Stability of diazepam in blood samples at different storage conditions and in the presence of alcohol.

Diazepam is one of the mostly used benzodiazepines and it is frequently analyzed in different biological samples, especially blood samples. The diazepam stability in the sample matrices is an important factor regarding reliable data obtaining. The storage is the main factor determining the stability of diazepam in blood samples and it is the object of the study presented. Remaining diazepam amount in spiked whole blood and plasma samples were tested at different storage temperatures, in the absence or presence of sodium fluoride as stabilizer as well as the influence of ethanol on diazepam stability was evaluated. The results of the study indicated that the temperature is the main storage factor affecting diazepam stability. In the fluoride stabilized blood samples the amount of diazepam decreases up to 85% of initial level when stored at -20° C for the period of testing (12 weeks). The presence of low (0.5 g/L) or high (3g/L) ethanol concentrations influences the stability of diazepam at -20 °C. In whole blood samples, the combination of sodium fluoride and ethanol decreases additionally (15-25%) the concentration of the analyte. Freeze-thaw experiments of whole blood samples show about 5-9% decrease in diazepam concentration after the first cycle. The freeze-thaw experiments on plasma samples, containing ethanol and/or fluoride show insignificant decreases of analyte concentration. Further experiments on benzodiazepines stability at different storage conditions or in combination of different factors should be undertaken in forensic toxicology to ensure the data quality, their reliability and reproducibility.

Hematological changes in case of chronic cadmium intoxication and monensin detoxication. Relationship with rheological variables.

The study evaluated the affect of chronic cadmium (Cd) and monensin treatment on some hematological parameters and its relationship with the rheological variables. Adult male mice were subjected to chronic treatment with cadmium acetate [Cd(CH3COO)2 × 2H2O] (group 1), Cd(CH3COO)2 × 2H2O followed by treatment with low dose monensin (group 2) and Cd(CH3COO)2 × 2H2O followed by high dose monensin treatment (group 3). Cd(CH3COO)2 × 2H2O and deprotonated monensin were dissolved in distilled water and given daily to the experimental animals. Mice drinking distilled water served as a control group (group 4). Hematological parameters and erythrocyte morphology were evaluated in parallel with whole blood viscosity (WBV). Cd treatment reduced Hb and increased RDW. The addition of high dose monensin significantly improved erythrocytic indices compared to the control. Erythrocyte anisocytosis was observed in blood smears of Cd-treated mice corresponding to the increased RDW. WBV was significantly elevated in the experimental groups in the whole range of shear rates compared to the control group and in groups 2 and 3 was lower than in group 1 but remained higher compared to group 4. Correlations were found between WBV and RBC, Hb, Hct, MCV and RDW. The results suggest that hemorheological parameters such as WBV should be monitored in parallel with the hematological parameters when monensin is applied and heavy metal intoxication is suspected.

Hemolytic and anticoagulant study of the neurotoxin vipoxin and its components--basic phospholipase A2 and an acidic inhibitor.

In the present study, we demonstrate for the first time that the potent neurotoxin vipoxin from the venom of Vipera ammodytes meridionalis exhibits hemolytic and anticoagulant properties. By investigating the effects of phospholipids and calcium ions on hemolysis, we established that the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzyme activity is responsible for the hemolytic properties. This was confirmed by chemical modification of the PLA2 active-site histidine residue with p-bromophenacylbromide. Applying different clotting assays, we show that the PLA2 is a weakly anticoagulant enzyme, which affects intrinsic tenase complex by the hydrolysis of procoagulant phospholipids, rather than by nonenzymatic mechanisms (binding to specific coagulation factors). The whole complex--vipoxin--does not affect the coagulation system.

Vipoxin specificity studied by gas chromatographic determination of enzymatic reaction products. Influence of Ca2+, Mg2+ and Sr2+

Gas chromatographic procedure with mass spectrometric detection was applied to quantitatively determine the enzymatic specificity and activity of vipoxin (a neurotoxin from the Vipera ammodytes meridionalis venom) as well as the influence of Ca2+, Mg2+ and Sr2+ on these properties.

2-Acetylindan-1,3-dione and its Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) complexes as promising sunscreen agents.

In continuation of a previous spectroscopic and quantum chemical study on 2-acetylindan-1,3-dione (2AID), the spectral properties and photostability of 2AID and its Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) complexes in different solvents are reported. Comparison is made with the photostability of two commercially available sunscreens: benzophenone-3 and octylmethoxycinnamate. 2AID exhibits a higher photostability, high molar absorption coefficient (42 000 m(-1) cm(-1)) at lambda(max) and broad-spectrum UV-protection properties. The hypothesis that the strong intramolecular H-bonding is responsible for the higher photostability was confirmed by studying the photodegradation upon irradiation with UV light of 2AID in hydrogen bond-breaking solvent, DMSO. The data obtained show that 2AID undergoes rapid degradation in this solvent. It is found that Cu(2+) and Zn(2+)-2AID complexes show higher photostability in DMSO than 2AID itself.

Application of the first derivative spectra method for investigation of the complexation of some aza-15-crown-5-containing chromoionophores with Sr(2+).

An approach for quantitative spectrophotometric analysis of binary mixtures based on first derivative spectra is developed. The proposed method is used for investigation of the complex formation of some aza-15-crown-5-containing ligands with Sr(2+), where the stability constant is low and the absorption spectrum of the complex cannot be obtained directly. The described general approach can be applied for quantitative analysis of any other two-component mixture where the absorption spectra of the components cannot be obtained experimentally.

High-performance liquid and gas chromatography of dialkylphosphates, dialkylthiophosphates and dialkyldithiophosphates as their pentafluorobenzyl derivatives.

High-performance liquid and gas chromatographic (GC) procedures for the separation and determination of dialkylphosphates, dialkylthiophosphates and dialkyldithiophosphates (alkyl = methyl or ethyl), the main hydrolytic metabolites of organophosphate pesticides, are described. The application of different procedures and their limits of detection are discussed. The GC proposed procedures were applied to the analysis of urine samples from humans exposed and not exposed to organophosphates.

Liquid-liquid extraction of metal ions by the 6-membered N-containing macrocycle hexacyclen.

The nitrogen-containing analogue of 18-crown-6, 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexa-azaoctadecane (hexacyclen)] was studied as a reagent for complexation and extraction of some metal ions. It was found that with this reagent and methyl isobutyl ketone, metal ions such as silver(I), mercury(II), copper(II), platinum(II) and palladium(II) can be quantitatively extracted and separated from iron(III) and some other metal ions.