Determination of five sesquiterpenoids in Xingnaojing injection by quantitative analysis of multiple components with a single marker.

A quantitative analysis of multiple components with a single-marker method was established for the simultaneous determination of five sesqutiterpenoids in Xingnaojing injection. This method was established with Xingnaojing injection determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection. The durability and system suitability of the established method were evaluated, and the reliable relative correction factors were obtained with curdione selected as an internal reference. The contents of the five components in all Xingnaojing injections were determined by external standard method and the contents of curcumenone, curcumenol, curzerenone, and germacrone were also calculated with the obtained relative correction factors. Then, relative error was investigated to estimate the difference of the two methods. As a result, the established new method possesses good adaptability, and there is no significant difference between the two methods, except for the content of curzerenone in eight samples. To put the established method into practice, the limits of quantitation of the established method of the five components were proposed and defined. Thus, the developed methodology can also be utilized to the quality evaluation of Xingnaojing injection, in spite of the difference found in the content of curzerenone between the external standard method and the newly established method.

Stability control of valerian ground material and extracts: a new HPLC-method for the routine quantification of valerenic acids and lignans.

A new HPLC-method for the separation of medium polar and nonpolar compounds in preparations of Valeriana officinalis was established for stability control. Powdered valerian root and a commercial ethanolic valerian extract were investigated for apparent differences in stability behaviour. Storage conditions were chosen according to the ICH-guidelines. Changes in composition of valerenic acids and lignans were observed depending on storage conditions and packaging materials. Hydroxyvalerenic acid, pinoresinol and hydroxypinoresinol were identified as degradation products in Valerian root, especially during accelerated testing. Ethanolic extracts appeared not to be as sensitive for chemical degradation under climatic influences compared to the crude plant material, and showed no increase in the amounts of lignan-aglyka. In comparison, extracts showed high sensitivity on changes of physical properties like loss on drying and viscosity.

Design of a dissolution system for the evaluation of the release rate characteristics of artemether and dihydroartemisinin from tablets.

As none of the pharmacopoeial dissolution methods are suitable to evaluate the release rate of artemether and dihydroartemisinin from tablets, a 'two-phase partition-dissolution' method, based on the one of [J. Pharm. Sci. 85 (1996) 1060] was developed. It consists of an organic solvent in the upper part and the aqueous phase, in which the dissolution test was executed. The main requirements for the selection of the solvent are: the density should be lower than 1; the analyte should dissolve in the organic part as much as required for 'sink' conditions; if possible, the cut off should be near 200 nm, which allows direct HPLC measurement at 215 nm. The most suitable solvent for artemether is isooctane in a ratio of 100/150 ml aqueous phase. Samples could be analysed without further treatment. For dihydroartemisinin, chlorobutane was selected in a ratio 150/150 ml water. In the latter method, the solvent disturbed in the HPLC analysis and therefore samples were evaporated and then reconstituted in methanol. Repeatability of the test was satisfactory and discrimination ability tests on Artenam tablet batches and self-made dihydroartemisinin tablets, respectively, showed good results, confirmed via calculation of the similarity factor f2 (value <50). Dissolution determination of Cotecxin tablets was proven not to be conform as immediate-release tablet.

Efficacy of six doses of artemether-lumefantrine (benflumetol) in multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

The new oral fixed combination artemether-lumefantrine (CGP 56697) has proved to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment of multi-drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria, although cure rates using the four-dose regimen have been lower than with the currently recommended alternative of artesunate-mefloquine. Two six-dose schedules (total adult dose = 480 mg of artemether and 2,880 mg of lumefantrine) were therefore compared with the previously used four-dose regimen (320 mg of artemether and 1,920 mg of lumefantrine) in a double-blind trial involving 359 patients with uncomplicated multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria. There were no differences between the three treatment groups in parasite and fever clearance times, and reported adverse effects. The two six-dose regimens gave adjusted 28-day cure rates of 96.9% and 99.12%, respectively, compared with 83.3% for the four-dose regimen (P < 0.001). These six-dose regimens of artemether-lumefantrine provide a highly effective and very well-tolerated treatment for multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria.