Quantification of 4-aminopyridine in plasma by capillary electrophoresis with electrokinetic injection.

A rapid and sensitive CE method for the determination of 4-aminopyridine in human plasma using 3,4-diaminopyridine as an internal standard was developed and validated. The analytes were extracted from 0.5-mL aliquots of human plasma by liquid-liquid extraction, using 8 mL of ethyl ether, and injected electrokinetically into capillary electrophoresis equipment. The instrumental conditions were obtained and optimized by Design of Experiments (DOE--factorial and response surface model), having as factors: separation voltage, ionic strength (buffer concentration), pH and temperature. The response variables were migration time, resolution, tailing factor and drug peak area. After obtaining mathematically predicted values for the response variables with best factors combinations, these were reproduced experimentally in good agreement with predicted values. In addition to optimal separation conditions obtained by Design of Experiments, sensitivity was improved using electrokinetic injection at 10 kV for 10 s, and a capillary with 50 cm effective length and 100 microm I.D. The final instrumental conditions were voltage at 19 kV, capillary temperature at 15 degrees C, wavelength at 254 nm, and phosphate buffer 100 mM, pH 2.5 as the background electrolyte. This assay was linear over a concentration range of 2.5-80 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 2.5 ng/mL. The relative standard deviation for the assay precision was <7% and the accuracy was >95%. This method was successfully applied to the quantification of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) in plasma samples from patients with spinal cord injury.

A new strategy for neurochemical photodelivery: metal-ligand heterolytic cleavage.

A new strategy to build caged-compounds is presented. The approach is based on heterolytic photocleavage of a metal-ligand bond in a coordination compound. A ruthenium polypyridine complex, containing the neurocompound 4-amino pyridine (4AP) is used as the core of the phototrigger. The biomolecule is released by irradiation with visible light (>480 nm). The liberated 4AP promotes the activation of a leech neuron by means of blocking its K+ channels. The syntesis, characterization, and the inherent advantages of this method are discussed.

Influence of enteric citric acid on the release profile of 4-aminopyridine from HPMC matrix tablets.

A weakly basic experimental drug, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), was taken as a model to study the influence of enteric citric acid (ECA) on the release profile from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) matrices, to set up a system bringing about gradual release of the drug. For this purpose, powder mixtures were wet granulated with water and compressed with a hydraulic press at 55 MPa. Dissolution studies were made using first 900 ml HCl 0.1 N, and then phosphate buffer pH 7.4. Dissolution curves were described by M(t)/M(inf)=kt(n). As physically expected, increasing proportions (2-9%) of the in acid insoluble ECA decreased the release rate. In an acid medium, ECA acts as a physical barrier obstructing the diffusion path, dissolving after the pH change to 7.4. Both circumstances flattening the release profile. Apparent zero order release was observed at ECA concentrations of about 10%. The presence of ECA compensates the effect of decreased solubility of 4-AP at pH 7.4. Unexpectedly, higher ECA proportions (10-50%) act increasing the dissolution rate. This is attributed to a void space formation around the insoluble ECA, after HPMC hydration, which percolates after a critical ECA proportion of approximately 10%. Moreover, decreasing release constant values (k) show a logarithmic relationship with increasing values of the exponent (n). This indicates that an apparent zero-order release can be obtained at a given release constant.