Exploring the impact of polyvinylidenefluoride membrane physical properties on the enrichment efficacy of microfluidic electro-membrane extraction of acidic drugs.

Membrane technology has revolutionized various fields with its energy efficiency, versatility, user-friendliness, and adaptability. This study introduces a microfluidic chip, comprised of silicone rubber and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) sheets to explore the impacts of polymeric support morphology on electro-membrane extraction efficiency, representing a pioneering exploration in this field. In this research, three polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) membranes with distinct pore sizes were fabricated and their characteristics were assessed through field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). This investigation centers on the extraction of three widely prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: aspirin (ASA), naproxen (NAP), and ibuprofen (IBU). Quantitative parameters in the extraction process including voltage, donor phase flow rate, and acceptor phase composition were optimized, considering the type of membrane as a qualitative factor. To assess the performance of the fabricated PVDF membranes, a comparative analysis with a commercially available Polypropylene (PP) membrane was conducted. Efficient enrichment factors of 30.86, 23.15, and 21.06 were attained for ASA, NAP, and IBU, respectively, from urine samples under optimal conditions using the optimum PVDF membrane. Significantly, the choice of the ideal membrane amplified the purification levels of ASA, NAP, and IBU by factors of 1.6, 7.5, and 40, respectively.

Removal of acetylsalicylate and methyl-theobromine from aqueous environment using nano-photocatalyst WO3-TiO2 @g-C3N4 composite.

Highly efficient, visible light-driven and a novel ternary hybrid photocatalyst WO3-TiO2-g-C3N4 with robust stabilities and versatile properties has been synthesized through facile hydrothermal method. This study considers the photo-degradation of aspirin (acetylsalicylate) and caffeine (methyl-theobromine) via photocatalysts (WO3, WO3/TiO2, and WO3/TiO2/g-C3N4 (WTCN) composite) under visible-light irradiation. The SEM and TEM images show the formation of WO3 nanoparticles with orthorhombic structure and average particle size of 65 nm. The photocatalyst WTCN composite possesses higher-catalytic activity when compared to that of WO3 and WO3/TiO2 for degradation of aspirin and caffeine. The incorporation of g-C3N4 in WO3/TiO2 composite exhibited significant influence on the photocatalytic performance for both pollutants. Excellent photocatalytic performance of WTCN composite was observed owing to hydroxyl radical (OH) and superoxide radical (O2-) as main active species. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of WTCN composite can be attributed to following three reasons: (1) extended visible-light absorption; (2) extended surface area; (3) efficient charge-separation due to synergistic effects between g- and WO3/TiO2 composite. The removal efficiency of aspirin and caffeine (Methyl theobromine) could be achieved as much as 98% and 97% for acetylsalicylate and methyl-theobromine using WTCN composite material, respectively. This study could provide new insights into the synthesis of novel WO3-based materials for environmental and energy applications.

Statistical optimization of preparing marine macroalgae derived activated carbon/iron oxide magnetic composites for sequestering acetylsalicylic acid from aqueous media using response surface methodologys.

This study focuses on the optimization of synthetic conditions for preparing marine macroalgae-derived activated carbon/iron oxide magnetic composites (AC/Fe-MC) and its feasibility for the removal of acetylsalicylic acid from aqueous media. Response surface methodology coupled with a 3k Box-Behnken design was applied to determine the optimal conditions (independent variables: impregnation ratio, activation temperature, and activation time) towards two response variables (production yield and adsorption capacity). According to the analysis of variance and numerical desirability function approaches, the optimal conditions were impregnation ratio of 2.62:1, activation temperature of 727 °C, and activation time of 129 min. Physicochemical properties of the prepared composite revealed that AC/Fe-MC possesses a porous structure and superparamagnetic property, which substantially contributed to the effective adsorption capacity and separation from the solution using an external magnetic field. Adsorption kinetics and equilibrium studies delineated that the pseudo-second-order and Sips isotherm models represent the adsorption behavior of AC/Fe-MC accurately. The maximum adsorption capacity of AC/Fe-MC was found to be around 127 mg/g at 10 °C, as fitted by Sips isotherm model, which is higher than that of other adsorbents reported in the literature. Intraparticle diffusion and Boyd models suggested that the adsorption process was mainly controlled by film diffusion mechanism. Lastly, thermodynamic and isosteric heat of adsorption analyses demonstrated that the adsorption process was controlled by physisorption and exothermic mechanisms.

The first 3500 years of aspirin history from its roots - A concise summary.

Aspirin is currently the most widely used drug worldwide, and has been clearly one of the most important pharmacological achievements of the twentieth century. Historians of medicine have traced its birth in 1897, but the fascinating history of aspirin actually dates back >3500 years, when willow bark was used as a painkiller and antipyretic by Sumerians and Egyptians, and then by great physicians from ancient Greece and Rome. The modern history of aspirin precursors, salicylates, began in 1763 with Reverend Stone - who first described their antipyretic effects - and continued in the 19th century with many researchers involved in their extraction and chemical synthesis. Bayer chemist Felix Hoffmann synthesized aspirin in 1897, and 70 years later the pharmacologist John Vane elucidated its mechanism of action in inhibiting prostaglandin production. Originally used as an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drug, aspirin then became, for its antiplatelet properties, a milestone in preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The aspirin story continues today with the growing evidence of its chemopreventive effect against colorectal and other types of cancer, now awaiting the results of ongoing primary prevention trials in this setting. This concise review revisits the history of aspirin with a focus on its most remote origins.

Separation and Analysis of Aspirin and Metformin HCl Using Green Subcritical Water Chromatography.

Organic solvents are widely used in pharmaceutical and chemical industry for chromatographic separations. In recent years, subcritical water chromatography (SBWC) has shown ability in replacing hazardous organic solvents used in traditional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In this work, a pain killer-aspirin-and an antidiabetic drug-metformin HCl-were successfully separated on an XBridge C18 column using no organic solvents in the subcritical water chromatography mobile phase. Both traditional HPLC and subcritical water chromatography were used for comparison purposes. SBWC separation of metformin HCl and aspirin were achieved at 95 °C and 125 °C, respectively. The recovery for both active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) obtained by SBWC is 99% in comparing with the stated content of each drug. The relative standard deviation is less than 1% for SBWC assays developed in this work. This level of accuracy and precision achieved by SBWC is the same as that resulted by the traditional HPLC analysis.

Simultaneous concentration and separation of target compounds from multicomponent mixtures by closed-loop recycling countercurrent chromatography.

Closed-loop recycling countercurrent chromatography (CLR CCC) with multiple sample injection has been shown to provide simultaneous concentration and separation of target compounds from multicomponent mixtures. Previous analysis of CLR CCC with multiple sample injections has been limited to the ideal recycling model, which neglects the effects caused by the pump and connecting lines. In this study, an analysis of the process is carried out based on the non-ideal recycling model: recycling chromatograms at two points of the closed-loop - the inlet of the column (A) and the outlet of the column (B) - are considered. The sample is repeatedly introduced at the inlet of the column when the circulating peak of target compound passes point A. Analytical expressions are developed, allowing the design and simulation of different variants of simultaneous separation and concentration of target compounds from multicomponent mixtures. Examples of separation of target compounds from three and five-component mixtures are discussed. Experimental results are presented demonstrating a reasonable agreement between the theory and the experiment. Due to its ability to concentrate individual solutes, CRL CCC with multiple sample injections can become an efficient analytical method to determine minor components in complex mixtures.

Application of as-synthesised MCM-41 and MCM-41 wrapped with reduced graphene oxide/graphene oxide in the remediation of acetaminophen and aspirin from aqueous system.

In this study, ASM41 (as-synthesised MCM-41), MCM-41, MCM-41 encapsulated with graphene oxide (MCM-41-GO) and reduced graphene oxide (MCM-41-G) were fabricated and utilized in the remediation of acetaminophen and aspirin from water. A surfactant template (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) was added to ASM41 to make it more hydrophobic and its effects on the remediation of acetaminophen and aspirin from wastewater was studied. To further improve the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent, MCM-41 was encapsulated with GO and G which also aided in easy separation of the adsorbent from the aqueous solution. Comparative studies of the adsorption of acetaminophen and aspirin on all four adsorbents were investigated. Batch adsorption studies of acetaminophen and aspirin were carried out to determine the effects of pH, initial concentration, time and adsorbent dose. Adsorption mechanism was through EDA, π-π interactions, and hydrophobic effects. Data from sorption kinetics showed ASM41 had the highest qm value for aspirin (909.1 mg/g) and MCM-41-G had the highest qm value for acetaminophen (555.6 mg/g). The significant adsorption by ASM41 can be attributed to increased hydrophobicity due to the retention of the surfactant template. Thermodynamic studies revealed the adsorption process as spontaneous and exothermic. Desorption studies revealed that adsorbents could be regenerated and reused for adsorption.

Remediation of a mixture of analgesics in a stirred-tank photobioreactor using microalgal-bacterial consortium coupled with attempt to valorise the harvested biomass.

An artificial microalgal-bacterial consortium was used to remediate a mixture of analgesics (ketoprofen, paracetamol and aspirin) in a stirred-tank photobioreactor. A hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3days supported poor treatment because of the formation of p-aminophenol (paracetamol toxic metabolite). Increasing the HRT to 4days enhanced the bioremediation efficiency. After applying an acclimatization regime, 95% removal of the analgesics mixture, p-aminophenol and COD reduction were achieved. However, shortening the HRT again to 3days neither improved the COD reduction nor ketoprofen removal. Applying continuous illumination achieved the best analgesics removal results. The harvested biomass contained 50% protein, which included almost all essential amino acids. The detected fatty acid profile suggested the harvested biomass to be a good biodiesel-producing candidate. The water-extractable fraction possessed the highest phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. These findings suggest the whole process to be an integrated eco-friendly and cost-efficient strategy for remediating pharmaceutical wastewater.

Quantification of ascorbic acid and acetylsalicylic acid in effervescent tablets by CZE-UV and identification of related degradation products by heart-cut CZE-CZE-MS.

Capillary electrophoresis is commonly applied for the analysis of pharmaceutical products due to its high separation efficiency and selectivity. For this purpose, electrospray-ionization-(ESI)-interfering additives or electrolytes are often required, which complicates the identification of impurities and degradation products by mass spectrometry (MS). Here, a capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method with ultraviolet (UV) absorption detection for the simultaneous determination and quantification of ascorbic acid and acetylsalicylic acid in effervescent tablets was developed. Related degradation products were identified via CZE-CZE-MS. Systematic optimization yielded 100 mM tricine (pH = 8.8) as appropriate background electrolyte, resulting in baseline separation of ascorbic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, and related anionic UV-active degradation products. The CZE-UV method was successfully validated regarding the guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration. The validated method was applied to trace the degradation rate of the active pharmaceutical ingredients at defined ambient conditions. A heart-cut CZE-CZE-MS approach, including a 4-port-nL-valve, was performed for the identification of the observed degradation products. This 2D setup enables a precise cutting of accurate sample volumes (20 nL) and the independent operation of two physically separated CZE dimensions, which is especially beneficial regarding MS detection. Hence, the ESI-interfering tricine electrolyte components were separated from the analytes in a second electrophoretic dimension prior to ESI-MS detection. The degradation products were identified as salicylic acid and mono- and diacetylated ascorbic acid. This setup is expected to be generally applicable for the mass spectrometric characterization of CZE separated analytes in highly ESI-interfering electrolyte systems. Graphical Abstract A CZE-UV method for the quantification of effervescent tablet ingredients and degradation products was developed and validated. In order to identify unknown degradation products separated in the CZE-UV, a 2D heart-cut approach was performed applying a mechanical 4-port-valve. The unknown substances were transferred from the 1st to the 2nd dimension followed by the separation of ESI-interfering tricine from the analytes prior to mass spectrometric detection.

Simultaneous Determination of Aspirin, Dipyridamole and Two of Their Related Impurities in Capsules by Validated TLC-Densitometric and HPLC Methods.

Aspirin (ASP) and dipyridamole (DIP) are widely used as a combination in pharmaceutical formulations for treatment of strokes. Many of these formulations are containing tartaric acid as an excipient (in DIP pellets formulation for sustained release), which increases the probability of formation of dipyridamole tartaric acid ester impurity (DIP-I). On the other hand, salicylic acid (SAL) is considered to be one of the synthesis impurities and a degradation product of ASP. In this work, two chromatographic methods, namely, TLC-densitometry and HPLC, have been established and validated for simultaneous determination of ASP, DIP, SAL and DIP-I. Good separation was achieved by using silica gel as stationary phase and toluene-methanol-ethyl acetate (2:3:5, by volume) as mobile phase in the case of TLC-densitometry and Zorbax ODS column with mobile phase consisting of phosphate buffer (pH 3.3)-acetonitrile-triethylamine (40:60:0.03, by volume) for HPLC. Influence of different organic solvents in mobile phase composition has been studied to optimize the separation efficiency in TLC densitometry. Moreover, factors affecting the efficiency of HPLC, like pH of the buffer used, organic solvent ratio in the mobile phase and flow rate, have been carefully studied using one variable at a time approach. Finally, the proposed methods were validated as per ICH guidelines.

Sol-gel approach for extracting highly versatile aspirin and its metabolites using MISPE followed by GC-MS/MS analysis.

AIM: Aspirin is known to be a salicylate drug widely used as an analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drug. METHODOLOGY: Sol-gel based nanosized molecularly imprinted polymer (nMIP) has been synthesized for extraction of aspirin and its metabolites in urine followed by GC-MS/MS analysis. RESULTS: Binding affinity of nMIP and nonimprinted polymer was found to be in the range of 70-95% and 29-45%, respectively. LOD and LOQ of aspirin and its metabolites were found to be in the range of 0.63-2.4 ng/ml and 2.07-7.68 ng/ml, respectively. CONCLUSION: The developed method was found to be applicable for routine analysis of aspirin and its metabolites in biological samples.

Method development and validation for optimised separation of salicylic, acetyl salicylic and ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical formulations by hydrophilic interaction chromatography and response surface methodology.

This paper introduces a design of experiments (DOE) approach for method optimisation in hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC). An optimisation strategy for the separation of acetylsalicylic acid, its major impurity salicylic acid and ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical formulations by HILIC is presented, with the aid of response surface methodology (RSM) and Derringer's desirability function. A Box-Behnken experimental design was used to build the mathematical models and then to choose the significant parameters for the optimisation by simultaneously taking both resolution and retention time as the responses. The refined model had a satisfactory coefficient (R²>0.92, n=27). The four independent variables studied simultaneously were: acetonitrile content of the mobile phase, pH and concentration of buffer and column temperature each at three levels. Of these, the concentration of buffer and its cross-product with pH had a significant, positive influence on all studied responses. For the test compounds, the best separation conditions were: acetonitrile/22 mM ammonium acetate, pH 4.4 (82:18, v/v) as the mobile phase and column temperature of 28°C. The methodology also captured the interaction between variables which enabled exploration of the retention mechanism involved. It would be inferred that the retention is governed by a compromise between hydrophilic partitioning and ionic interaction. The optimised method was further validated according to the ICH guidelines with respect to linearity and range, precision, accuracy, specificity and sensitivity. The robustness of the method was also determined and confirmed by overlying counter plots of responses which were derived from the experimental design utilised for method optimisation.

Intermittent counter-current extraction--effect of the key operating parameters on selectivity and throughput.

Intermittent counter-current extraction (ICcE) has proved itself as a method for splitting compounds into streams and/or concentrating compounds in the column. In this paper a model mixture sample based on a modified GUESSmix (containing salicin, caffeine, aspirin, coumarin, salicylic acid, carvone, ionone and biphenyl) was separated into two eluant streams across a range of HEMWat phase system polarities from the polar system 11 through to non-polar system 23. ICcE could provide throughput of over 1 kg/day with this model sample, at the preparative scale, Changing the time cycle to adjust where the sample mixture is split into two streams was demonstrated. It is established that for the continuous running of ICcE, on a conventional twin bobbin counter-current chromatograph instrument, it is necessary to adjust the dead volumes of the flying leads to maintain similar phase retention in each column so the instrument does not become hydrodynamically and mechanically unbalanced due to the difference in densities between the upper and lower phases.

Validated column high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of aspirin and clopidogrel in combined tablets in the presence of degradation products formed under ICH-recommended stress conditions.

The development and validation of a column high-performance liquid chromatographic assay method for the determination of aspirin and clopidogrel in tablet formulation are described. The combination formulation was subjected to International Conference on Harmonization-recommended stress conditions. Separation of the drugs from the degradation products formed under stress conditions was achieved on an octasilyl (C8) column using 0.3% orthophosphoric acid-acetonitrile (65 + 35, v/v) mobile phase. The method was validated for specificity, linearity, limits of detection and quantification, precision, accuracy, and robustness. The method was found to be specific against placebo interference and during the forced degradation. The response was linear in the concentration range of 30.0-120.0 microg/mL for aspirin and 15.0-60.0 microg/mL for clopidogrel, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999 for both. The relative standard deviation values for intra- and interday precision were <2.0%. The accuracy was between 99.12 and 99.83% for aspirin and 98.20 and 100.35% for clopidogrel. Stress testing showed degradation products that were well-separated from the parent compound, confirming the stability-indicating capacity of the method.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of saponin and iridoid glycosides from Verbascum pterocalycinum var. mutense Hub.-Mor.

The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of four major compounds from the flowers of Verbascum pterocalycinum var. mutense were investigated. Saponin glycosides called ilwensisaponin A and C and iridoid glycosides known as ajugol and picroside IV were isolated from the methanolic extract. A dose-related anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive response were obtained in this study at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. The results of the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity induced by carrageenan and PGE1 showed that this species possesses active constituents that could diminish the cyclooxygenase activitiy. No effects were observed in the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced ear edema model. Our results support the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Verbascum pterocalycinum var. mutense. Ilwensisaponins A and C could explain in part the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of this species. Although antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of ajugol and picroside IV were found insignificant in the statistical analysis, ilwensisaponin A and C showed notable activity without inducing any apparent acute toxicity as well as gastric damage.

Facilitated column selection in pharmaceutical analyses using a simple column classification system.

In this paper, the performance of a previously developed classification system applied to pharmaceutical chromatographic analyses, is investigated. The separation of seven different drug substances from their respective impurities was studied. The chromatographic procedure for acetylsalicylic acid, clindamycin hydrochloride, buflomedil hydrochloride, chloramphenicol sodium succinate, nimesulide and phenoxymethylpenicillin was performed according to the corresponding European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) monograph. The separation of dihydrostreptomycin sulphate was performed according to the literature. It is shown that the column ranking system is a helpful tool in the selection of a suitable column in these analyses.

Analgesic substances derived from natural products (natureceuticals).

From the first recorded accounts, over 7000 years ago, various forms of natural products have been utilized to treat pain disorders. Prototypical examples of such natural products are the opium poppy (Papaver soniferum) and the bark of the willow tree (Salix spp.). It was not until the 19th century when individual compounds were isolated from these substances and were determined to posses the desired effects. The known sources of these substances have been thoroughly investigated. Over the last several decades, more analgesic substances have been purified from natural products resulting in novel structural classes and mechanisms of actions. Plants and other natural products described in historical ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological literature have become of more recent interest in drug discovery efforts. These manuscripts and reports are being utilized to aid in the identification of natural products that have been historically employed in the alleviation of pain. A large factor that has highlighted the importance of discovering novel compounds to treat pain has been in the fundamental understanding of the complex mechanisms of pain transmission in the nervous system. Nociceptive processing involves many receptor classes, enzymes and signaling pathways. The identification of novel classes of compounds from natural sources may lead to advancing the understanding of these underlying pharmacological mechanisms. With the potential of uncovering new compounds with idealistic pharmacological profiles (i.e., no side effects, no addictive potential), natural products still hold great promise for the future of drug discovery especially in the treatment of pain disorders and potentially drug addictions.

Retention behavior of small polar compounds on polar stationary phases in hydrophilic interaction chromatography.

Retention characteristics of four polar stationary phases (i.e., amide, amino, silica and sulfobetaine) were studied by using a group of small polar compounds in hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC). Different polar stationary phases shared certain degrees of similarity, but also exhibited differences in retentivity and selectivity for the model compounds. Among the four columns studied, HILIC Silica column had the least retention for the model compounds, but also showed different selectivity from other three columns. Experimental data also provided some evidences that functional groups on the stationary phases might have certain degrees of influence on selectivity possibly through secondary interactions with the model compounds. The retention of the acids on the amino phase decreased with increasing salt concentration in the mobile phase due to the ion-exchange effect, and the retention process was endothermic as opposed to exothermic on other phases. This study also systematically investigated the effect of various experimental factors on the retention of the polar stationary phases, such as acetonitrile content, column temperature, buffer pH, salt type and concentration in the mobile phase.

Electrochemical oxidation of drug residues in water by the example of tetracycline, gentamicine and aspirin.

Electro-chemical oxidation as a method to destroy drug residues like aspirin, tetracycline or gentamicine in water was investigated with C-anodes (modified by manganese oxides) and Pt anodes. The mechanism of aspirin and tetracycline oxidation and the influence of the biocide effect was observed using GC-MS and three different microbiological tests. In general, the biological availability increases with progressive oxidation of the antibiotics.

Characterisation of reversed-phase liquid-chromatographic columns by chromatographic tests comparing column classification based on chromatographic parameters and column performance for the separation of acetylsalicylic acid and related compounds.

Selection of RP-LC columns with suitable selectivity for a given analysis is difficult. For example, the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) and other official compendia for drug analysis only give a general description of the stationary phase in the operating procedure of a liquid chromatographic method. The need for a general test method to characterise RP-LC columns has been rising since the 1970s. A project to define a chromatographic procedure characterising RP-LC columns was started earlier. A procedure to measure test parameters was introduced and a classification of the columns, based on a minimal number of parameters, was obtained. This paper focuses on correlating the column classification with the selectivity obtained for a real separation. The separation of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and related compounds was performed according to the Ph. Eur. monograph on the stationary phases previously characterised chromatographically. It was examined whether the classes of columns, determined using test parameter results, contain either suitable or unsuitable supports for the aspirin separation. The system suitability test prescribed by the Ph. Eur. in order to distinguish between suitable or unsuitable columns for this separation was also evaluated.