Method development and validation for simultaneous determination of ebastine and its active metabolite carebastine in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and its application to a clinical pharmacokinetic study in healthy Chinese volunteers.

A simple LC-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method to determine ebastine and carebastine (active metabolite) in human plasma was developed and validated. Analytes and internal standards were precipitated by protein precipitation and separated on Synergi Hydro-RP 80A column (4 µm, 50 mm × 2.0 mm; Phenomenex) by gradient elution with mobile phase A comprising 0.1% formic acid in 5 mm ammonium acetate (NH4 Ac) and B comprising 100% methanol at a flow rate 0.4 mL/min. Ions were detected in positive multiple reaction monitoring mode, and they exhibited linearity over concentration range 0.01-8.0 and 1.00-300 ng/mL for ebastine and carebastine, respectively. A clinical pharmacokinetic study was conducted in healthy Chinese volunteers under fasting and fed conditions after a single oral administration of 10 mg ebastine. The maximum plasma concentration (Cmax ), time to Cmax (Tmax ) and elimination half-life for ebastine were 0.679 ± 0.762 ng/mL, 1.67 ± 1.43 h and 7.86 ± 6.18 h, respectively, whereas these for carebastine were 143 ± 68.4 ng/mL, 5.00 ± 2.00 h and 17.4 ± 4.97 h, respectively under fasting conditions; the corresponding values under fed conditions were 4.13 ± 2.53 ng/mL, 3.18 ± 1.09 h and 21.6 ± 7.77 h for ebastine and 176 ± 68.4 ng/mL, 6.14 ± 2.0 h and 20.0 ± 4.97 h for carebastine.

Separation of six compounds including two n-butyrophenone isomers and two stibene isomers from Rheum tanguticum Maxim by recycling high speed counter-current chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography.

Six compounds including two n-butyrophenone isomers and two stibene isomers were obtained from Rheum tanguticum Maxim. Two n-butyrophenone isomers with a separation factor of 1.14 were successfully separated by recycling high-speed counter-current chromatography after ten cycles. Two stibene isomers were successfully separated by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that the purities of the compounds were all over 98%. These compounds were identified as lindleyin, isolindleyin, resveratrol-4'-O-(2″-O-galloyl)-glucopyranoside, resveratrol-4'-O-(6''-O-galloyl)-glucopyranoside, emodin 1-O-ß-d-glucoside, and 3,5-dihydroxy-4'-methoxystilbene-3-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside. The results indicated that recycling high-speed counter-current chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography could be effective combination for the preparation of bioactive compounds from Rheum tanguticum Maxim.

Peak deconvolution to correctly assess the band broadening of chromatographic columns.

The present study provides experimental evidence for the fact that the peak deconvolution method can be applied to accurately measure the column-only dispersion of the current generation of high speed and high efficiency columns. Unlike the conventional variance difference method, it furthermore preserves any prevailing asymmetry of the column-only peak. This has been demonstrated by testing the same column on three different system configurations, with different extra-column volumes, and showing that, after deconvolution, the resulting column-only peaks coincide very well and produce very similar column-only plate height values (typical relative standard deviation comprising all runs on three different system configurations is 2-2.5%). Extensively studying a large set of theoretically produced peaks (with exactly known variance and asymmetry), it could be shown that the main criterion for the validity of the deconvolution method is that the variance of the system-only peak is minimum 1.5 times smaller than the variance of the column+system peak. The need to add a radial mixer unit to accurately assess the system-only contributions has been demonstrated as well. To illustrate its use and merits, the deconvolution method has been used to establish so-called multiple van Deemter curves, wherein plate height curves relating to different peak width definitions are shown in the same plot. These plots can give new insights in the intrinsic asymmetry of the column-only dispersion.

A novel UV degradation product of Ebastine: isolation and characterization using Q-TOF, NMR, IR and computational chemistry.

Forced degradation of Ebastine (1-(4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)phenyl)-4-(4-(diphenylmethoxy) piperidin-1-yl)butan-1-one) drug substance in ultraviolet light condition resulted into an unknown significant degradation product. This degradation product was analyzed using a newly developed reverse-phase HPLC, where it was eluted at 2.73 relative retention time to Ebastine peak. UV degradation product was isolated from reaction mass using preparative HPLC and its structure was elucidated using high resolution MS, multidimensional NMR and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. UV degradation product has been characterized as 2-(4-(benzhydryloxy)piperidin-1-yl)-1-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-2-methylcyclopropanol. (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shift values were generated using computational chemistry for possible two diastereomers (7R10S and 7R10R) and later 7R10R was confirmed (and its enantiomer) as final structure given it showed close agreement with experimental NMR data. Formation of UV degradation product as a recemic mixture was further verified by computational chemistry evaluation, chiral HPLC and polarimetery. To best of our knowledge, this is a novel degradation product which is not discussed at any form of publication yet.

Bioactive metabolites from an endophytic Cryptosporiopsis sp. inhabiting Clidemia hirta.

An endophytic Cryptosporiopsis sp. was isolated from Clidemia hirta and analyzed for its secondary metabolites that lead to the isolation of three bioactive molecules. The compounds were purified from the culture broth of the fungus and their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods as (R)-5-hydroxy-2-methylchroman-4-one (1), 1-(2,6-dihydroxyphenyl)pentan-1-one (2) and (Z)-1-(2-(2-butyryl-3-hydroxyphenoxy)-6-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxybut-2-en-1-one (3). Compound 1 exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against the human leukemia cell line, HL-60 with an IC50 of 4 µg/ml. This compound induced G2 arrest of the HL-60 cell cycle significantly. In addition, out of these compounds, 2 and 3 were active against several bacterial pathogens. Compound 2 was active against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with IC50 values varying from 18 to 30 µg/ml, and compound 3 displayed activity against Pseudomonas fluorescens with an IC50 value of 6 µg/ml. Compounds 2 and 3 are novel whereas compound 1 was reported earlier but the stereochemistry of its C-2 methyl is established for the first time.

Inhibition of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus replication by flavaspidic acid AB.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) represents a significant challenge to the swine industry worldwide. Current control strategies against PRRSV are still inadequate and there is an urgent need for new antiviral therapies. Flavaspidic acid AB (FA-AB) is a compound derived from Dryopteris crassirhizoma, a traditional antiviral Chinese medicine. Here, we first identified its anti-PRRSV activity through targeting multiple stages in PRRSV infection in vitro. Our studies demonstrated that FA-AB could inhibit the internalization and cell-to-cell spreading of PRRSV, but not block PRRSV binding to cells. By monitoring the kinetics of PRRSV replication, we showed that FA-AB significantly suppressed PRRSV replication when treatment was initiated 24h after virus infection. Furthermore, we confirmed that FA-AB was able to significantly induce IFN-α, IFN-ß, and IL1-ß expression in porcine alveolar macrophages, suggesting that induction of antiviral cytokines by FA-AB could contribute to FA-AB induced inhibition of PRRSV replication. In conclusion, we provide a foundation for the possibility to develop a new therapeutic agent to control PRRSV infection.

Biotechnological synthesis of the designer drug metabolite 4'-hydroxymethyl-alpha-pyrrolidinohexanophenone in fission yeast heterologously expressing human cytochrome P450 2D6--a versatile alternative to multistep chemical synthesis.

1-(4-Methylphenyl)-2-pyrrolidin-1-ylhexan-1-one (4'-methyl-alpha-pyrrolidinohexanophenone, MPHP) is a new designer drug that appeared on the illicit drug market. It is mainly metabolized to 4'-hydroxymethyl-alpha-pyrrolidinohexanophenone (HO-MPHP) followed by oxidation to the respective carboxylic acid. For studies on the quantitative involvement of human cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes in the initial hydroxylation, a reference standard of HO-MPHP was needed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to synthesize this metabolite using a biotechnological approach. MPHP.HNO(3) (250 micromol) was incubated with 1 L culture of the fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) strain CAD64 heterologously co-expressing human CYP reductase and CYP2D6. After centrifugation, the product was isolated from the incubation supernatants by solid-phase extraction. Further product cleanup was achieved by semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). After extraction of HO-MPHP from the respective eluent fractions, it was precipitated as its hydrochloric salt. The final product HO-MPHP.HCl was obtained in a yield of 138 micromol (43 mg, 55%). Its identity was confirmed by full scan gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (after trimethylsilylation), (1)H-NMR, and (13)C-NMR. The product purity as estimated from HPLC-ultraviolet analysis was greater than 99%. The described biotechnological approach proved to be a versatile alternative to the chemical synthesis of HO-MPHP.

Antibacterial activity of two phloroglucinols, flavaspidic acids AB and PB, from Dryopteris crassirhizoma.

The antimicrobial effect of solvent extracts from the rhizome of a thick-stemmed wood fern (Dryopteris crassirhizoma) was evaluated and its phloroglucinol components, flavaspidic acids PB and AB. Flavaspidic acids PB and AB were isolated from the D. crassirhizoma rhizomes by methanol extraction, followed by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The chemical structures were characterized by spectral techniques, including ESI-MS, UV, (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectrum analysis. When the antimicrobial activity of the extracts and compounds was tested by the paper disc method, the extracts and compounds were highly active against Gram-positive bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus KCTC 1928 (a MRSA bacterium), Streptococcus mutans and Bacillus subtilis. The extracts and compounds were not active against fungi and chlorella. Our study revealed that the antibacterial activity of samples from D. crassirhizoma was mainly related to the flavaspidic acids.

A new acylphloroglucinol glycoside from Solidago altissima L.

A new acylphloroglucinol glycoside was isolated from the leaves of Solidago altissima L. The chemical structure of the glycoside, which has a phloroglucinol moiety with a butyryl side chain, was elucidated based on the analysis of spectroscopic data.

Thermodynamic studies of the interaction of molecular micelles and copolymerized molecular micelles with benzodiazepines and alkyl phenyl ketones using MEKC.

In this study, polymers of sodium 10-undecenoyl L-leucinate (SUL) and sodium undecenyl sulfate (SUS) as well as their copolymerized molecular micelles (CoPMMs) were applied in MEKC as pseudostationary phases to separate benzodiazepines and alkyl phenyl ketones. SDS, a common pseudostationary phase used in MEKC, was also used for comparison. The van't Hoff relationship was applied to compute the temperature dependence of the MEKC retention factors of the test solutes to estimate the enthalpy, entropy, and the Gibbs free energy. Nonlinear van't Hoff plots were obtained with the majority of benzodiazepines indicating that the thermodynamic parameters were temperature-dependent in all surfactant systems for these solutes. In contrast, all alkyl phenyl ketones resulted in linear van't Hoff plots.

Development of predictive retention-activity models of butyrophenones by biopartitioning micellar chromatography.

The predictive and interpretative capability of quantitative chromatographic retention-biological activity models is supported by the fact that in adequate experimental conditions the solute partitioning into the chromatographic system can emulate the solute partitioning into lipid bilayers of biological membranes, which is the basis of drug and metabolite uptake, passive transport across membranes and bioaccumulation. The use of retention data obtained in biopartitioning micellar chromatography (BMC) has been demonstrated to be helpful in describing the biological behaviour of different kinds of drugs. In this chromatographic system, polioxyethylene 23 lauryl ether Brij35 micellar mobile phases and C(18) reversed stationary phase in adequate experimental conditions are used. The RP-HPLC capacity factors of butyrophenones were determined using different Brij35 concentrations as micellar mobile phases. Relationships between seven biological activities of butyrophenones reported in bibliography and retention data were established and their predictive and interpretative ability evaluated. These relationships were significant between preclinical pharmacology and therapeutic efficacy parameters and the retention factors of butyrophenones (0.89 < R(2) < 0.98). The results indicate that the retention of compounds in BMC is capable of describing and predicting in vitro the biological activities of butyrophenones. This approach can be very useful in the development of new neuroleptic drugs, avoiding the use of experimental animals.

Microbial reduction of 1-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-[4-(5-fluoro-2-pyrimidinyl)-1- piperazinyl]butan-1-one.

Among various micro-organisms screened for the stereoselective reduction of 4-chloro-1-(4-fluorophenyl)butan-1-one (1), Hansenula polymorpha [American Type Culture Collection (A.T.C.C.) 26012 and 86014], Nocardia salmonicolor [Squibb Culture (S.C.) 6370], Arthobacter simplex (A.T.C.C. 6949), Mycobacterium vaccae (A.T.C.C. 29678), Candida boidinii (A.T.C.C. 13821) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (A.T.C.C. 13792) reduced compound 1 to the corresponding (R)-(+)-alcohol (2). In contrast, Lactobacillus kefir (A.T.C.C. 35411), Pullularia pullulans (A.T.C.C. 16623), Trigonopsis variabilis (A.T.C.C. 10679) and Cunninghamella echinulata (A.T.C.C. 26269) reduced compound 1 to the (S)-(-)-alcohol (2). When 1-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-(1-piperazinyl)butan-1-one (3) was used as substrate for the reduction, only Nocardia globerula (A.T.C.C. 12505) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (A.T.C.C. 13792) converted compound 3 into the corresponding (R)-(+)-alcohol (4). Organisms which reduced compound 1 were inactive for the reduction of compound 3. 1-(4-Fluorophenyl)-4-[4-(5-fluoro-2- pyrimidinyl)butan-1-one (5) was reduced to the corresponding (R)-(+)-alcohol (6) by Mortierella ramanniana (A.T.C.C. 38191) and to the (S)-(-)-alcohol (6) by Pullularia pullulans (A.T.C.C. 16623). (R)-(+)-compound 2 and compound 4 are key chiral intermediates in the total chemical synthesis of (R)-(+)-compound 6, an effective antipsychotic agent under development at Bristol-Myers Squibb. A single-stage (fermentation/biotransformation) process and two-stage (fermentation and subsequent biotransformation by cell suspensions) process were developed for the stereoselective reduction of compound 5 to (R)-(+)-compound 6 by Mortierella ramanniana (A.T.C.C. 38191). In both processes, the reaction yield of 98% and the optical purity of 99.4% were obtained for (R)-(+)-compound 6. The enzyme which catalysed the reduction of compound 5 to (R)-(+)-compound 6 was purified to homogeneity. The purified protein consisted of a single polypeptide of 29 kDa.

Rapid isolation with Sep-Pak C18 cartridges and wide-bore capillary gas chromatography of some butyrophenones.

A simple and rapid method for isolation of five butyrophenones with Sep-Pak C18 cartridges from human samples, and their wide-bore capillary gas chromatography (GC), are presented. The GC was made by both flame ionization and electron capture detections. The drugs contained in alkaline samples were directly applied to the cartridges and eluted with chloroform/isopropanol (9:1). The recoveries with use of the cartridges were excellent for most drugs in both urine and plasma samples. We can recommend the Sep-Pak C18 cartridges for isolation of butyrophenones because of simplicity and rapidity, and also wide-bore capillary GC because of high sensitivity and low decomposition of drugs during passage through the column.

Secondary products of itanoxone.

Itanoxone synthesis by Friedel-Crafts reaction between itaconic anhydride and 2-chlorobiphenyl was studied. Five isomers corresponding to possible impurities were prepared and studied to perfect a reliable and practical method to detect these impurities in itanoxone.