Separation of anabolic steroids by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

Summary The separation of seven analogous anabolic steroids was studied by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC). The retention order was found to be dependent on polarity. All of these steroids were well separated by the addition of organic modifiers to the separation buffer. Of the organic modifiers tested, 1-propanol gave the best separation, better than methanol or acetonitrile.     

Separation and identification of fullerenes by liquid chromatography

Summary The separation of fullerenes with a monomeric octadecylsilica bonded phase using n-hexane or toluene/methanol mobile phase systems is described. Analytical and preparative separations, incorporating on-line UV/VIS spectral measurements, confirmed the existence of large fullerenes such as C₇₆, C₇₈ and C₈₄. However, isomers of C₇₈ and C₈₄ were not conclusively found.     

Unusual C25 steroids produced by a sponge-derived Penicillium citrinum

[structure: see text] Structurally unique steroids, isocyclocitrinol A (1) and 22-acetylisocyclocitrinol A (2), were isolated from the extract of a saltwater culture of sponge-derived Penicilliun citrinum. The structures were established by analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data. The absolute structures were determined on the basis of X-ray structure analysis and application of modified Mosher's method. Furthermore, the structure of cyclocitrinol (3a) previously isolated from a terrestrial P. citrinum was revised as 3b. Compounds 1 and 2 showed weak antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus durans.     

Separation and identification of phenothiazine compounds by thin-layer chromatography

The chromatographic behavior of phenothiazine derivatives is studied by thin-layer chromatography with the use of Sorbfil silica gel plates in a binary benzene-methanol mixture of solvents. An empirical equation describing the dependence of the retention value (mobility R _f ) of the substance on the physicochemical properties of the eluent is proposed. The effect of interactions of different types on the value of their chromatographic retention is estimated; the relation of the obtained coefficients of equations for the substances under study is analyzed. The obtained empirical dependences are used to calculate the R _f values. The discrepancy between the calculated and experimental data is below 0.07.     

Anodic oxidation of ring A-aromatic steroids. Regioselective benzylic oxidation

A new method for benzylic alkoxylation and hydroxylation of 3-methoxy-estra-1,3,5(10)-trienes (I) is described. 9α- and 9β-methoxy- and 9α- and 9β-hydroxy-3-methoxy-estra-1,3,5(10)-trienes (II and III) were prepared by electrochemical oxidation in a methanolic or aqueous solvent supporting electrolyte (SSE).     

Separation of steroids using temperature-dependent inclusion chromatography

The influence of temperature on retention and separation of estrogens, progesterone derivatives and beta-cyclodextrin in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography has been studied. Steroids were detected using direct UV detection at 240 and 280 nm. Detection of beta-cyclodextrin was achieved using a post-column indirect photometric method. Chromatographic experiments were performed using an acetonitrile-water mobile phase (30%, v/v) and a wide range of column temperatures from 0 to 80 degrees C with 20 degrees C steps. Linear Van't Hoff plots were observed for steroids and beta-cyclodextrin when an unmodified binary mobile phase was applied. The retention of steroids was strongly influenced by temperature when the mobile phase was modified with beta-cyclodextrin at a concentration of 12 mM. Particularly, for 17beta-estradiol and 20alpha-hydroxyprogesterone a strong deviation from the linear Van't Hoff plots and a remarkable affinity for beta-cyclodextrin was observed. Polynomial regression calculations were performed to fit the set of experimental data points. Using third-order polynomial equations, minimum separation factor values (alphamin) were calculated for temperatures from -10 to + 100 degrees C with 1 degrees C steps. The best chromatographic conditions for separation of multicomponent samples were chosen. A possible retention mechanism for solutes in the presence of macrocyclic additives is discussed. The results presented describe the role of temperature in high-performance liquid chromatography systems in which the mobile phase is modified with an inclusion agent.     

Structures of epicatechin gallate trimer and tetramer produced by enzymatic oxidation

During black tea production, catechins and their galloyl esters are enzymatically oxidized to generate a complex mixture of black tea polyphenols. The role of galloyl ester groups in this process has yet to be determined. Enzymatic oxidation of epicatechin 3-O-gallate (1) yielded two new oxidation products, theaflavate C and bistheaflavate A, along with theaflavate A (2), a known dimer of 1 generated by coupling of the B-ring with the galloyl group. Theaflavate C is a trimer of 1 and possesses two benzotropolone moieties generated by the oxidative coupling of the galloyl groups with the catechol B-rings. Bistheaflavate A was found to be a tetramer produced by intermolecular coupling of two benzotropolone moieties of 2. From the structures of the products, it was deduced that oxidative coupling of galloyl groups resulted in extension of the molecular size of the products in catechin oxidation.     

Separation and detection of neuroactive steroids from biological matrices

This review is based on a selection of research papers published mainly in the last decade and it describes various analytical aspects of separation and detection of neuroactive steroids in biological matrices.     

Chemiluminescence from C2 produced by C3 oxidation

The reaction of molecular carbon vapor with oxygen has been studied in a flowing system. For an equilibrium disitribution of carbon molecular species at 2470 K, the dominant reaction observed was: C₃ + O₂ → C^*₂(d³II, ν′ = 1) + CO + O (or CO₂). Of the product species, only excited C₂ was detected. From these measurements a lower bound on the rate constant has been determined to be k ≥ 2 × 10^?12 cm³/s.     

Impact of progesterone administration on doping test of endogenous steroids

Progesterone (PROG) is a naturally occurring progestagen, which has been used to prevent preterm birth, control persistent anovulatory bleeding, and treat premenstrual syndrome in clinical practices. Studies on the metabolism of PROG have demonstrated that PROG is the precursor of other steroids such as 5β-pregnane-3α,20α-diol (PD), testosterone (T), and 17-hydroxyprogesterone. PD is the most commonly used endogenous reference compound (ERC) in the isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) analysis for doping control. It is expected that the PROG administration could affect the carbon isotope ratios (¹³C/¹²C, expressed as δ ¹³C-value) of PD and T metabolites, and lead to the false-negative or false-positive results in doping test. The influences of oral and intramuscular administration of PROG on the urinary steroid profile and carbon isotope ratios of steroids were investigated in this study. It was demonstrated that the urine concentrations and the δ ¹³C-values of PD were affected obviously. The depleted δ ¹³C-values of PD could be used to suggest PROG administration. Using PD as ERC may result in the distorted evaluation for suspicious urine sample in IRMS analysis when PROG is ingested. The 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol and 11β-hydroxyandrosterone could be used as the alternative ERCs in case of PROG administration. The carbon isotope ratios of androsterone (An) and etiocholanolone (Etio), two T metabolites, remained unchanged throughout the excretion study, which suggested that the δ values of An and Etio could still be used as the urinary markers of T administration even when PROG was administrated.