to be described by the Snyder-Soczewinski equation.

Analysis of nifedipine-acebutolol hydrochloride binary combination in tablets using UV-derivative spectroscopy, capillary gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography.

Three methods are described for the simultaneous determination of nifedipine and acebutolol hydrochloride in combined pharmaceutical tablets. The first method depends on first-derivative ultraviolet spectrophotometry, with peak-to-base and zero-crossing measurements methods. The first derivative amplitudes at 400 and 352 nm were selected for the assay of nifedipine and acebutolol hydrochloride, respectively. Calibration graphs follow Beer's law in the range of 4-12 and 44-132 micrograms ml-1 and the linearity was satisfactory (r = 0.999) for nifedipine and acebutolol hydrochloride, respectively. The second method was based on the separation of nifedipine from acebutolol hydrochloride, with an internal standard thymolphthalein, using capillary gas-liquid chromatography with a programmable temperature change. The third method was based on high performance liquid chromatographic separation of the two drugs on a reversed-phase, C18, column using a mobile phase of methanol-water (55:45, pH 4.5) with a programmable flow rate of 1 ml min-1 for 4 min which changed to 2 ml min-1 for the rest of the run. The detection was done at 260 nm using oxprenolol hydrochloride as an internal standard. Both chromatographic methods showed good linearity, precision and reproducibility. No spectral or chromatographic interference from the tablet excipients were found. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the assay of commercial tablets and a content uniformity test. The procedures were rapid, simple nondestructive and suitable for quality control application.

[Investigation of the impurity profile of nifedipine by LC/MS]. / A nifedipin hatóanyag szennyezésprofiljának LC/MS vizsgálata.

The manufacture-characteristic impurity profile of nifedipine drug substance was studied by HPLC and on-line LC/MS coupling. Using a new gradient HPLC procedure and MS detection, spectroscopic evidences for the chemical structure of some previously unknown minor impurities (all under 0.1%) were obtained.

Investigation and optimisation of the use of micellar electrokinetic chromatography for the analysis of six cardiovascular drugs.

A micellar electrokinetic chromatography method was optimised for the separation of the six cardiovascular drugs atenolol, nicardipine, nifedipine, diltiazem, verapamil, and amlodipine by investigating the effects of pH, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) concentration, selection and concentration of organic modifier. An electrophoresis buffer of 100 mM borate pH 8.1 containing 50 mM SDS and 15% (v/v) acetone was found to provide the optimum separation with respect to resolution and migration time.