Analytical Quality by Design in pharmaceutical quality assurance: Development of a capillary electrophoresis method for the analysis of zolmitriptan and its impurities.

A fast and selective CE method for the determination of zolmitriptan (ZOL) and its five potential impurities has been developed applying the analytical Quality by Design principles. Voltage, temperature, buffer concentration, and pH were investigated as critical process parameters that can influence the critical quality attributes, represented by critical resolution values between peak pairs, analysis time, and peak efficiency of ZOL-dimer. A symmetric screening matrix was employed for investigating the knowledge space, and a Box-Behnken design was used to evaluate the main, interaction, and quadratic effects of the critical process parameters on the critical quality attributes. Contour plots were drawn highlighting important interactions between buffer concentration and pH, and the gained information was merged into the sweet spot plots. Design space (DS) was established by the combined use of response surface methodology and Monte Carlo simulations, introducing a probability concept and thus allowing the quality of the analytical performances to be assured in a defined domain. The working conditions (with the interval defining the DS) were as follows: BGE, 138 mM (115-150 mM) phosphate buffer pH 2.74 (2.54-2.94); temperature, 25°C (24-25°C); voltage, 30 kV. A control strategy was planned based on method robustness and system suitability criteria. The main advantages of applying the Quality by Design concept consisted of a great increase of knowledge of the analytical system, obtained throughout multivariate techniques, and of the achievement of analytical assurance of quality, derived by probability-based definition of DS. The developed method was finally validated and applied to the analysis of ZOL tablets.

Fast analysis of glibenclamide and its impurities: quality by design framework in capillary electrophoresis method development.

A fast capillary zone electrophoresis method for the simultaneous analysis of glibenclamide and its impurities (I(A) and I(B)) in pharmaceutical dosage forms was fully developed within a quality by design framework. Critical quality attributes were represented by I(A) peak efficiency, critical resolution between glibenclamide and I(B), and analysis time. Experimental design was efficiently used for rapid and systematic method optimization. A 3(5)//16 symmetric screening matrix was chosen for investigation of the five selected critical process parameters throughout the knowledge space, and the results obtained were the basis for the planning of the subsequent response surface study. A Box-Behnken design for three factors allowed the contour plots to be drawn and the design space to be identified by introduction of the concept of probability. The design space corresponded to the multidimensional region where all the critical quality attributes reached the desired values with a degree of probability π ≥ 90%. Under the selected working conditions, the full separation of the analytes was obtained in less than 2 min. A full factorial design simultaneously allowed the design space to be validated and method robustness to be tested. A control strategy was finally implemented by means of a system suitability test. The method was fully validated and was applied to real samples of glibenclamide tablets.

Application of quality by design to the development of analytical separation methods.

Recent pharmaceutical regulatory documents have stressed the critical importance of applying quality by design (QbD) principles for in-depth process understanding to ensure that product quality is built in by design. This article outlines the application of QbD concepts to the development of analytical separation methods, for example chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. QbD tools, for example risk assessment and design of experiments, enable enhanced quality to be integrated into the analytical method, enabling earlier understanding and identification of variables affecting method performance. A QbD guide is described, from identification of quality target product profile to definition of control strategy, emphasizing the main differences from the traditional quality by testing (QbT) approach. The different ways several authors have treated single QbD steps of method development are reviewed and compared. In a final section on outlook, attention is focused on general issues which have arisen from the surveyed literature, and on the need to change the researcher's mindset from the QbT to QbD approach as an important analytical trend for the near future.

Evaluation of the separation mechanism of electrokinetic chromatography with a microemulsion and cyclodextrins using NMR and molecular modeling.

Electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) allows the separation of closely related substances by the detection of fine effects in analyte-separation system interactions. With the goal of understanding the fine effects involved in separation using a dual cyclodextrin-microemulsion EKC system, an integrated study of NMR and molecular modeling was carried out. The above dual cyclodextrin-microemulsion system was previously used in the separation of clemastine and its related substances and was prepared by the addition of methyl-ß-cyclodextrin (MßCD) and heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-ß-cyclodextrin (DMßCD) to an oil-in-water microemulsion. The use of DMßCD was shown to be essential in the separation of clemastine from one of its related substance (I(B) ). A molecular modeling study allowed the different affinities of clemastine and I(B) for the two cyclodextrins to be explained. Furthermore, rotating-frame Overhauser effect spectroscopy NMR experiments clearly indicated that besides the primary pseudostationary phase, namely the ionic microemulsion, cyclodextrins acted as a secondary pseudostationary phase. In addition, it was shown that inclusion complexation of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) monomers into the cyclodextrins cavity occurs; differently, the oil (n-heptane) used in the preparation of microemulsion system resulted to be not included into the macrocycle cavity. These experimental results were supported by molecular modeling, which highlighted the preferential inclusion of SDS into DMßCD. On the basis of these results, it was confirmed that, besides its primary role as the ionic carrier in EKC, SDS is involved in inclusion equilibria toward CDs, which can be effective in increasing the system selectivity.

Dual CD system-modified MEEKC method for the determination of clemastine and its impurities.

A dual system of CDs was used for the first time in MEEKC with the aim of determining clemastine and its three main related impurities in both drug substances and tablets. The addition of methyl-ß-cyclodextrin and heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-ß-cyclodextrin to the microemulsion pseudo-stationary phase was essential to increase the resolving power of the system to obtain a baseline separation among the compounds. The best microemulsion composition was identified by mixture design and the effects of the factors concentrations of CDs and voltage were investigated by a response surface study applying a Central Composite Design. In both cases, Derringer's desirability function made it possible to find the global optimum, which corresponded to the following combination: microemulsion, 89.8% 10 mM borate buffer pH 9.2, 1.5% n-heptane and 8.7% of SDS/n-butanol in 1:2 ratio; 18 mM methyl-ß-cyclodextrin, 38 mM heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-ß-cyclodextrin, 17 kV. By applying these conditions, the separation was completed in about 5.5 min. The method was validated following International Conference on Harmonisation guidelines and was applied to a real sample of clemastine tablets.

Pitfalls and success of experimental design in the development of a mixed MEKC method for the analysis of budesonide and its impurities.

A mixed MEKC method for the analysis of budesonide and its related substances is presented. The micelles were formed from sodium cholate (CHOL) and 3-(N,N-dimethylmyristylammonio)propanesulfonate (MAPS). A multivariate optimisation was carried out with the aim of obtaining a baseline separation of all compounds. The influence of voltage, borate concentration, cholate concentration, MAPS concentration and pH was evaluated on the responses, corresponding to critical resolution values. Problems with the investigated experimental design were encountered due to the complexity of the separation process. As a consequence, a first design was not sufficient to reach the optimal conditions, but was needed in order to obtain the necessary information to successfully plan a second in-depth study by means of response surface methodology. The optimal conditions were as follows: capillary total and effective lengths of 48.5 and 40.0 cm, respectively, with 50 microm id; 70 mM borate buffer (pH 8.8) containing 65 mM CHOL and 10 mM MAPS; temperature 20 degrees C and voltage 16 kV. Separation of all the compounds, including R- and S-epimers of budesonide, was obtained in a reasonable time. Validation of the method was performed for both drug substances and drug product.

Identification and determination of mainstream and sidestream smoke components in different brands and types of cigarettes by means of solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The qualitative and quantitative determination of components of mainstream and sidestream smoke has been performed by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Several brands and types of cigarettes sold in Italy were considered: normal, mild, light, extra light, some with filter and some without. Extraction of the analytes was performed by means of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and the optimisation of the extraction procedure was performed by experimental design, taking into consideration type of fiber polymer, exposure temperature and time. Sixty-seven components of mainstream and sidestream smoke were identified. The quantified compounds (by means of deuterium-labelled isotopologues) were benzene, toluene, p-xylene, m-xylene, pyridine, o-xylene, limonene, naphthalene, phenol and nicotine. Finally, a comparison between the chemical profile of smoke from the different cigarettes was made.

Selection of background electrolyte for CZE analysis by a chemometric approach. Part I. Separation of a mixture of acidic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

This paper is the first part of the presentation of a chemometric approach for the rapid selection of a suitable background electrolyte (BGE) in CZE analysis of small drug molecules. The strategy is based on principal component analysis and experimental design. In this first section, the approach is applied to the analysis of a mixture of six arylpropionic anti-inflammatory drugs. Initially, 222 possible aqueous background electrolytes (objects) were characterized using as descriptors pH, conductivity, ionic strength and relative viscosity. In order to allow the dissociation of the acidic analytes, this original data set was reduced to 154 background electrolytes with pH values higher than or equal to 5. Principal component analysis made it possible to graphically represent the new set of objects, described by the four variables, in a two-dimensional space. Among these electrolytes, Kennard-Stone algorithm selected ten objects to be tested by CZE, covering homogeneously principal component space. CZE analyses were carried out with the selected electrolytes, and 0.1 M borax was identified as the most suitable one for the specified application. Finally, the characteristics of the analysis were finely tuned by means of a response surface study, which allowed the best conditions to be determined: borax concentration, 0.09 M; methanol, 6% (v/v); temperature, 24 degrees C, voltage, 20 kV. Applying these conditions, a baseline resolution among the six compounds was obtained in less than 10 min.

Selection of background electrolyte for CZE analysis by a chemometric approach. Part II. Separation of a mixture of basic beta-blocker drugs.

In the first part of this study a chemometric approach to choose a suitable background electrolyte for CZE analysis was introduced. Two hundred and twenty-two possible electrolytes were previously characterized by means of the descriptors pH, conductivity, ionic strength and relative viscosity and the approach was applied to the separation of a mixture of acidic drugs. In this second part, another application concerning the analysis of basic drugs is presented. The test mixture was made of eight beta-blocker drugs. According to the basic nature of the analytes, the original data set was reduced to a new subset of 117 objects with pH less than or equal to 7, and after computing principal components the new set of objects was represented in a two-dimensional space. Ten objects to be tested in CZE, capable of covering homogeneously the principal component space, were selected by means of Kennard-Stone algorithm. The data set was further reduced around the BGEs which gave the best results, and a new set of electrolytes to be tested was selected. Using pH 4 citrate buffer, an electropherogram with baseline resolution was obtained in 10 min. A Doehlert design was run to further reduce analysis time, and applying the optimized conditions (voltage, 23 kV; temperature, 26 degrees C) the separation was obtained in about 7 min.

Combined approach using capillary electrophoresis, NMR and molecular modeling for ambrisentan related substances analysis: Investigation of intermolecular affinities, complexation and separation mechanism.

A comprehensive investigation on the CE separation mechanisms and on the inclusion complexation with CyDs of the chiral drug S-ambrisentan (S-AMB), its R-enantiomer and other impurities was performed by different techniques. A CE method was previously set up allowing the simultaneous determination of the enantiomeric purity and of impurities of S-AMB, based on the addition of SDS micelles and γ-cyclodextrin (γCyD) to borate buffer. In this study, the electrophoretic behavior of the analytes in terms of selectivity and mobility with respect to the addition of different CyDs was first investigated, evidencing the presence of interactions for all the CyDs, but the unique ability of γCyD for obtaining the separation of all the compounds. By molecular modeling, aggregates between SDS micelles and analytes, and inclusion complexes between CyDs, SDS and/or analytes of different stoichiometries were simulated. The potential and the gain energy of complexes were calculated on the minimized conformations, showing the great tendency of γCyD of forming mixed complexes with one or two SDS molecules and with the analyte, even if with different affinities among the analytes. For 1:1:1 mixed complexes with different CyDs, the highest difference of potential energy between the enantiomers' complexes was observed for γCyD. Two-dimensional NOE spectroscopy experiments were performed for S-AMB and I1 and pointed out the interactions of the aromatic moiety of the analytes and of SDS aliphatic chain with γCyD protons, confirming the existence of γCyD mixed complexes. The high affinity of SDS for the γCyD cavity was suggested to justify the fundamental role of SDS in modulating and achieving the CE separation, due to its influence both on the stability and on the type of complexes between γCyD and the analytes.

Analysis of catechins in Theobroma cacao beans by cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

A micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method was developed for the quantitation of polyphenols (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin (catechin monomers) and the methylxanthine theobromine in Theobroma cacao beans. Owing to the poor stability of catechin monomers in alkaline conditions, a 50 mM Britton-Robinson buffer at a pH 2.50 was preferred as the background electrolyte. Under these conditions, the addition of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) at a concentration of 12 mM to the SDS micellar solution (90 mM), resulted in a cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography (CD-MEKC) endowed with two peculiar advantages compare to the conventional MEKC: (i) strong improvement of separation of the most important phytomarkers of T. cacao and (ii) enantioselectivity toward (+/-)-catechin. In particular, separation of methylxanthines (theobromine and caffeine), procyanidin dimers B1 and B2, and catechins (epicatechin and catechin) was obtained simultaneously to the enantioseparation of racemic catechin within 10min. The enantioselectivity of the method makes it suitable in evaluation of possible epimerisation at the C-2 position of epicatechin monomer potentially occurring during heat processing and storage of T. cacao beans. The extraction procedure of the phytomarkers from the beans was approached using ultrasonic bath under mild conditions optimized by a multivariate strategy. The method was validated for robustness, selectivity, sensitivity, linearity, range, accuracy and precision and it was applied to T. cacao beans from different countries; interestingly, the native enantiomer (+)-catechin was found in the beans whereas, for the first time we reported that in chocolate, predominantly (-)-catechin is present, probably yielded by epimerisation of (-)-epicatechin occurred during the manufacture of chocolate.

Determination of reboxetine, a recent antidepressant drug, in human plasma by means of two high-performance liquid chromatography methods.

Reboxetine is a new norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (NRI) drug recently introduced in the therapy for depressed patients. It is effective in the treatment of severe depression and safer to use than traditional tricyclic antidepressants. In this paper an original high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with ultraviolet detection for the determination of reboxetine in human plasma is described. It uses a C8 reversed-phase column and a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and aqueous tetramethylammonium perchlorate. For the analysis of plasma samples containing very low levels of reboxetine, another HPLC method with fluorimetric detection was developed (limit of quantitation, LOQ=11 ng ml(-1); limit of detection, LOD=4 ng ml(-1)). The fluorimetric method is based on precolumn derivatisation of reboxetine with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate. An accurate sample pretreatment of human plasma samples has been implemented by means of solid-phase extraction (SPE) on Oasis HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) cartridges with very high extraction yields (>95%). Both methods were applied to the analysis of plasma samples from depressed patients undergoing therapy with reboxetine and gave satisfactory results in terms of precision (RSD<4.5%) and accuracy (mean recovery>94%).

Analysis of ketorolac and its related impurities by capillary electrochromatography.

Capillary electrochromatography (CEC) was employed for the assay of ketorolac (KT) and its known related impurities [1-hydroxy analog of ketorolac (HK), 1-keto analog of ketorolac (KK), ketorolac decarboxylated (DK)] in both drug substance and coated tablets. Detection was made at 323 nm and flufenamic acid was selected as internal standard. The experiments were performed in a 100 microm i.d. capillary packed with RP-18 silica particles (33.0, 24.5, 23.0 cm total, effective and packed lengths, respectively). The composition of the mobile phase was optimised by changing pH of the buffer and acetonitrile (ACN) content and by addition of other organic modifiers (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol) in order to evaluate the effect of these factors on the method performance (efficiency, retention and resolution). The optimum mobile phase consisted of a mixture of 50 mM ammonium formate buffer pH 3.5-water-acetonitrile (10:20:70, v/v/v), while voltage and temperature were set at 30 kV and 20 degrees C, respectively. Applying these conditions, all peaks were baseline resolved and the analysis was performed in less than 9 min. Selectivity, repeatability of retention time and peak area, detection and quantitation limits, linearity and range, precision and accuracy were also investigated. R.S.D. and bias values obtained for all the analytes were below 5% and sensitivity was satisfactory, thus the method was deemed suitable for pharmaceutical quality control. Applying the method to coated tablets, a recovery of 98.5+/-0.8% and an R.S.D. of 0.5% were found.

Simultaneous liquid chromatographic analysis of catecholamines and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethylene glycol in human plasma. Comparison of amperometric and coulometric detection.

The comparison of two HPLC methods, one with electrochemical detection and the other with coulometric detection, for the simultaneous analysis of catecholamines and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethylene glycol (MHPG) in human plasma is presented. The careful pre-treatment of plasma samples is based on an innovative two-step procedure by means of solid-phase extraction (SPE) which uses one single hydrophilic-lipophilic balance cartridge. The extraction yield values found were higher than 85% for epinephrine, norepinephrine and MHPG, and higher than 70% for dopamine. The assays carried out on real plasma samples with the coulometric system gave good results in terms of sensitivity (limits of quantitation: 0.10-0.15 ng ml(-1) for catecholamines, 0.6 ng ml(-1) for MHPG) and selectivity, while interference was sometimes found when using the amperometric system. Precision was also satisfactory, with relative standard deviation values for intermediate precision always lower than 6%. The HPLC method with coulometric detection coupled to a novel SPE procedure is thus suitable for the simultaneous determination of catecholamines and MHPG in plasma of volunteers subjected to experimental stress.

Didanosine extended-release matrix tablets: optimization of formulation variables using statistical experimental design.

Statistical experimental design was applied to evaluate the influence of some process and formulation variables and possible interactions among such variables, on didanosine release from directly-compressed matrix tablets based on blends of two insoluble polymers, Eudragit RS-PM and Ethocel 100, with the final goal of drug release behavior optimization. The considered responses were the percent of drug released at three determined times, the dissolution efficiency at 6 h and the time to dissolve 10% of drug. Four independent variables were considered: tablet compression force, ratio between the polymers and their particle size, and drug content. The preliminary screening step, carried out by means of a 12-run asymmetric screening matrix according to a D-optimal design strategy, allowed evaluation of the effects of different levels of each variable. The drug content and the polymers ratio had the most important effect on drug release, which, moreover, was favored by greater polymers particle size; on the contrary the compression force did not have a significant effect. The Doehlert design was then applied for a response-surface study, in order to study in depth the effects of the most important variables. The desirability function was used to simultaneously optimize the five considered responses, each having a different target. This procedure allowed selection, in the studied experimental domain, of the best formulation conditions to optimize drug release rate. The experimental values obtained from the optimized formulation highly agreed with the predicted values. The results demonstrated the reliability of the model in the preparation of extended-release matrix tablets with predictable drug release profiles.

Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography: an application for the simultaneous determination of suspected fragrance allergens in rinse-off products.

A mixture of 18 neutral UV-active compounds with different characteristics of polarity was determined by capillary electrophoresis using a pseudostationary phase constituted by a microemulsion. The test analytes were volatile fragrance compounds, included in a list of 24 chemicals classified as suspected allergens according to Directive 2003/15/CE. The considered compounds were detected at 195 nm and p-anisaldehyde was chosen as internal standard. The background electrolyte consisted of a standard microemulsion made of 90.95% 10mM borax buffer, pH 9.2, 1.05% n-heptane, 8.00% SDS/n-butanol in 1:2 ratio, to which 40 mM methyl-ß-cyclodextrin was added. Temperature and voltage were set at 20 °C and 25 kV, respectively. These experimental conditions allowed separation of the compounds to be obtained in about 20 min. The method was applied to real samples made up of rinse-off scented products. The results obtained using the standard microemulsion as pseudostationary phase showed its high resolution power, capable of effectively separating a complex mixture of analytes. Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography was confirmed to have a great potential for different analytical challenges, holding up the possibility of using this technique as a good and complementary alternative to HPLC methods for routine analysis.