Rosa canina extract relieves methylation alterations of pancreatic genes in STZ-induced diabetic rats : Gene methylation in diabetic rats treated with an extract.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that affects many parts of the body. Considering diabetes as a beta cells' defect and loss, the focus is on finding mechanisms and compounds involved in stimulating the function and regeneration of pancreatic ß-cells. DNA methylation as an epigenetic mechanism plays a pivotal role in the ß-cells' function and development. Considering the regenerative and anti-diabetic effects of Rosa canina extract, this study aimed to assess the methylation levels of Pdx-1, Pax-4, and Ins-1 genes in diabetic rats treated with Rosa Canina extract. METHODS AND RESULTS: Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were used to evaluate the frequency of Pdx-1, Pax-4, and Ins-1 gene methylation. Treatment groups were exposed to Rosa canina as spray-dried and decoction extracts. Following blood glucose measurement, pancreatic DNA was extracted and bisulfited. Genes' methylation was measured using MSP-PCR and qRT-PCR techniques. Oral administration of Rosa canina extracts significantly reduced blood sugar levels in diabetic rats compared to the control group. The methylation levels of the Pdx-1, Pax-4, and Ins-1 genes promoter in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats increased compared to the control rats while, the treatment of diabetic rats with Rosa canina extracts, spray-dried samples especially, led to a decreased methylation in these genes. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that Rosa canina extract as a spray-dried sample could be effective in treating diabetes by regulating the methylation of genes including Pdx-1, Pax-4, and Ins-1 involved in the activity and regeneration of pancreatic islet cells.

Notch signaling-induced cyclin d1 in diabetes ameliorating effects of the isolated polysaccharide from Rosa canina: In vitro and in vivo studies.

Notch signaling has a role in the expansion of the pancreas and the pathogenesis of diabetes. Modulation of Notch signaling by natural products seems to pave the way for treating diabetes. This research aimed to scrutinize the involvement of the Notch cascade in the diabetes-ameliorating effects of an isolated polysaccharide from Rosa canina. The isolated polysaccharide was characterized using Fourier transform infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, high-performance gel-permeation chromatography, and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry techniques. Rat pancreatic ß cells and STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated with the isolated polysaccharide. MTT assay, cell cycle analysis, quantative realtime-polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and immunoblotting were used to reveal the growth and the expression levels of Notch1, DLL4, Jagged-1, hes1, Ins-1, Pdx-1, and cyclin d1 in treated and untreated pancreatic cells and tissues. The ameliorating effect of the polysaccharide in STZ-treated cells was accomplished by upregulation of cyclin d1 and hes1 as well as cell cycle progression. Notch inhibition by LY-411575 was associated with the downregulation of cyclin d1 which upregulates with polysaccharide treatment. The significant expression of cyclin d1 (90%) and nuclear expression of hes1 in the pancreas of the polysaccharide group were accompanied by improvement of hyperglycemia and associated biochemical factors as well as regeneration of islet cells as compared to untreated diabetic rats. Based on these findings, upregulation of Notch signaling-induced cyclin d1 could be proposed as the underlying diabetes-reducing effects of the isolated polysaccharide derivative implying that cyclin d1 actuation through activation of the Notch-DLL4 circuit may play the causal role in the treatment of diabetes.

Kidney tissue engineering in preclinical models of renal failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: This study aims to compare the efficacy of tissue engineering for kidney reconstruction. Materials & methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE (May 2021), and reference lists of review articles. Results: 19 articles matched our inclusion criteria. A range of natural, synthetic and hybrid scaffolds with or without incorporating cells/growth factors was investigated in 937 animals. More favorable results were observed with a combination of two or more biomaterials, addition of bioactive moieties, and cell seeding. Creatinine concentration, PAX2, collagen type-1, α-SMA, vimentin, IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α gene expressions were significantly increased compared with native control. Conclusion: Tissue engineering can improve renal function and regeneration; however, further research could benefit from using hybrid scaffolds, stem cells and large animal models.

Organ transplantation is limited by donor organ shortage throughout the world. Tissue engineering involves the use of biocompatible scaffold upon which cells can grow into functional tissues. Researchers have already experimented with kidney tissue engineering on several animal models. In this research, we systematically looked for all available studies in literature to collate and contrast the results of such studies. We found 19 relevant articles involving 937 animals. We learned that, in general, the use of biomaterial combinations, addition of specific biomolecules, and seeding of cells on scaffolds were associated with more favorable results. Quantitative analysis of several markers supported these conclusions. Despite advances in the field, kidney tissue engineering is still at its infancy, and more controlled animal experiments on more novel biomaterial are needed before we could translate this technique to humans.

Modulation of Notch signaling and angiogenesis via an isolated polysaccharide from Momordica charantia in diabetic rats.

Given the impact of notch signaling in the modulation of metabolic diseases and normal tissue homeostasis, this study aimed to evaluate whether notch signaling has a role in anti-diabetic and islet regenerative effects of the isolated polysaccharide from Momordica charantia in diabetic rats. The polysaccharide was isolated from M. charantia (MCP) and was characterized by using FTIR and LC-MS/MS. The diabetic model was established by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin in male Wistar rats and grouped into control, diabetic, metformin (500 mg kg-1  day-1 ), and treatment (10 mg kg-1  day-1 ) groups. The levels of Hes1, Notch 1, DLL4, Jagged1, Pdx1, CD34, CD31, and VEGF were analyzed by using immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Structural analyses have revealed the polysaccharide structure of the isolated fraction. High blood glucose was normalized by MCP treatment in diabetic rats. MCP scaled up the mRNA levels of Ins1, jagged1, Pdx1, and Hes1 while it scaled down the levels of Notch1, Dll4, and the ratio of Bax/Bcl2 in diabetic rats. Furthermore, the immunohistochemistry staining levels of hes1, cyclin d1, and VEGF proteins were increased in the pancreas of MCP-treated diabetic rats compared to the diabetic group. These findings provide insights into the anti-diabetic potential of MCP through modulation of islets' regeneration and suggest that modulation of notch and angiogenesis pathways may play a pivotal role in the restoration of the islets to relieve diabetes. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Polysaccharides extracted from Momordica charantia could normalize the level of blood glucose in STZ-induced type 2 diabetic rats through modulation of notch and angiogenesis singling pathways. Given that this effect was associated with the increased expression of Pdx-1 and Insulin in the pancreas, the isolated polysaccharide is expected to be introduced as a convenient medicine in the treatment of diabetes through modulation of ß-cell regeneration.

Detection of the residual concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate in the decellularized whole rabbit kidney extracellular matrix.

To optimize rabbit kidney decellularization protocol, using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a commonly used detergent, a methylene blue based assay was employed for detecting the minimum nontoxic SDS level for future cell seeding. The rabbit kidney tissues were decellularized with the perfusion-based method and underwent several investigations to determine the efficacy of decellularization in preserving the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell removal. SDS detection was performed by incubating with methylene blue and subsequent extraction with chloroform. MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yr)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and SDS release were also evaluated during the entire process. After the first washing cycle, SDS concentration was 0.036, in 500 mL of the washing liquid, which slowly decreased and reached to 0.009 % after at the end of seventh washing cycle. In the 9th cycle, SDS was gradually decreased and reached to 0.003 %. SDS was significantly released after one week of incubation which ceased after ten washing cycles. The results of MTT assay demonstrated that different cells exhibited various sensitivity levels when exposed to serial concentrations of SDS. Human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) with 0.003 % threshold for cellular toxicity and 87.4 % cell viability were more resistant compared with mesenchymal stem cells with 0.001 % threshold and 85.4 % cell viability. Colorimetric assay with methylene blue is a straightforward and non-invasive method to detect residual SDS present in tissue and can also prevent ECM destruction after several washings for detergent removal from decellularized tissues.

Numerical Simulation of Solute Transport in Saturated Porous Media with Bounded Domains.

This work presents the first attempt to develop unconditionally stable, implicit finite difference solutions of one-sided spatial fractional advection-dispersion equation (s-FADE) by imposing the nonzero Dirichlet boundary condition (ND BC) or the nonzero fractional Robin boundary condition (NFR BC) at inlet boundary and the zero fractional Neumann boundary condition (ZFN BC) at outlet boundary. The results of the numerical studies performed using artificial solute transport parameters demonstrated that the numerical solution with the NFR BC as the inlet boundary produced much more realistic concentration values. The numerical solution with the NFR BC at the inlet boundary was capable of correctly describing the Fickian and non-Fickian behaviors of the solute transport at different α values, and it had the relatively same accuracy at different numbers of the spatial nodes. Also, the practical application of the numerical solution with the NFR BC as the inlet boundary was investigated by conducting tracer experiments in homogeneous and heterogeneous soil columns. According to the obtained results, this numerical solution described well solute transport in the homogenous and heterogeneous soils. The α values of the homogeneous and heterogeneous soils were obtained in the ranges of 1.849-1.999 and 1.248-1.570, respectively, which were in excellent agreement with the physical properties of the soils. In a nutshell, the numerical solution of the s-FADE with the NFR BC as the inlet boundary can be successfully applied to describe the solute transport in the homogeneous and heterogeneous soils with bounded spatial domains.

Rapid and sensitive UHPLC-DAD method for simultaneous determination of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir in human serum.

Today, the direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) such as sofosbuvir (SOF) and ledipasvir (LED) are widely used to treat the hepatitis virus infection. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid, simple and valid method for simultaneous determination of SOF and LED in human plasma for bioavailability and pharmacokinetic studies. Chromatographic analysis was performed on the C18 column (Blue Orchid, 1.8 µm, 50 × 2 mm) using 0.1 % formic acid in water (pH 2.6) and acetonitrile (60:40; v/v) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The UV detector was set at 328 nm and 260 nm for analysis of SOF and LED, respectively. To 400 µL of plasma, 100 µL of clonazepam as the internal standard (I.S, 7 µg/mL) was added and the mixture subjected to liquid-liquid extraction using 1000 µL diethyl ether. The calibration curves were linear with coefficients of variation less than 8% for all analyses. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 20 and 5 ng/mL for SOF and LED, respectively. The results of inter-day and intra-day precision showed good reproducibility and the total analysis time was 1.2 min. This method successfully applied for determination SOF and LED in four healthy volunteers.

Protective and Therapeutic Effects of Aloe Vera Gel on Ulcerative Colitis Induced by Acetic Acid in Rats.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic intestinal inflammation. Common clinical symptoms are weight loss, diarrhea, ulcers, and inflammation. Aloe vera (AV) has several medicinal properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory analgesic, and improvement of gastric and skin ulcers. This study aimed to investigate the protective and therapeutic effects of AV gel on acetic acid-induced UC in rats. UC was induced in 48 rats by injection of 4% acetic acid into the rectum. Protective and treatment groups received treatments 7 days before and after the induction of colitis, respectively. The negative control group, the positive control group, and AV groups received distilled water, sulfasalazine, and 50 and 300 mg/kg of gel extract, respectively. Water and food intake and body weight changes were recorded. The extent of the mucosal ulcers, colon tissue thickening, and mucosal bleeding were scored by the Gerald classification system score (microscopy observations). Slides of tissues were prepared for pathologic assay using the modified Wallace method (macroscopic observations). The results of the macroscopic and microscopic examination showed protective and therapeutic effects of 50 mg/kg dose of AV on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats which reduces the inflammation, ulcers and tissue damage compared with negative control (p < 0.05). There were no significant changes in the amount of water and food intake, body weight changes, and colon weight in protective and treatment groups. Based on the results, AV gel could be used to improve the symptoms of UC, as well as prevent people who are susceptible to the UC.

Protective effect of the isolated oligosaccharide from Rosa canina in STZ-treated cells through modulation of the autophagy pathway.

Isolation of active components of therapeutic plants and discovering molecular mechanisms play a pivotal role in therapy of diabetes. This study aimed to determine the antidiabetic mechanism of an oligosaccharide isolated from Rosa canina (RCO) by measuring the expression of some miRNAs and their targets involved in autophagy. RCO was extracted and characterized by using HPLC and spectroscopic methods. Rin-5F cells were treated with STZ and RCO alone and in combination. The viability of the cells and the expression of miR-21, miR-22, Akt, ATG5, Beclin1, LC3A, and LC3B were analyzed using MTT assay, and qRT-PCR, respectively. Oligosaccharide fraction could improve the viability of RCO-treated cells as compared to STZ-treated cells. Further, the expression of autophagy markers was increased in RCO-treated diabetic cells compared to STZ-treated cells. The results indicated that the antidiabetic effects of the oligosaccharide components of R. canina seem to be mediated by modulation of autophagy pathway. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Given effectiveness of an oligosaccharide fraction isolated from Rosa canina in management of diabetes in STZ-induced diabetic rats, we have intention to scrutinize its molecular mechanism as modulation of autophagy pathway in STZ-treated Rin-5F cells. It is expected that the results paved the way to speculate novel antidiabetic strategies.

Anti-diabetic effect of a novel oligosaccharide isolated from Rosa canina via modulation of DNA methylation in Streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a well-known clinical entity with various late complications. There is a surge of research aiming to use the medical herb in the management of DM. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether the alleviation of DM by an isolated compound from Rosa canina is mediated by DNA methylation in STZ-diabetic rats. METHODS: Sixty adult Wistar male rats were classified into control, diabetic and treatment groups. Rats were treated with STZ (40 mg/kg), metformin (500 mg/kg), and oligosaccharide fraction (OF; 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg) isolated from Rosa canina. DNA was extracted from the blood and pancreas to determine DNA methylation using the Global DNA Methylation kit. The expressions of DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts), PDX1, Ins1, GCK and PTP1B2 were determined by using qRT-PCR. RESULTS: The significant blood glucose-lowering potential of OF was associated with a reduced level of global DNA methylation (p < 0.05). The expression levels of Dnmts 1 and 3α increased in the pancreas and blood from diabetic rats compared to control group which declined by OF treatment (p < 0.05). Paradoxically, the expression of Dnmt 3ß augmented in the pancreas and blood of OF group compared to diabetic ones (p < 0.05). Besides, the expressions of Pdx1, PTP1B2, Ins1 and GCK increased in OF-treated rats compared to diabetic groups. CONCLUSION: Results revealed that DNA methylation plays a causal role in the effectiveness of the isolated OF. Furthermore, the possible regenerative potential of oligosaccharide in diabetic rats may have contributed to the modulation of DNA methylation.

Characterization and anti-diabetic effects of the oligosaccharide fraction isolated from Rosa canina in STZ-Induced diabetic rats.

Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. There has been a surge of research studies aiming to use natural products in the management of diabetes. The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize the structure and anti-diabetic mechanisms of the main ingredient from Rosa canina. The oligosaccharide was isolated from Rosa canina fruits and characterized by a combination of FTIR, NMR and Mass spectrometry. Wistar rats were divided into negative control, diabetic (type 2), isolated oligosaccharide (IO)-treated diabetic and positive diabetic controls. Oral glucose tolerance, gluconeogenesis and α-glucosidase inhibitory tests as well as immunohistochemistry and quantitative real time-PCR were performed to elucidate the molecular anti-diabetic mechanisms of IO. Structural analyses confirmed the oligosaccharide structure of isolated fraction. Gluconeogenesis and α-glucosidase activity were inhibited by IO in diabetic rats. The oral glucose tolerance test was improved significantly in the group treated with the IO (P < 0.05). Pancreatic ß-cells and tissue pathological examination showed a significant improvement after the treatment period. In addition, the expression of Ngn3, Nkx6.1 and insulin increased in oligosaccharide-treated compared to untreated diabetic rats. Owing to the verified anti-diabetic effects and regenerative potential, isolated oligosaccharide could be considered as the promising drug in the management of diabetes.

Momordica charantia reverses type II diabetes in rat.

Diabetes, a disease with abnormal production or use of insulin, is a growing concern that affects many individuals globally. Although many attempts have been made, there is no satisfactory treatment for diabetes. Recently, scientists have been exploring a promising treatment of diabetes involving herbal medicine. In this line, we show that Momordica charantia, a tendril-bearing vine belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, permanently normalizes blood glucose levels comparable to healthy rats. Most importantly, M. charantia increases the expression of Insulin and Pdx1 genes while lowers the expression Glut2. Moreover, the number and size of the pancreatic islets have remarkably increased in treated animals. Liver ALT, AST, and ALP enzyme activities fell into normal range in treated animals suggesting the protective effect of M. charantia. These data indicate that M. Charantia improves the pancreas function by activating pancreatic beta cells and protecting liver tissue. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Owing to the effectiveness of Momordica Charantia extracts in management of diabetes in STZ-induced diabetic rats, we have intention to evaluate the powder of Charantia to discover novel drug for treating diabetes. It is expected that the results could be translated in clinical trials.

Effect of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni extract on sexual dysfunction in Streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni has been used locally as a non-calorie sweetener in medicine and diabetic diet which claimed to have aphrodisiac properties, although no scientific data of this function have been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of S. rebaudiana extract on sexual dysfunction, testosterone levels and number of Leydig cells in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male rats. A total of 28 diabetic male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: diabetic group without any extract and 3 extract groups (5, 50 and 100 mg/kg). Seven normal control rats were treated with vehicle mount latency and frequency of (ML, MF), intromission latency and frequency (IL, IF), ejaculation latency and frequency of (EL, EF), the mount latency post ejaculation (MPE), the intromission latency post ejaculation (ILE), the intromission frequency post ejaculation (IFE) were recorded during 30 min on days 0, 14, 28. The serum testosterone levels, blood glucose, sex organs weight, number of leydig cells and histology of testicular tissue were measured. The stevia group (5 mg/kg) had a significant (p<0.05) increase in EF and IF. The number of Leydig cells in the diabetic group were significantly (p<0.05) reduced compared to the normal group and diabetic groups with extract (5 and 50 mg/kg). The serum testosterone levels and other sexual behaviors did not show any significant differences. The low- dose stevia extract with attention to antioxidant, vasodilator and anti-diabetic properties can be aphrodisiac in STZ- induced diabetic male rats.

Development and validation of a new HPLC-DAD method for quantification of sofosbuvir in human serum and its comparison with LC-MS/MS technique: Application to a bioequivalence study.

Although for many analyses tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) systems have significant advantage over the high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) however, the HPLC methods are easier, cheaper and more available to perform. As no published method is available for quantitative HPLC analysis of sofosbuvir (SOF), an orally administered anti-hepatitis drug in human serum, this study was aimed to evaluate applicability of the HPLC technique to quantify sofosbuvir and comparison of the two methods for analytical performance. Following extraction of the drug and an internal standard (Hexobarbital), same chromatographic conditions were used for both the systems. After the chromatographic separation on a reverse phase C18 column using a mobile phase consisting of water (containing formic acid 0.5mL/L) and acetonitrile (57:43; v/v) at a flow rate of 0.8mL/min, the eluate was introduced into a DAD detector set at 261nm, then passed through the mass spectrometry system in single ion monitoring mode (SIM). For UV and mass spectrometry detections the calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 25-3200 and 10-3200ng/mL, respectively and the linearity was over 0.998 for both the systems. Lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) for mass spectrometry and DAD detections were 10 and 25ng/mL, respectively. In conclusion sensitivity of DAD detection is sufficient enough to determine concentrations down to 0.5% of Cmax which achieved in bioequivalence study of sofosbuvir and meet FDA requirements for these types of studies.

Quantification of sofosbuvir in human serum by liquid chromatography with negative ionization mass spectrometry using the parent peak and its source-induced fragment: Application to a bioequivalence study.

In the mass spectrometry of sofosbuvir, a new orally administered antihepatitis C drug, a weak peak is detected at the m/z value of the parent ion (m/z 530) as a result of in-source dissociation and current methods to its quantification, is based on monitoring of the parent peak using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. With these methods serum concentration of the drug is quantifiable only up to 4-5 h postdose. However, the fragmentation of the molecule generates a more stable ion at m/z 287 (base peak) with a signal intensity of about tenfold compared to the parent ion. Our study was aimed to improve sensitivity of analysis by acquisition of the m/z value of the daughter ion from which it originated instead of the parent molecule. This novelty allows us to measure serum concentrations of the drug for a longer time postdose and provides more opportunity for pharmacokinetic studies of sofosbuvir. Our method was linear over the concentration range of 2-2560 ng/mL of sofosbuvir in human serum with a limit of quantification of 2 ng/mL compared to 10 ng/mL reported previously. The coefficient variation values of both inter and intraday analysis were less than 13.8%, and the percentage error was less than 6.3.

Antihyperlipidemic Effect of Syrian Mesquite (Prosopis farcta) Root in High Cholesterol Diet-Fed Rabbits.

Prosopis farcta root has been proposed as an efficacious natural drug for cardiovascular disorders in traditional medicine. The present study evaluates the efficacy of aqueous extract of Prosopis farcta root on experimental atherosclerosis development in rabbits with high cholesterol diet-induced hypercholesterolemia. Serum lipid parameters were significantly increased in the high cholesterol diet groups in comparison with the normal control group (P < .050). Histopathological findings revealed that atheromatous plaques were formed in both thoracic and abdominal aorta of hypercholestrolemic rabbits. Treatment with Prosopis farcta root significantly reduced total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and very low density lipoprotein levels compared to high cholesterol diet rabbits (P < .050). This finding may reflect a reduction of chest pain or the beneficial effects of this plant root extract on cardiovascular health. The present study can serve as a basis for future investigations on the other effects of this plant on cardiovascular health.

Applicability of LC-MS/MS to optimize derivatization of topiramate with FMOC-Cl using reacted/intact drug ratio.

Topiramate is an antiepileptic agent, which is structurally different from the other anticonvulsants. The drug has no UV-Vis absorption or emits fluorescence. Thus for its analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with conventional UV or fluorescence detectors, the drug should be derivatized with a suitable reagent. In previous study using fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC-Cl) and HPLC coupled with fluorescence detector, we reported an analytical method for derivatization and analysis of the drug in human serum. In this method, several factors including time and temperature of the reaction, pH and concentration of the used buffer, ratio of organic phase in the medium and removal of the reagent excess by glycine should be optimized to obtain maximum yield of the product. In HPLC coupled with fluorescence detector, there is not any signal from intact topiramate and only the final product (FMOC-topiramate) is appeared. Thus to optimize the reaction conditions for obtaining the highest derived yield, intensity of the final product peak is considered as a criteria for progression of the reaction. In LC-MS/MS system however, both free and reacted topiramate are visible in observed spectra. In the present study reaction of the drug with FMOC-Cl was re-optimized using LC-MS/MS technique on the basis of reacted/free topiramate ratio as the new and more accurate index. The results showed that, ratio of organic/aqueous phase has a dominant effect on the reaction, the most efficient temperature is 70°C and the reaction is reversed following addition of the glycine.

9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate as a fluorescence-labeling reagent for derivatization of carboxylic acid moiety of sodium valproate using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for binding characterization: a human pharmacokinetic study.

In High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) determination of chemicals with acidic functions, different labeling agents are used to improve sensitivity of the assay. 9-Fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC-Cl), on the other hand, is a suitable labeling agent, which reacts with both primary and secondary amines and less readily with hydroxyl groups in alkaline conditions. However, the reagent has not been applied in labeling of chemicals with acidic function yet. In this study which is the first report on application of FMOC-Cl in derivatization and analysis of a drug with acidic function, valproic acid (VPA), one of a series of fatty carboxylic acids with anticonvulsant activity, was derivatized using the reagent and quantified in serum samples by HPLC with fluorescence detection. In addition, to document the reaction between the labeling agent and carboxylic acid moiety of the drug, we developed a liquid chromatography-tandem MS/MS (LC-MS/MS) method. Following liquid-liquid extraction, derivatization of the drug and an internal standard was achieved in alkaline medium. The elute was monitored by a fluorescence detector with respective excitation and emission wavelengths of 265 and 315 nm. The present method is more sensitive comparing with other published HPLC procedures for analysis of VPA. The assay is sensitive enough to measure drug levels obtained in human single dose studies with a limit of quantification of 0.01 µg/mL. Also the method is linear over the concentrations range of 0.01-32 µg/mL of VPA in human serum using 100 µL serum sample and 5 µL injection. The coefficient variation values of both inter and intra day analysis were less than 12% and the percentage error was less than 4%. The method performance was studied and the validated procedure applied in a randomized cross-over bioequivalence study of two different VPA preparations in 24 healthy volunteers.

Application of one-step liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem MS/MS and collision-induced dissociation to quantification of ezetimibe and identification of its glucuronated metabolite in human serum: A pharmacokinetic study.

A new one-step liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem MS/MS method is described to quantify ezetimibe (EZM) a novel lipid lowering drug in human serum. Also using collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the analyte, identification and chromatographic separation of its major metabolite, ezetimibe glucuronide (EZM-G) is achieved in this study. A thawed serum aliquot of 100µL was deproteinated by addition of 500µL methanol containing omeprazole as internal standard (I.S.). Separation of the drug, its metabolite and the I.S. were achieved using acetonitrile-water (70:30, v/v) as mobile phase at flow rate of 0.5mL/min on a MZ PerfectSil target C18 column. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode of precursor-product ion transition (408.7→272.0 for EZM and 345→194.5 for the I.S.) was applied for detection and quantification of the drug while, EZM-G was chromatographically separated and identified using CID. The analytical method was linear over the concentration range of 1-32ng/mL of EZM in human serum with a limit of quantification of 1ng/mL. The coefficient variation values of both inter- and intra-day analysis were less than 8% whereas the percentage error was less than 3.7. The validated method was applied in a randomized cross-over bioequivalence study of two different EZM preparations in 24 healthy volunteers.

Determination of oseltamivir carboxylic acid in human serum by solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection.

This study was aimed at developing a fast and sensitive method for determination of oseltamivir carboxylic acid (OCA), the active moiety of anti-influenza agent, oseltamivir phosphate, in human serum by high performance liquid chromatography and UV detection. The analyte and an internal standard (vanillin) were extracted from human serum by a solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a reverse phase C18 column with a mobile phase consisting of 0.05M phosphate buffer containing triethylamine (1mL/L; pH 3.0) and acetonitrile (70:30, v/v). The detection wavelength was set at 215nm. The average recoveries of the drug and internal standard were 98 and 85%, respectively. The calibration curve was linear over a concentration range of 15-6400ng/mL of OCA in human serum. The lower limits of detection and quantification were 5 and 15ng/mL, respectively. The coefficient variation values of both inter- and intra-day analysis were less than 12% whereas the percentage error was less than 4.5. The stability of the drug at the serum samples maintained at -40 degrees C for 60 days was found to be 100% from the initial value and no interferences were found from either endogenous components in serum or commonly co-administrated antiviral drugs. The validated method was applied to a randomized cross-over bioequivalence study of two different oseltamivir phosphate preparations in 24 healthy volunteers.