Simultaneous determination of oxacillin and cloxacillin in plasma and CSF using turbulent flow liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry: Application in therapeutic drug monitoring.

Cloxacillin and oxacillin are group M penicillins. The therapeutic monitoring of plasma concentrations of these antibiotics and those of their hydroxymethylated metabolites is of great clinical interest, especially in the choice of an adequate dosage allowing an effective treatment while limiting the occurrence of undesirable effects and the development of bacterial resistance. In this context, we conducted this work aiming at developing and validating a method allowing the determination of cloxacillin and oxacillin as well as the identification of their active metabolites in different biological matrices (CSF and plasma) using turbulent flow liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. To do this, we carried out several optimisation tests. Subsequently, we validated our method according to the latest bioanalytical validation recommendations of the European Medicines Agency. The validation results showed that our method is specific and sensitive. We obtained good linearity in the range 0.5 to 100 µg/mL with correlation coefficients above 0.995. The lower limit of quantification was 0.5 µg/mL for each analyte. The method was found to be accurate with repeatability and reproducibility coefficients of variation below 15 %. Our method is also accurate with bias values below 15 %. Recovery values ranged from 87 % to 95 %. Finally, we were able to apply our method to the therapeutic monitoring of the analysed molecules and to identify their active metabolites. Our results suggest that LC-MS shows superiority in the therapeutic monitoring of these antibiotics due to the superiority of specificity shown by this method. This assay method can be routinely used for the daily plasma assays of patients treated with these antibiotics in the context of therapeutic monitoring.

Impedimetric electronic tongue based on molybdenum disulfide and graphene oxide for monitoring antibiotics in liquid media.

Antibiotics are considered emerging pollutants which indiscriminate use has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, while their improper disposal has caused adverse effects to the environment and human health. Thus, the development of devices or techniques capable of detecting antibiotics with high sensitivity, low detection limits, and reasonable cost becomes of prime importance. In this work, an electronic tongue (e-tongue) based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and graphene oxide (GO) was developed and employed to detect four distinct antibiotics, namely cloxacillin benzathine, erythromycin, streptomycin sulfate, and tetracycline hydrochloride. The five sensing units of the e-tongue were obtained using the drop-casting method to modify gold interdigitated electrodes with MoS2 and GO. Using Principal Component Analysis to process the experimental data allowed the e-tongue to recognize samples contaminated with distinct antibiotics at varied concentrations from 0.5 to 5.0 nmol L-1. Analyses with real samples were also performed using river water and human urine and the electronic tongue was able to differentiate the samples at a nanomolar level. The proposed system represents a sensitive and low-cost alternative for antibiotic analyses in different liquid media.

Molecularly imprinted membrane extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography for selective analysis of cloxacillin from shrimp samples.

Nowadays, the abuse of antibiotics in aquaculture has generated considerable problems for food safety. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a simple and selective method for monitoring illegal use of antibiotics in aquatic products. In this study, a method combined molecularly imprinted membranes (MIMs) extraction and liquid chromatography was developed for the selective analysis of cloxacillin from shrimp samples. The MIMs was synthesized by UV photopolymerization, and characterized by scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectra, thermo-gravimetric analysis and swelling test. The results showed that the MIMs exhibited excellent permselectivity, high adsorption capacity and fast adsorption rate for cloxacillin. Finally, the method was utilized to determine cloxacillin from shrimp samples, with good accuracies and acceptable relative standard deviation values for precision. The proposed method was a promising alternative for selective analysis of cloxacillin in shrimp samples, due to the easy-operation and excellent selectivity.

Quantitative Detection of Trace Level Cloxacillin in Food Samples Using Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Extraction and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Nanopillars.

There is an increasing demand for rapid, sensitive, and low cost analytical methods to routinely screen antibiotic residues in food products. Conventional detection of antibiotics involves sample preparation by liquid-liquid or solid-phase extraction, followed by analysis using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), capillary electrophoresis (CE), or gas chromatography (GC). The process is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive. In this study, we developed a new analytical method that combines magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP)-based sample preparation with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based detection for quantitative analysis of cloxacillin in pig serum. MMIP microspheres were synthesized using a core-shell technique. The large loading capacity and high selectivity of the MMIP microspheres enabled efficient extraction of cloxacillin, while the magnetically susceptible characteristics greatly simplified sample handling procedures. Low cost and robust SERS substrates consisting of vertical gold capped silicon nanopillars were fabricated and employed for the detection of cloxacillin. Quantitative SERS was achieved by normalizing signal intensities using an internal standard. By coherently combining MMIP extraction and silicon nanopillar-based SERS biosensor, good sensitivity toward cloxacillin was achieved. The detection limit was 7.8 pmol. Cloxacillin recoveries from spiked pig plasma samples were found to be more than 80%.

Application of quality by design concept to develop a dual gradient elution stability-indicating method for cloxacillin forced degradation studies using combined mixture-process variable models.

Penicillins are typical of complex ionic samples which likely contain large number of degradation-related impurities (DRIs) with different polarities and charge properties. It is often a challenge to develop selective and robust high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods for the efficient separation of all DRIs. In this study, an analytical quality by design (AQbD) approach was proposed for stability-indicating method development of cloxacillin. The structures, retention and UV characteristics rules of penicillins and their impurities were summarized and served as useful prior knowledge. Through quality risk assessment and screen design, 3 critical process parameters (CPPs) were defined, including 2 mixture variables (MVs) and 1 process variable (PV). A combined mixture-process variable (MPV) design was conducted to evaluate the 3 CPPs simultaneously and a response surface methodology (RSM) was used to achieve the optimal experiment parameters. A dual gradient elution was performed to change buffer pH, mobile-phase type and strength simultaneously. The design spaces (DSs) was evaluated using Monte Carlo simulation to give their possibility of meeting the specifications of CQAs. A Plackett-Burman design was performed to test the robustness around the working points and to decide the normal operating ranges (NORs). Finally, validation was performed following International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines. To our knowledge, this is the first study of using MPV design and dual gradient elution to develop HPLC methods and improve separations for complex ionic samples.

Significant Pharmacokinetic Interactions Between Quinine and Ampicillin-Cloxacillin Combination.

INTRODUCTION: The co-existence of malaria with bacterial infections is common in the tropics, hence the concurrent use of antimalarials and antibiotics. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect on pharmacokinetics and antimicrobial activity of co-administration of quinine and combined ampicillin-cloxacillin. METHODS: In total, 14 healthy adults received single oral doses of ampicillin-cloxacillin combination alone and with quinine in a randomized crossover manner. Urine samples collected at predetermined intervals over 48 h were analysed. The effect of quinine on minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ampicillin and cloxacillin were determined against Staphylococcus aureus by agar diffusion, agar dilution, and broth dilution. RESULTS: Quinine significantly reduced the rate and extent of excretion of ampicillin and cloxacillin (p < 0.0002). The total amounts of ampicillin and cloxacillin excreted unchanged (Du(∞)) alone were 217.10 ± 53.82 and 199.0 ± 64.29 mg versus 126.40 ± 50.63 and 135.20 ± 52.24 mg, respectively, with quinine. Respective maximum excretion rates (dDu/dt max) for ampicillin and cloxacillin were 43.55 ± 19.41 and 77.64 ± 29.65 mg/h alone versus 18.01 ± 8.52 and 53.16 ± 20.72 mg/h with quinine. This indicates a significant reduction in Du(∞)and dDu/dt max by 41.78 and 58.65 % for ampicillin and 32.06 and 31.53 % for cloxacillin. Conversely, the disposition of quinine was unaffected by ampicillin-cloxacillin (p > 0.1). The MIC of antibiotics alone versus with quinine, respectively, were 0.11 ± 0.04 and 0.78 ± 0.1 µg/ml for ampicillin, and 0.18 ± 0.1 and 0.92 ± 0.4 µg/ml for cloxacillin, with a five- to sevenfold increase (p > 0.01); indicating a decrease in antimicrobial activity by quinine. CONCLUSIONS: Quinine therefore, reduced the bioavailability and the antimicrobial activity of ampicillin-cloxacillin upon co-administration, which may have therapeutic implications. Caution is required with the co-administration of these medicines.

Enhanced chemiluminescence of carminic acid-permanganate by CdS quantum dots and its application for sensitive quenchometric flow injection assays of cloxacillin.

A novel chemiluminescence (CL) system is introduced based on the oxidation of carminic acid by KMnO4 in acidic conditions. CdS quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method which efficiently enhanced the intensity of the CL system. A possible mechanism for the proposed system is presented using the kinetic curves, CL spectra, photoluminescence (PL), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) analysis. The emission intensity of the KMnO4-carminic acid-CdS QDs system was quenched in the presence of a trace level of cloxacillin. Based on this quenching effect, a novel and sensitive flow injection CL method was developed for determining cloxacillin concentrations. At optimal experimental conditions, the decreased CL intensity had a good linear relation with the cloxacillin concentration in the range of 0.008 to 22.0 mg L(-1). The detection limit (3σ) was 5.8 µg L(-1). The precision of the method was calculated by analyzing samples containing 4.0 mg L(-1) of cloxacillin (n=11), and the relative standard deviations (RSD%) were 2.08%. The feasibility of the method is also demonstrated for determining cloxacillin concentrations in environmental water samples and a pharmaceutical formulation.

Circular dichroism spectroscopy: An efficient approach for the quantitation of ampicillin in presence of cloxacillin.

Ampicillin exhibited a negative and a positive cotton effects on the circular dichroism (CD) spectra in the wavelength range of 200-280nm. Cloxacillin showed a positive cotton band peaking at 228nm. Three sensitive, precise and accurate CD spectroscopic methods have been developed for the determination of ampicillin and cloxacillin. Method A was used for the determination of ampicillin in presence of cloxacillin by measuring ellipticity at 206nm. Method B and C were employed to determine ampicillin and cloxacillin based on evaluation of ellipticity at 233nm and 228nm, respectively. Methods A, B and C showed linearity in the concentration range of 10-40µgmL(-1), 5-40µgmL(-1) ampicillin and 10-80µgmL(-1) cloxacillin, respectively. The method A was successfully applied to the determination of ampicillin in commercial dosage forms containing equivalent amount of cloxacillin.

Development and Validation of a Stability-Indicating RP-UPLC Method for Determination of Cloxacillin Sodium in Its Bulk Form and Formulation.

A simple, linear gradient, rapid, precise and stability-indicating RP-UPLC method was developed for the determination of Cloxacillin Sodium in its bulk form and formulation. Ultra performance liquid chromatography, a most promising advancement in a world of chromatography, reduces analysis time, increases reliability through higher resolution, sensitivity and selectivity as well as used as an economic method due to reducing solvent consumption. A chromatographic separation of a drug as well as its degradants was achieved using Waters acquity BEH, 2.1 × 100 mm, 1.7 µm C18 column with gradient of mobile phase A: phosphate buffer, pH 6.8 and mobile phase B: methanol:acetonitrile (75:25). The drug and degradants were monitored at a detection wavelength of 225 nm with a flow rate of 0.35 mL/min and an injection volume of 10 µL. The temperature of the column and auto sampler compartments was at 30°C and 25°C ± 1°C, respectively. The retention time of the drug was ∼6.9 min. The resolution of the drug and degradant peak was >1.5 in all cases. Force degradation of CLOX SOD was carried under alkaline, acidic, oxidative, thermal, photo degradation conditions and it was analyzed by the proposed method. The drug degrades under alkaline, acidic and oxidative conditions but was stable in temperature and light. A developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines using validation parameters such as precision, linearity and range, limit of quantification, specificity, assay and robustness.

Flow-injection chemiluminescence determination of cloxacillin in water samples and pharmaceutical preparation by using CuO nanosheets-enhanced luminol-hydrogen peroxide system.

In this paper, a rapid and sensitive flow-injection chemiluminescence (flow-CL) system was developed for the determination of cloxacillin sodium in environmental water samples and pharmaceutical preparations. The method was based on the enhancement effect of cloxacillin sodium on the CL reaction of luminal-H2O2-CuO nanosheets (NSs) in alkaline medium. The CuO nanosheets were synthesized using a green sonochemical method. The physical properties of the synthesized CuO nanosheets were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The influences of various experimental factors such as H2O2, NaOH, luminol and CuO nanosheets concentrations were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the enhanced CL intensity was linearly related to the concentration of cloxacillin sodium in the range of the 0.05-30.00 mg L(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.995. The corresponding detection limit (3σ) was calculated to be 0.026 mg L(-1). The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the developed method was 2.21% with 11 repeated measurements of 4.00 mg L(-1) cloxacillin sodium. Also, a total analysis time per sample was 30 s which confirmed the rapidity of the proposed method. The analytical applicability of the proposed CL system was assessed by determining cloxacillin sodium in spiked environmental water samples and pharmaceutical preparation. Furthermore, the possible mechanism of CL reaction was discussed.

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of flucloxacillin and cloxacillin in microdialysis samples.

In the present study we developed and validated a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay for the determination of flucloxacillin in human plasma and microdialysis samples and cloxacillin in microdialysis samples, using oxacillin as the internal standard for the assay. The samples were separated on a UPLC BEH C18,1.7 µm column (2.1x50mm) and analyzed by a tandem-quadrupole mass spectrometer in multiple reaction monitoring mode using an electronspray ionization interface. For flucloxacillin the method was demonstrated to be accurate and precise in the linearity range of 1-30 mg/L in plasma and 0.05-5.0 mg/L for microdialysate with a regression coefficient (r) of 0.9986 and 0.9989 in plasma and microdialysate respectively. For cloxacillin it was accurate and precise in the range of 0.1-5.0 mg/L for microdialysate with a regression coefficient of 0.9972. The method presents a high sensitivity for flucloxacillin (lower limit of quantification of 1 mg/L for plasma and 0.05 mg/L for microdialysis samples) combined with a low within- and between-day variation (<5.0% for flucloxacillin and cloxacillin in microdialysis samples and <6.5% for plasma samples of flucloxacillin). The validation experiments for the microdialysis probes showed a relative recovery of 85.5% for flucloxacillin at a flow rate of 1.0 µL/min. The results justify the use of this assay for clinical studies for measuring free unbound tissue concentrations of flucloxacillin in patients with a Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

Detection of antibiotics in goat's milk: effect of detergents on the response of microbial inhibitor tests.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the interference of acid and alkaline detergents employed in the cleaning of milking equipment of caprine dairy farms on the performance of microbial tests used in antibiotic control (BRT MRL, Delvotest MCS, and Eclipse 100). Eight concentrations of commercial detergents, five acid (0-0.25%) and five alkaline (0-1%) were add to antimicrobial-free goat's milk to evaluate the detergent effect on the response of microbial inhibitor tests. To evaluate the effect of detergents on the detection capability of microbial tests two detergents at 0.5 ml/l (one acid and one basic) and eight concentrations of four ß-lactam antibiotics (ampicillin, amoxicillin, cloxacillin and benzylpenicillin) were used. Milk without detergents was used as control. The spiked samples were analysed twelve times by three microbial tests. The results showed that the presence of acid detergents did not affect the response of microbial tests for any of the concentrations tested. However, at concentrations equal to or greater than 2 ml/l alkaline detergents positive results were found in microbial tests (16.7-100%). The detection limits of the screening tests for penicillins were not modified substantially by the presence of detergents. In general, the presence of acid and alkaline detergents in goat's milk did not produce a great interference in the microbial tests, only high concentrations of detergents could cause non-compliant results, but these concentrations are difficult to find in practice if proper cleaning procedures are applied in goat dairy farms.

Validation study of the BetaStar plus lateral flow assay for detection of beta-lactam antibiotics in milk.

A validation study designed to meet the requirements of the AOAC Research Institute and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA/CVM) was conducted for a receptor and antibody-based, immunochromatographic method (BetaStar Plus) for detection of beta-lactam antibiotic residues in raw, commingled bovine milk. The assay was found to detect amoxicillin, ampicillin, ceftiofur, cephapirin, cloxacillin, and penicillin G at levels below the FDA tolerance/safe levels, but above the maximum sensitivity thresholds established by the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS). Results of the part I (internal) and part II (independent laboratory) dose-response studies employing spiked samples were in close agreement. The test was able to detect all six drugs at the approximate 90/95% sensitivity levels when presented as incurred residues in milk collected from cows that had been treated with the specific drug. Selectivity of the assay was 100%, as no false-positive results were obtained in testing of 1031 control milk samples. Results of ruggedness experiments established the operating parameter tolerances for the BetaStar Plus assay. Results of cross-reactivity testing established that the assay detects certain other beta-lactam drugs (dicloxacillin and ticarcillin), but it does not cross-react with any of 30 drugs belonging to other classes. Abnormally high bacterial or somatic cell counts in raw milk produced no interference with the ability of the test to detect beta-lactams at tolerance/safe levels.

High performance liquid chromatography for the simultaneous analysis of penicillin residues in beef and milk using ion-paired extraction and binary water-acetonitrile mixture.

An ion-paired extraction (IPE) has been developed for the analysis of penicillin antibiotics (penicillin G, oxacillin and cloxacillin) in beef and milk samples using tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBABr) as ion-pairing agent and binary water-acetonitrile as extractant. The factors affecting the IPE efficiency were optimized including solution pH, volume of acetonitrile (ACN), concentration of TBABr and electrolyte salt (NH(4))(2)SO(4). The optimum IPE conditions were 10 mmol L(-1) phosphate buffer pH 8, 2 mL of ACN, 6 mmol L(-1) of TBABr and 2.5 mL of saturated ammonium sulfate. Under the HPLC condition: an Xbridge™ C18 reversed-phase column, isocratic elution of 5 mmol L(-1) phosphate buffer (pH 6.6) and acetonitrile (75:25, v/v) and a flow rate of 1 mL min(-1), with UV detection at 215 nm, the separation of three penicillins was achieved within 10 min. Under the selected optimum conditions, the enhancement of 21-53 folds compared to that without preconcentration and limits of detection (LODs) of 1-2 ng mL(-1) were obtained. Good reproducibility was achieved with RSD<2% for retention time and <5% for slope of calibration curves. The average recoveries higher than 85% were obtained. The proposed IPE-HPLC method has shown to be high efficient preconcentration and analysis method for penicillin residues in beef and milk with LOD lower than the maximum residue limits.

Combined photo-Fenton-SBR process for antibiotic wastewater treatment.

The study examined combined photo-Fenton-SBR treatment of an antibiotic wastewater containing amoxicillin and cloxacillin. Optimum H(2)O(2)/COD and H(2)O(2)/Fe(2+) molar ratio of the photo-Fenton pretreatment were observed to be 2.5 and 20, respectively. Complete degradation of the antibiotics occurred in one min. The sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) with the wastewater treated under different photo-Fenton operating conditions (H(2)O(2)/COD and H(2)O(2)/Fe(2+) molar ratio). The SBR performance was found to be very sensitive to BOD(5)/COD ratio of the photo-Fenton treated wastewater. Statistical analysis of the results indicated that it was possible to reduce the Fe(2+) dose and increase the irradiation time of the photo-Fenton pretreatment. The best operating conditions of the combined photo-Fenton-SBR treatment were observed to be H(2)O(2)/COD molar ratio 2, H(2)O(2)/Fe(2+) molar ratio 150, irradiation time 90 min and HRT of 12h. Under the best operating conditions, 89% removal of sCOD with complete nitrification was achieved and the SBR effluent met the discharge standards.

Streamlining methodology for the multiresidue analysis of beta-lactam antibiotics in bovine kidney using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A previously reported multiresidue method for the analysis of 11 important beta-lactams (amoxicillin, ampicillin, cefazolin, cephalexin, cloxacillin, desfuroylceftiofur cysteine disulfide (DCCD), deacetylcephapirin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, and penicillin G) in bovine kidney has been further streamlined. The method is based on a simple extraction using acetonitrile-water (4:1, v/v), followed by dispersive solid-phase extraction clean-up with C(18) sorbent, concentration of an extract aliquot, and filtration of the final extracts using syringeless filter vials, which are used for the sample introduction in the liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) analysis. The recoveries have been improved by adding the internal standard [(13)C(6)]sulfamethazine to the homogenized sample before the extraction step, which enabled a proper control of the volume changes during the sample preparation. Average recoveries of fortified samples were 87-103% for all beta-lactams, except for DCCD, which had an average recovery of 60%. Based on the results of the stability study and LC mobile phase tests, methanol has been eliminated from the entire method, including the LC-MS/MS analysis. The best overall LC-MS/MS (electrospray positive ionization) performance was achieved by using 0.1% formic acid as an additive in both parts of the mobile phase, in water and in acetonitrile. To prevent carry-over in the LC-MS/MS analysis, the LC method was divided into two parts: one serving as an analytical method for injection of the sample and elution of the analytes and the other one, starting at a highly organic mobile phase composition, being dedicated for injection of a solvent, washing of the system, and equilibration of the column to the initial conditions of the analytical method. In this way, a blank solvent is injected after each sample, but these in-between injections contribute minimally to the overall sample throughput.

On-line clean-up and screening of oxacillin and cloxacillin in human urine and plasma with a weak ion exchange monolithic column.

A weak ion exchange monolithic column prepared by modifying the GMA-MAA-EDMA (glycidyl methacrylate-methacrylic acid-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) monoliths with ethylenediamine was applied to remove matrix compounds in biological fluid. Using this monolithic column, on-line clean-up and screening of oxacillin and cloxacillin in human urine and plasma samples had been investigated. Chromatography was performed by reversed-phase HPLC on a C(18) column with ultraviolet detection at 225 nm. Results showed that the ion exchange monolithic column could be used for deproteinization and retaining oxacillin and cloxacillin in human urine and plasma, which provided a simple and fast method for assaying drugs in human urine and plasma.

Sustained release of highly water-soluble drugs with micelle forming ability from polyionic matrix tablets.

The aim of present study was to evaluate the application of a hydrophilic matrix tablet capable of polyion complex (PIC-tablet) to a controlled-release device for highly water-soluble drugs. The PIC-tablet was prepared from a mixture of dextran sulfate and [2-(diethylamino)ethyl] dextran chloride, and diltiazem hydrochloride was used as a model drug. Release tests revealed that the drug release was sustained even in 50% drug loading and was influenced by ionic strength but not by pH in medium. The drug release mechanism was thus investigated from the viewpoint of drug micelle forming property. The micelle forming ability of diltiazem was examined by the conductivity method, and was found to be influenced by ionic strength but not by pH value in accordance with the release tests. The results suggested that the drug's micelle interacted with the polyionic matrix. Further studies were conducted using metoprolol tartrate and thiamine hydrochloride as cationic drugs and sodium cloxacillin and sodium salicylic acid as anionic ones. The release profiles of the micelle-forming drugs metoprolol tartrate and sodium cloxacillin were also suppressed in spite of different solubility or opposite ionic charge from diltiazem hydrochloride. These findings demonstrated that the PIC-tablet is a promising device for oral controlled release delivery of water-soluble drugs with good micelle-forming ability.

ICH guidance in practice: validated stability-indicating HPLC method for simultaneous determination of ampicillin and cloxacillin in combination drug products.

Ampicillin and cloxacillin were degraded together under different stress test conditions prescribed by International Conference on Harmonization. The samples so generated were used to develop a stability-indicating high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the two drugs. The drugs were well separated from degradation products using a reversed-phase (C-18) column and a mobile phase comprising of acetonitrile:phosphate buffer (pH 5.0), which was delivered initially in the ratio of 15:85 (v/v) for 1 min, then changed to 30:70 (v/v) for next 14 min, and finally equilibrated back to 15:85 (v/v) from 15 to 20 min. Other HPLC parameters were: flow rate, 1 ml/min; detection wavelength, 225 nm; and injection volume, 5 microl. The method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, specificity and selectivity. It was also compared with the assay procedures given in British Pharmacopoeia for individual drugs. Similar results were obtained, indicating that the proposed single method allowed selective analysis of both ampicillin and cloxacillin, in the presence of their degradation products formed under a variety of stress conditions. The developed procedure was also applicable to the determination of instability of the drugs in commercial products.

Development of a validated HPLC method for the determination of four penicillin antibiotics in pharmaceuticals and human biological fluids.

A quantitative method for the determination of four penicillin antibiotics, amoxicillin (AMO), oxacillin (OXA), cloxacillin (CLO), and dicloxacillin (DICLO), has been developed. Separation was achieved on an Inertsil ODS-3 (250 x 4 mm, 5 microm) column after selective extraction of penicillin drugs from biological matrices by means of SPE. Gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% TFA (pH 1) and ACN, and PDA detection with monitoring at 240 nm was applied. Salicylic acid (5 ng/microL) was used as the internal standard. RP-8 Adsorbex Merck cartridges provided high absolute recoveries (98-101%). The developed method was fully validated in terms of selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, stability, and sensitivity. Repeatability (n = 8) and between-day precision (n = 8) revealed RSD <10%. Recoveries from biological samples ranged from 91 to 103%. The detection limits were estimated as 3.3 ng for AMO, OXA, and CLO, and 6.6 for DICLO in blood plasma. LOD in whole blood and urine was 6.6 ng. Injection volume was 20 microL. The method was applied to commercially available AMO containing pharmaceuticals and spiked biological matrices. The method was also applied to biological samples after AMO oral administration, where the drug was successfully identified and quantified.