Development and Validation of Two Robust Stability-Indicating Chromatographic Methods for Determination of Metolazone in Drug Substance and Pharmaceutical Dosage Form in the Presence of Its Degradation Products and Characterization of Main Degradation Products Based on LC-MS.

Two robust and selective stability-indicating chromatographic methods were developed and validated for the determination of metolazone in drug substance and pharmaceutical dosage form in the presence of its degradation products. The HPLC method employed a Kromasil C18 (250 × 4.6,5 µm) column and a mobile phase of acetonitrile: 0.2% orthophosphoric acid (32:68 v/v) at a flow rate 2 mL/min and detection at 238 nm. The separation was performed in HPLC isocratic mode. The robustness of the suggested method was assessed using the Plackett-Burman design, parameters affecting system suitability were established and non-significant intervals for the significant parameters were considered. The HPTLC method employed Nano-SIL-20 UV254 HPTLC plates as adsorbent, ethyl acetate: toluene: acetic acid solution (4:4:0.5, v/v/v), as a developing solvent system and densitometric detection at 238 nm. Metolazone was exposed to different stress conditions, including acid and alkaline hydrolysis and oxidative and photolytic degradation. The main degradation products obtained have been characterized and interpreted based on LC-MS. The linearity of the suggested methods was proved in the concentration range of 20-75 µg/mL for the HPLC method and 100-900 ng/spot for the HPTLC method. The suggested methods were validated according to international conference on harmonization guidelines. These methods were successfully dedicated for the estimation of metolazone in drug substance and pharmaceutical dosage form in the presence of its degradation products. The results of the suggested methods were evaluated and compared statistically with results obtained by an official method without finding any significant difference.

Simultaneous determination of metolazone and losartan in their combined tablets using synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy.

Synchronous spectrofluorimetry is utilized to carry out a rapid, sensitive and reliable method for determination of the binary mixture of metolazone (MTL) and losartan potassium (LSP). Under optimized experimental conditions, the synchronized fluorescence spectra of the two drugs were measured at Δλ = 80 nm in acidic methanolic solution and intensities were recorded at 260 nm for MTL and 335 nm for LSP. Linear correlation between fluorescence intensity and concentration were obtained through the ranges 0.02-0.2 µg/mL and 0.2-2.0 µg/mL for MTL and LSP, respectively. Limits of detection were 3.02 and 0.12 ng/mL, whereas limits of quantification were 9.16 and 0.35 ng/mL for MTL and LSP, respectively. The designated procedure was easily and successfully adopted to determine the two compounds in their single, as well as in co-formulated, tablets and the results showed high precision and accuracy without any significant interference from common tablet excipients. A comparison of the obtained results with a published reference method was carried out and both showed good agreement with respect to accuracy and precision.

Simultaneous determination of metolazone and valsartan in plasma by on-line SPE coupled with liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

Combination of metolazone (0.5 mg) and valsartan (80 mg) has been verified as a promising therapy treatment for hypertension. In order to facilitate to pharmacokinetic research, it needs a method for the simultaneously determination of metolazone and valsartan in biological samples. However, there are no relative reports so far. In order to facilitate to pharmacokinetic research, an on-line solid phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of metolazone and valsartan in beagle dog plasma was developed and validated in this study. An on-line solid phase extraction column Retain PEP Javelin (10 mm × 2.1 mm) was used to remove impurities in plasma samples. The metolazone, valsartan and internal standard (losartan) were separated on a Poroshell 120 SB-C18 column (4.6 mm × 50 mm × 2.7 µm) with a gradient elution procedure. Acidified acetonitrile/water mixture was used as a mobile phase. The selected multiple-reaction monitoring mode in positive ion was performed and the parent to the product transitions m/z 366/259, m/z 436.2/291 and m/z 423.4/207 were used to measure the metolazone, valsartan and losartan. The method was linear over the range of 0.1-100 ng/mL and 1-1000 ng/mL for metolazone and valsartan, respectively. This method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, sensitivity, precision, accuracy, matrix effect, and stability and then successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies of the metolazone and valsartan combination tablets in beagle dogs.

Mechanism-based selection of stabilization strategy for amorphous formulations: Insights into crystallization pathways.

We developed a step-by-step experimental protocol using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic vapour sorption (DVS), polarized light microscopy (PLM) and a small-scale dissolution apparatus (µDISS Profiler) to investigate the mechanism (solid-to-solid or solution-mediated) by which crystallization of amorphous drugs occurs upon dissolution. This protocol then guided how to stabilize the amorphous formulation. Indapamide, metolazone, glibenclamide and glipizide were selected as model drugs and HPMC (Pharmacoat 606) and PVP (K30) as stabilizing polymers. Spray-dried amorphous indapamide, metolazone and glibenclamide crystallized via solution-mediated nucleation while glipizide suffered from solid-to-solid crystallization. The addition of 0.001%-0.01% (w/v) HPMC into the dissolution medium successfully prevented the crystallization of supersaturated solutions of indapamide and metolazone whereas it only reduced the crystallization rate for glibenclamide. Amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) formulation of glipizide and PVP K30, at a ratio of 50:50% (w/w) reduced but did not completely eliminate the solid-to-solid crystallization of glipizide even though the overall dissolution rate was enhanced both in the absence and presence of HPMC. Raman spectroscopy indicated the formation of a glipizide polymorph in the dissolution medium with higher solubility than the stable polymorph. As a complementary technique, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of indapamide and glibenclamide with HPMC was performed. It was revealed that hydrogen bonding patterns of the two drugs with HPMC differed significantly, suggesting that hydrogen bonding may play a role in the greater stabilizing effect on supersaturation of indapamide, compared to glibenclamide.

Simultaneous Determination and Pharmacokinetics of Metolazone, Losartan and Losartan Carboxylic Acid in Rat Plasma by HPLC-ESI-MS-MS.

For the first time, we developed and validated a highly sensitive, selective and rapid HPLC-ESI-MS-MS method for simultaneous quantification of metolazone (MET), losartan (LOS) and its metabolite losartan carboxylic acid (LCA) in rat plasma. After solid-phase extraction, the analytes and internal standard (irbesartan) were extracted from 100 µL plasma sample on an Agilent Poroshell 120, EC-C18 (50 × 4.6 mm, i.d., 2.7 µm) column using 5 µL injection volume with a total run time of 3 min. Acidified methanol/water mixture was used as a mobile phase. The parent → product ion transitions for MET (m/z 366.0 → 258.9), LOS (m/z 423.2 → 207.0), LCA (m/z 437.0 → 235.1) and IS (m/z 429.2 → 207.0) were monitored on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, operating in the multiple reaction monitoring and positive ion mode. The method was found to be linear in the range of 0.05-250 for MET, 2-3,000 for LOS and 4-3,500 ng/mL for LCA. The method was validated with respect to selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery and stability according to accepted regulatory guidelines. The described method was successfully applied to preclinical pharmacokinetic studies of analytes after an oral administration of mixture of MET (1 mg/kg) and LOS (10 mg/kg) in rats.

Interactions of some commonly used drugs with human α-thrombin.

Adverse side effects of drugs are often caused by the interaction of drug molecules to targets other than the intended ones. In this study, we investigated the off-target interactions of some commercially available drugs with human α-thrombin. The drugs used in the study were selected from Super Drug Database based on the structural similarity to a known thrombin inhibitor argatroban. Interactions of these drugs with thrombin were initially checked by in silico docking studies and then confirmed by thrombin inhibition assay using a fluorescence microplate-based method. Results show that the three commonly used drugs piperacillin (anti-bacterial), azlocillin (anti-bacterial), and metolazone (anti-hypertensive and diuretic) have thrombin inhibitory activity almost similar to that of argatroban. The Ki values of piperacillin, azlocillin, and metolazone with thrombin are .55, .95, and .62 nM, respectively. The IC50 values of piperacillin, azlocillin, and metolazone with thrombin are 1.7, 2.9, and 1.92 nM, respectively. This thrombin inhibitory activity might be a reason for the observed side effects of these drugs related to blood coagulation and other thrombin activities. Furthermore, these compounds (drugs) may be used as anti-coagulants as such or with structural modifications.

Stability of ketoconazole, metolazone, metronidazole, procainamide hydrochloride, and spironolactone in extemporaneously compounded oral liquids.

The stability of drugs commonly prescribed for use in oral liquid dosage forms but not commercially available as such was studied. Ketoconazole 20 mg/mL, metolazone 1 mg/mL, metronidazole 50 mg/mL, procainamide hydrochloride 50 mg/ mL, and spironolactone 25 mg/mL were prepared in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Sweet and Ora-Plus (Paddock Laboratories), a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Sweet SF and Ora-Plus (Paddock Laboratories), and cherry syrup and placed in 120-mL polyethylene terephthalate bottles. The sources of the drugs were powder, capsules, and tablets. Six bottles were prepared per liquid; three were stored at 5 degrees C and three at 25 degrees C, all in the dark. A sample was removed from each bottle immediately after preparation and at intervals up to 60 days and analyzed for drug concentration by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. At least 93% of the initial drug concentration was retained in all the oral liquids for up to 60 days. There were no substantial changes in the appearance or odor of the liquids, or in the pH. Ketoconazole 20 mg/mL, metolazone 1 mg/mL, metronidazole 50 mg/mL, procainamide hydrochloride 50 mg/ mL, and spironolactone 25 mg/mL were stable for up to 60 days at 5 and 25 degrees C in three extemporaneously compounded oral liquids. INDEX TERMS: Anti-infective agents; Antifungals; Capsules; Cardiac drugs; Cherry syrup; Compounding; Containers; Diuretics; Incompatibilities; Ketoconazole; Liquids; Metolazone; Metronidazole; Polyethylene terephthalate; Powders; Procainamide hydrochloride; Spironolactone; Stability; Storage; Suspending agents; Tablets; Temperature; Vehicles.