Bioanalytical LC-QTOF/MS Method for a N-phenylpiperazine Derivate (LQFM05): An Anxiolytic- and Antidepressant-like Prototype Drug Applied to Pharmacokinetic and Biodistribution Studies.

The LQFM05 is a prototype drug designed for treatment of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, exhibiting anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like (12 or 24 µmol/kg) effects in classical behavioral tests. In order to evaluate its pharmacokinetic properties, a liquid chromatography method coupled to a quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry system (LC-QTOF/MS) was developed and fully validated for LQFM05 analysis in rat plasma and tissue samples (brain, heart, liver, and kidneys). Liquid-liquid extraction, solid phase extraction and protein precipitation were assessed as clean-up procedures for biological samples and analyte enrichment. Plasma and tissue samples underwent protein precipitation as a preliminary step, using acetonitrile. Linearity was fully demonstrated for the dynamic range (10.0 to 900.0 ng/mL), with r2 values higher than 0.99 (RSDslope ≤ 2%, Fcal < Ftab, Ccal < Ctab). Biodistribution studies in rats revealed high brain tissue concentrations (12.4 µg/g), suggesting elevated drug affinity to the main therapeutic target tissue, showing a blood partition coefficient of 1.9. Kidneys also showed great exposure and tissue affinity, suggesting a potential extrahepatic clearance. Likewise, all examined tissues exhibited satisfactory LQFMF05 distribution. The mass fragmentation spectrum indicated the presence of its main metabolite, LQFM235, yielded by high hepatic hydroxylation route, an equally bioactive derivative. Lastly, the developed LC-QTOF/MS method was shown to be sensitive (LOQ = 10 ng/mL), precise and accurate for LQFM05 determination in tissue homogenates and plasma samples.

Chromatographic bioanalysis of antiglaucoma drugs in ocular tissues.

Glaucoma is a heterogeneous group of multifactorial optic neuropathies and the leading cause of irreversible blindness and visual impairment. Epidemiological data has estimated that in 2020 there will be more than 80 million individuals affected by the disease worldwide. Nowadays, intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering is carried out mainly by pharmacotherapy, with different drugs. The study of ocular pharmacokinetics of antiglaucoma drugs, crucial for better understanding of ocular distribution, bioavailability, and pharmacodynamic parameters, can benefit the development of antiglaucoma drugs or formulations. Bioanalysis of drugs in ocular matrices is still underestimated, since it is challenging and rarely performed. Therefore, this review summarized the chromatographic methods employed for the quantification of several antiglaucoma drugs in different ocular matrices, discussing bioanalytical steps, such as sample preparation, separation, and detection. Animals and matrices as well as the challenges faced in ocular bioanalysis were also discussed. Ocular bioanalysis has been performed mainly in rabbits, the most adequate animal model for ocular studies. The matrix most used is aqueous humor, because it is cleaner and easier to sample. Sample preparation was carried out primarily employing classic techniques, such as liquid-liquid extraction, protein precipitation, and solid-phase extraction, with conventional solvents and sorbents. Chromatographic separation was achieved predominantly by reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Ultraviolet spectrophotometry and tandem mass spectrometry prevailed for detection, although other techniques, such as fluorimetry, have also been used. It was evidenced that more efforts must be directed towards miniaturized, eco-friendly, and non-terminal sampling for sample preparation. In its turn, ultra high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry should gain prominence in ocular bioanalysis for separation and detection, respectively, since it combines high separation capacity with selectivity and sensitivity, in addition to being an environmental friendly approach.

Bioanalytical methods for the detection of antidiabetic drugs: a review.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus, a disease which prevalence has been progressively increasing worldwide, is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia resulting from the combination of inappropriate insulin secretion and/or resistance to insulin action. If left uncontrolled, diabetes is associated with complications such as dysfunction and failure of various organs, and even premature death. Along with lifestyle-modification strategies, several classes of oral antidiabetic agents can be employed for glycemic control. Thus, therapeutic drug monitoring of these drugs is essential to maintain appropriate treatment. This review discusses the most frequently employed analytical techniques and sample preparation systems to obtain a reliable and trustworthy method to quantify antidiabetic drugs in biological matrices. An adequate choice of internal standard, ideal chromatography conditions and most suitable analytical detector are reported.

Microchip electrophoresis for wine analysis.

The present critical review provides a summary of representative articles describing the analysis of wine by microchip electrophoresis. Special emphasis has been given to those compounds able to provide background information to achieve the differentiation of wines according to botanical origin, provenance, vintage and quality or assure wine authentication. This review focuses on capillary electrophoresis (CE) microchips dedicated to the analysis of wine covering all the contributions concerning this area. The most relevant compounds in wine analysis such as phenols, organic acids, inorganic species, aldehydes, sugars, alcohols, and neuroactive amines were considered. Moreover, a special section is dedicated to the potential of CE microchip for wine classification. Indeed, potential directions for the future are discussed.

Investigação da influência da velocidade de liberação do fármaco metoprolol a partir da forma farmacêutica sobre seu processo de absorção e de seus enantiômeros / Influence of the input rate of metoprolol on the absorption of its enantiomers

A Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA) não exige a realização de ensaios de bioequivalência utilizando métodos enantiosseletivos de quantificação de fármacos para o registro de medicamentos genéricos ou similares contendo fármacos racêmicos. Porém, existe a possibilidade das diferenças de concentrações plasmáticas dos enantiômeros entre o medicamento referência e os genéricos e/ou similares comercializados no Brasil serem maiores que as estabelecidas pelos limites de bioequivalência. Esse estudo teve a finalidade de investigar a influência da velocidade de liberação do fármaco metoprolol, a partir da forma farmacêutica, sobre o processo de absorção do fármaco total e de seus enantiômeros por meio da avaliação das concentrações plasmáticas de metoprolol total, (S)-metoprolol e (R)-metoprolol, e da relação entre as concentrações dos enantiômeros (S/R) após a administração oral de medicamentos contendo mistura racêmica deste fármaco. Para isso, foi realizado ensaio de biodisponibilidade in vivo, em um grupo de 20 voluntários saudáveis, de acordo com procedimentos éticos estabelecidos internacionalmente. Foram empregados três esquemas de administração do metoprolol, com a finalidade de simular diferentes velocidades de liberação do fármaco a partir da forma farmacêutica, na Fase 1 foi administrado uma dose única de 100 mg de metoprolol em solução, na Fase 2 e Fase 3 essa mesma dose foi particionada em duas e cinco administrações, respectivamente, com intervalo de 30 minutos entre elas. Foram coletadas amostras de sangue, e estas foram analisadas utilizando método convencional e método quiral para quantificação do metoprolol total e seus enantiômeros, respectivamente, utilizando cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência, com detector de fluorescência. Os parâmetros farmacocinéticos de ASC0-t, Cmáx e Tmáx foram utilizados para comparação entre as três velocidades de liberação do fármaco a partir da forma farmacêutica. A análise farmacocinética para o fámaco (R,S) metoprolol e seus enantiômeros e a comparação entre seus parâmetros farmacocinéticos obtidos após administração oral do metoprolol, indicam uma cinética enantioseletiva para o metoprolol, que pode ter ocorrido devido a uma biotransformação pré-sistêmica dose-dependente, ou a uma inibição do metabolismo do (S)-metoprolol pela forma (R)-metoprolol

ANVISA, brazilian regulatory agency for drug products, does not require the use of enantioselective bioanalytical methods in bioequivalence assays of generic and similar drug products containing racemic drugs. Therefore, it is possible that two formulations are bioequivalent based on plasmatic concentration of total drug, but are not bioequivalent on the basis of the comparison of the data of the stereoisomers. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the release rate of metoprolol from the dosage form on its absorption process and on its enantiomers' absorption process by measuring plasmatic concentrations of total metoprolol, (S)-metoprolol and (R)-metoprolol after oral administration of drug products containing racemic metoprolol. An in vivo bioavailability study was conducted in a group of 20 healthy volunteers, according to national and international guidelines for biomedical research, in which the administration rate of metoprolol was varied. In Phase 1 a single dose of 100 mg metoprolol was administered in solution, in Phase 2 and Phase 3 the same dose was partitioned into two and five administrations, respectively, with an interval of 30 minutes between them. Blood samples were collected, and these were analyzed using the conventional method and chiral method for quantification of (R,S)-metoprolol and for its enantiomers, using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The pharmacokinetic parameters AUC0-t, Cmax and Tmax were used for comparisons between three different drug release rates. Pharmacokinetic analysis for (R, S) metoprolol and its enantiomers and comparison of their pharmacokinetic parameters obtained after oral administration of metoprolol, to indicate an enantioselective kinetic, which may be due to a biotransformation pre-systemic dose dependent or the inhibition of metabolism of the (S)-form for metoprolol (R)-metoprolol