Voltammetric Determination of Antibacterial Nitro‐Compounds at Activated Carbon Fibre Microelectrodes

The electrochemical behavior of the nitrofuran antibiotics nitrofurantoin (NFA) and nitrofurazone (NFZ), as well as the related nitroimidazole drug, metronidazole (MNZ) at electrochemically activated carbon fibre microelectrodes (CFMEs) is reported. These nitrofurans have been widely used in the form of feed additives for the treatment of gastrointestinal infections in cattle, pigs and poultry. Electrochemical activation of CFMEs by repetitive square‐wave (SW) voltammetric scans between 0.0 and +2.6 V, produced an unexpected high cathodic response from these compounds. This is attributed to the increase of the carbon fibre surface area due to its fracture and the appearance of deep fissures along the main fibre axis. Penetration of the nitroderivative compounds into the micro‐channels of the activated fibres was profited to develop a sensitive and selective method for NFA based on stripping SW voltammetry. The metabolite of NFA, 1‐aminohydantoin (AHD), did not exhibit cathodic response in the potential range between ?0.9 and +0.1 V. However, AHD gave a SW oxidation signal at activated CFMEs, with a potential of +0.95 V, which did not appear at non‐activated microelectrodes. Based on this finding, the simultaneous determination of NFA and AHD was performed by amperometry using two activated CFMEs in a parallel configuration connected to a multichannel detector. This methodology was also used to carry out degradation studies of NFA in acidic and basic media under photodegradation or thermal degradation conditions.     

Analysis of Nitrofuran Residues in Animal Feed Using Liquid Chromatography and Photodiode-Array Detection

The analysis of four nitrofuran veterinary drugs, nitrofurantoin, furazolidone, furaltadone and nitrofurazone, was optimized using reversed-phase liquid chromatography with a monolithic column and photo-diode array detection. The antibiotics were extracted from animal feeds by heating with acetonitrile. The isocratic mobile phase consisted of a 8:92 (v/v) acetonitrile/phosphate buffer (pH 4.5) at a flow-rate of 1 mL min⁻¹. Peaks were identified by the retention characteristics and UV spectra. Detection limits in the water samples ranged between 0.21 and 0.27 μg L⁻¹, and in the feed samples between 2.1 and 2.7 μg kg⁻¹, depending on the nitrofuran. The procedure was applied to the control of nitrofuran residues in farm water for poultry and different animal feeds.     

Ultrasonic assisted functionalization of MWCNT and synergistic electrocatalytic effect of nano-hydroxyapatite incorporated MWCNT-chitosan scaffolds for sensing of nitrofurantoin

In the present work, we report the fabrication of stable composite of chitosan hydrogels (CHI) on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) using a simple ultrasonic-assisted method. Also, rod-like hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HA NPs) were synthesised using a hydrothermal route and were incorporated into the highly conductive MWCNT-CHI scaffolds using an ultrasonication method. The functionalization of MWCNT and preparation of HA NPs on MWCNT-CHI nanocomposite were done using the sonication over the frequency of 37 kHz with the ultrasonic power capable of 150 W (Elmasonic Easy 60H bath sonicator). The resulting hybrid HA NPs/MWCNT-CHI nanocomposites have an excellent surface area and high surface to volume ratio, which leads to the sensitive detection of nitrofurantoin than pristine MWCNT and HA NPs. The complete elemental and morphological analyses of the HA NPs/MWCNT-CHI nanocomposites were characterised by XRD, FTIR, RAMAN, FESEM, TEM, EDX, and elemental mapping techniques. Electrochemical analysis of the HA NPs/MWCNT-CHI nanocomposites was carried out by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and amperometry methods. The modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) of HA NPs/MWCNT-CHI nanocomposites exhibit the nitrofurantoin detection activity at the linear range of 0.005–982.1 µM with the detection limit of 1.3 nM. The synergistic electrocatalytic activity of HA NPs/MWCNT-CHI nanocomposites modified GCE is correlated to the sensitivity of 0.16 µAµM⁻¹ cm⁻² with excellent precision and accuracy towards the sensing of nitrofurantoin.     

A Simple and Sensitive Spectrofluorimetric Method for Analysis of Some Nitrofuran Drugs in Pharmaceutical Preparations

A simple, rapid, selective and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was described for the analysis of three nitrofuran drugs, namely, nifuroxazide (NX), nitrofurantoin (NT) and nitrofurazone (NZ). The method involved the alkaline hydrolysis of the studied drugs by warming with 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution then dilution with distilled water for NX or 2-propanol for NT and NZ. The formed fluorophores were measured at 465 nm (λ _Ex 265 nm), 458 nm (λ _Ex 245 nm) and 445 nm (λ _Ex 245 nm) for NX, NT and NZ, respectively. The reaction pathway was discussed and the structures of the fluorescent products were proposed. The different experimental parameters were studied and optimized. Regression analysis showed good correlation between fluorescence intensity and concentration over the ranges 0.08–1.00, 0.02–0.24 and 0.004–0.050 μg ml⁻¹ for NX, NT and NZ, respectively. The limits of detection of the method were 8.0, 1.9 and 0.3 ng ml⁻¹ for NX, NT and NZ, respectively. The proposed method was validated in terms of accuracy, precision and specificity, and it was successfully applied for the assay of the three nitrofurans in their different dosage forms. No interference was observed from common pharmaceutical adjuvants. The results were favorably compared with those obtained by reference spectrophotometric methods.     

Extraction of nitrofurantoin and its toxic metabolite from urine by supercritical fluids. Quantitation by high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection

A procedure is described for the determination of nitrofurantoin and its toxic metabolite in urine from patients with urinary infection using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and liquid chromatography. The standard solution of toxic metabolite (radical anion) was obtained by electrochemical reduction of nitrofurantoin in an aprotic medium and chemical reoxidation with oxygen. In our initial SFE studies to find the adequate extraction parameters, drug solutions were impregnated onto filter paper. Quantitative extractions were achieved when the experiments were carried out under 2500 psi of pressure at a temperature of 80 °C (oven and restrictor) after 20 min of static extraction and 5 min of dynamic extraction. The modifier used was acetonitrile (2.0 ml in a 10 ml extraction column). Nitrofurantoin and its toxic metabolite were detected in urine samples. Both compounds were quantified in the extracts by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with detection at 310 nm. The calibration graph of these compounds in acetonitrile was linear between 10.9 and 378.0 μM (R=0.9995) for nitrofurantoin and between 3.0×10⁻³ and 21.0 μM (R=0.9992) for the metabolite. The detection limits (LOD) were 12.1 and 0.9 μM, respectively. The drug was administered to two patients during 7 days, and all the urine eliminated between 1 day before and 2 days after administration was analyzed. One patient consumed the drug in the form of microcrystals and the other as macrocrystals.     

Simultaneuus Spectrophotometric Deermination of Phenazo-Pyridine and Nitrofurantoin in Tablets

Abstract

Two spectrophotometric methods are proposed for the simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of phenaaopyridine and nitrofurantoin in tablets. No preliminary separation step is required. The first method involves the use of the modified Vierardt equation as developed by Glenn. The second method is based on the spectral changes induced bg reduction using Zn/HCl; the absorption spectrum of nitrofurantoin completely disappears, Phenazopyridine on the other hand develops a new absorption spectra at 320 nm, the absorbance ratio of the peak at 380 nm to that at 320 nm could be adopted to develop a spectrophotometric method for the determination of both compounds in admixture. The suggested methods were applied to the determination of the two compounds in tablets, and the results obtained were accurate and precise.     

多通道光纤化学传感器连续在位监测固体制剂的体外溶出度

采用基于荧光猝灭原理的多通道光纤化学传感器连续在位监测固体制剂的体外溶出度。采用自制光纤荧光溶出度监测仪与ZRS－4型智能溶出仪联用，连续在位监测氧氟沙星片、甲硝唑片、呋喃妥因肠溶片的体外溶出度，溶出曲线经微机从五种常用数学模型中根据相关系数r值，优选最佳模型进行拟合。方法的回收率分别为97.4%－104.4%、97.4%-103.8%、96.6%-102.1%，日内、日间的RSD＜5％。经与中国药典2000版方法及美国药典23版方法对照，各时间药物累积溶出量和拟合后提取的参数均无显著性差异（P＞0.05）。     

Effect of aminoacids on the surface free energy of nitrofurantoin

Changes in nitrofurantoin surface free energy components, Lifshitz-van der Waals, _s ^LW , electron donor, _s ^– , and electron acceptor, _s ⁺ , due to adsorption of the aminoacids: lysine, alanine and glutamic acid, were determined by means of the thin-layer wicking technique. It was found that the aminoacids slightly increase the _s ^– component already at 10^–4 M concentration. They reduce the _s ⁺ component practically to zero, and a very sharp increase of _s ^– was observed when the nitrofurantoin surface was precovered from the solutions at concentrations larger tan 10^–4 M. It is concluded that the adsorption of the aminoacids takes place via hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between nitrofurantoin surface and aminoacid molecules. The increase in the _s ^– parameter is probably caused by the presence of carboxyl groups in the aminoacid molecules.     

The effect of humidity on dehydration behavior of nitrofurantoin monohydrate studied by humidity controlled simultaneous instrument for X-ray Diffractometry and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (XRD–DSC)

The dependence of thermal dehydration behavior of nitrofurantoin monohydrate on humidity was studied. Difference in observed crystallinity of resulting anhydrates under three humidity conditions is discussed in relation to the effect of water vapor molecules. Thermal dehydration of nitrofurantoin monohydrate was measured using a humidity controlled simultaneous measurement instrument for X-ray Diffractometry (XRD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) in dry, 27 °C 91% RH and 60 °C 90% RH nitrogen. Dehydration of nitrofurantoin in dry nitrogen gave a mixture of crystalline and amorphous anhydrates in the temperature range of 124–180 °C followed by crystallization around 185–190 °C. Whereas, dehydration in high humidity atmosphere (60 °C 90% RH or 17.7% H₂O–82.3% N₂) gave well crystallized anhydrate at 140 °C soon after dehydration. Dehydration in low humidity nitrogen (27 °C 91% RH or 3.2% H₂O–96.8% N₂) gave not totally crystalline anhydrate, which became pure crystalline at around 190 °C. The effect of high humidity on dehydration and crystallinity of the resulting anhydrate can be attributed to the role of water vapor molecules in two ways such as the acceleration of molecular mobility and high molecular diffusion rate of nitrofurantoin anhydrate, and the formation of hydrogen bonding bridges quickly connecting dehydrated molecules to one another.     

Antimicrobial performance of nanostructured silica–titania sieves loaded with izohidrafural against microbial strains isolated from urinary tract infections

This study aimed to examine the efficiency of novel bioactive nanostructures represented by silica–titania sieves used as carriers for a new antibacterial agent izohidrafural against bacterial strains isolated from nosocomial urinary tract infections, by using biological quantitative assays. Several release trials have been established and compared with MCM-41 in parallel experiments to achieve the optimum release profile. The obtained systems showed that silica–titania sieves loaded with izohidrafural proved to be the most active material against Klebsiella pneumoniae (average minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] 40.62 μg/mL), desaminase-positive strains (average MIC 2.925 μg/mL), and Proteus mirabilis (average MIC 9.37 μg/mL), the last being reported with the highest growth rate in the urinary tract catheters. In contrast, the nonloaded silica–titanium sieves exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive cocci. Izohidrafural exhibited the highest antimicrobial efficiency, superior to the common drug nitrofurantoin against most Escherichia coli strains, with average MIC of 4.68 μg/mL.