Application of the Iodide Ion-Selective Electrode in the Potentiometric Determination of Chloral Hydrate

Abstract

A simple and sensitive micro method for chloral hydrate determination based on oxidation with iodine in chloroform solution is described. The produced iodide ion in the extract is determined using the iodide ion-selective electrode by either a direct measurement, standard addition technique or potentiometric titration with standard silver nitrate solution. Samples containing 0.1 - 4.0 mg chloral hydrate are analyzed with an average recovery of 99-9% and standard deviation of 0.1%.     

Titrimetric Microdetermination of chloral hydrate by amplification reactions

A simple titrimetric method for estimation of 0.1–5 mg of chloral hydrate is presented. It depends on oxidation of an alkaline solution of chloral hydrate with a chloroform solution of iodine, removal of excess of iodine, oxidation of the resulting iodide with bromine, and iodometric titration of the iodate produced, giving 6-fold amplification. Alternatively, the iodide formed is oxidized with periodate, masking of the excess of periodate with molybdate at pH 3, and iodometric titration of the iodate, giving 24-fold amplification. The coefficient of variation does not usually exceed 2%, for above 1 mg of chloral hydrate but increases to 3.8% at the 0.1-mg level.     

Liquid chromatographic methods for chloral hydrate determination

Liquid chromatographic methods, based on reversed-phase (RP) and anion-exchange mechanisms, have been developed for chloral hydrate determination. Both methods are preceeded by derivatization of chloral hydrate. For RP separations, different reagents [namely dansylhydrazine and o-(4-nitrobenzyl)hydroxylamine] have been studied, but the best results have been achieved using 1,2-benzenedithiol with UV detection at 220 nm. The anion-exchange method is based on derivatization with NaOH to form sodium formate that is then analyzed by anion-exchange, with suppressed conductivity detection. Derivatization conditions were optimized in order to reach the best yield of reaction. The optimization of the procedure allowed to determine chloral hydrate with detection limits as low as 0.2 μg/l with good linearity and reproducibility. The anion-exchange method was also applied for chloral hydrate determination in a drinking water sample. A preconcentration procedure has also been studied.     

Investigation of the Chemical Composition,Antihyperglycemic and Antilipidemic Effects of Bassia eriophora and Its Derived Constituent,Umbelliferone on High-Fat Diet and Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

This study was designed to investigate the chemical profile, antihyperglycemic and antilipidemic effect of total methanolic extract (TME) of Bassia eriophora and isolated pure compound umbelliferone (UFN) in high-fat diet (HFD)- and streptozotocin (STZ)- induced diabetic rats. TME was subjected to various techniques of chromatography to yield UFN. Diabetes was induced after eight weeks of HFD by administration of STZ (40 mg/kg) intraperitoneally, and experimental subjects were divided into five groups. The diabetic control showed an increase in levels of blood glucose throughout the experiment. Treatments were initiated in the other four groups with glibenclamide (GLB) (6 mg/kg), TME (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) and isolated UFN (50 mg/kg) orally. The effect on blood glucose, lipid profile and histology of the pancreatic and adipose tissues was assessed. Both 200 and 400 mg/kg of TME produced a comparably significant decrease in blood glucose levels and an increase in insulin levels with GLB. UFN began to show a better blood sugar-lowering effect after 14 days of treatment, comparatively. However, both 400 mg/kg TME and UFN significantly returned blood glucose levels in diabetic rats compared to normal rats. Analysis of the lipid profile showed that while HFD + STZ increased all lipid profile parameters, TME administration produced a significant decrease in their levels. Histopathological examinations showed that treatment with TME and UFN revealed an improved cellular architecture, with the healthy islets of Langerhans and compact glandular cells for pancreatic cells distinct from damaged cells in non-treated groups. Conversely, the adipose tissue displayed apparently normal polygonal fat cells. Therefore, these results suggest that TME has the potential to ameliorate hyperglycemia conditions and control lipid profiles in HFD + STZ-induced diabetic rats.     

Characterization of the stereoselective biotransformation of ketamine to norketamine via determination of their enantiomers in equine plasma by capillary electrophoresis

A robust CE method for the simultaneous determination of the enantiomers of ketamine and norketamine in equine plasma is described. It is based upon liquid-liquid extraction of ketamine and norketamine at alkaline pH from 1 mL plasma followed by analysis of the reconstituted extract by CE in the presence of a pH 2.5 Tris-phosphate buffer containing 10 mg/mL highly sulfated beta-CD as chiral selector. Enantiomer plasma levels between 0.04 and 2.5 microg/mL are shown to provide linear calibration graphs. Intraday and interday precisions evaluated from peak area ratios (n = 5) at the lowest calibrator concentration are < 8 and < 14%, respectively. The LOD for all enantiomers is 0.01 microg/mL. After i.v. bolus administration of 2.2 mg/kg racemic ketamine, the assay is demonstrated to provide reliable data for plasma samples of ponies under isoflurane anesthesia, of ponies premedicated with xylazine, and of one horse that received romifidine, L-methadone, guaifenisine, and isoflurane. In animals not premedicated with xylazine, the ketamine N-demethylation is demonstrated to be enantioselective. The concentrations of the two ketamine enantiomers in plasma are equal whereas S-norketamine is found in a larger amount than R-norketamine. In the group receiving xylazine, data obtained do not reveal this stereoselectivity.     

Glucose Biosensor Based on Oxygen Electrode Part IV: In Vivo Evaluation of the Rechargeable Glucose Sensor

Abstract

A glucose monitoring system consisting of a pair of amperometric sensors: a glucose biosensor based on oxygen electrode and an oxygen sensor, two miniature potentiostats, an instrumentation amplifier and a data logger has been developed. The glucose sensor has linear response to the glucose concentration in vitro at 37°C up to 26 mM (480 mg/dL) in the phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4), and linear range up to 21 mM (380 mg/dL) in undiluted bovine plasma. The system was evaluated in vivo with the sensors subcutaneously implanted in healthy mongrel dogs. During the implantation the system output was continuously recorded. The results of short-term subcutaneous implantation of the integrated system demonstrated good agreement between the glucose concentration measured by the biosensor and that obtained using standard glucose determination methods. The delay-time between the tissue glucose level (measured by the biosensor) and the blood glucose level (obtained by standard methodology) was 3 to 10 minutes. During the chronic implantation the biosensor was refilled in vivo. Rejuvenation of the sensor response after refilling was observed demonstrating the potential of such sensors for long-term implantation.     

UV-sensitive indicators based on bromophenol blue and chloral hydrate dyed poly(vinyl butyral)

UV-sensitive indicators based on dyed poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) containing acid-sensitive dye (bromophenol blue, BPB) and chloral hydrate have been developed and used successfully to measure the integrated UV irradiance. This flexible film changes colour from blue to green and finally to yellow on exposure to UV irradiation. The radiation-induced change in colour was analysed spectrophotometrically at the absorption band maxima of 421 and 601 nm. The film responds faithfully to UVA, UVB and UVC radiation, showing a maximum sensitivity at 200 nm. Correlations were established between the incident energy of UV radiation and the change in absorbance of BPB/PVB films at 421 and 601 nm using irradiation wavelengths of 248.5, 298.8 and 366 nm. The assessment of the uncertainties, the effect of the irradiation wavelength and chloral hydrate concentration on the performance of BPB/PVB films and the post-irradiation stability in different storage conditions were investigated.     

Chloral Hydrate as a Water Carrier for the Efficient Deprotection of Acetals,Dithioacetals, and Tetrahydropyranyl Ethers in Organic Solvents

The efficient deprotection of several acetals, dithioacetals, and tetrahydropyranyl (THP) ethers under ambient conditions, using chloral hydrate in hexane, is described. Excellent yields were realized for a wide range of both aliphatic and aromatic substrates. The method is characterized by mild conditions (room temperatures or below), simple workup, and the ready availability of chloral hydrate. High chemoselectivity was also observed in the deprotection, acetonides, esters, and amides being unaffected under the reaction conditions. Products were generally purified chromatographically and identified spectrally. These results constitute a novel addition to current methodology involving a widely employed deprotection tactic in organic synthesis. It seems likely that the mechanism of the reaction involves adsorption of the substrate on the surface of the sparingly soluble chloral hydrate.     

Artifacts in the determination of intravenous anesthetics by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: Tramadol, the correlation between the structures of metabolites and impurity substances

The simultaneous determination of preparations used for multicomponent intravenous anesthesia (Promedol, tramadol, ketamine, diazepam, Thiopental, and phentanyl) and of their metabolites in blood and urine of surgical patients by chromatography-mass spectrometry was considered. Artifacts due to the Chromatographie interference of various preparations and their metabolites were revealed. The lability of the anesthetics and their metabolites in the course of sample preparation and analysis by gas chromatography (GC) was examined. The degradation products of the test preparations responsible for the generation of false positive results were found. Phentanyl, Promedol, ketamine, tramadol, Thiopental, diazepam, and their metabolites excreted with urine in the free forms were determined in the whole blood and urine of surgical patients. Bound forms of metabolites and the initial medicinal preparations excreted as complexes with glucuronic acid and other acids were also determined in urine. Metabolites and impurity substances in the intravenous anesthetics with similar mass spectra and retention times were distinguished. Methodological recommendations concerning the analysis of difficult-to-separate (by capillary gas chromatography) pairs of substances used for intravenous anesthesia and their metabolites are given. The following pairs of components are difficult to separate: Norpromedol-2-methylamino-5-chlorobenzophenon (a product of diazepam hydrolysis), norketamine-Promedol, and anhydrotramadol (a GC artifact)-ketamine. The cumulation of an impurity substance from the tramadol preparation, identified by us as epoxytramadol, in the body was examined.     

Detection of the adulteration of traditional alcoholic beverages by the separation and determination of alprazolam, chloralhydrate and diazepam using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

A simple, rapid and reliable reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the separation and determination of psycotropic substances viz., alprazolam, chloral hydrate and diazepam in traditional alcoholic beverages, such as toddy, has been developed. Separation was accomplished using a reversed-phase C18 column with water-methanol-acetic acid (35:65:0.1 v/v/v) as a mobile solvent and a photo-diode array detector at 210 nm. The limits of detection of alprazolam, chloral hydrate and diazepam were determined to be 0.8, 4.5 and 0.4 microg, respectively. The validity of the method was checked by analyzing nearly 200 samples collected from different outlets by enforcement authorities, and the extent of adulteration was determined.     

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of polyphenols from burs of Castanea mollissima Blume

Substantial evidence suggests that phenolic extracts of Castanea mollissima spiny burs (CMPE) increase pancreatic cell viability after STZ (streptozotocin) treatment as a result of their antioxidant properties. In the present study, the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of CMPE were studied in normal and STZ-induced diabetic rats CMPE were orally administrated at doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg twice a day for 12 consecutive days. Serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) level and SOD activity in liver, kidney, spleen and heart tissues were measured spectrophotometrically. In normal rats, no significant changes were observed in serum glucose, lipid profiles and tissue MDA and GSH levels after orally administration of CMPE. In diabetic rats, oral administration of CMPE at a dose of 300 mg/kg caused significant decreases in serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol levels, as well as MDA and GSH levels in spleen and liver tissues. However, the 300 mg/kg dosage caused a significant body weight loss in both normal and diabetic rats. The observed effects indicated that CMPE could be further developed as a drug to prevent abnormal changes in blood glucose and lipid profile and to attenuate lipid peroxidation in liver and spleen tissues.     

Size effects on the electrochemical oxidation of oxalic acid on nanocrystalline platinum

The electrocatalytic activity of platinised platinum (Pt Pt) electrodes in the electrooxidation of oxalic acid was found to be dependent on the degree of ageing. Pt Pt electrodes prepared by electrodeposition were aged by cycling the potential with an upper positive potential limit corresponding to Pt surface oxidation. This procedure results in surface reconstruction with an increase of mean particle size. The changes of surface area and roughness of Pt Pt during ageing have been discussed in terms of sintering processes for supported catalysts or ceramic materials. An increase of mean particle size is accompanied by a decrease in oxygen adsorption, e.g. through changes in the surface concentration of defects on the particle surface. Two possible mechanisms for the electrooxidation of oxalic acid involving either an oxygen adsorbate species (CE mechanism) or direct electrode transfer can be distinguished. Changes of oxidation rate are related to changes of oxygen coverage with ageing.     

Spectrophotometric Determination of Barbituric Acid

Abstract

Barbituric acid reacts with chloral hydrate in alkaline media, after heating for 1 min. at 100°C to give an orangish yellow colour having maximum absorbance at 450 nm. The reaction is selective for barbituric acid with 0.01 mg/ml as the visual limit of quantitation and provides a basis for a new spectrophotometric determination. The colour reaction obeys Beer's Law from 0.001 to 0.6 mg/ml and the relative standard deviation is 1.1%. The quantitative assessment of tolerable amounts of other drugs is also studied.     

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Titanium‐Supported Nickel Nanoflakes for Electrochemical Oxidation of Glucose

Titanium‐supported nanoscale flaky nickel electrode (nanoNi/Ti) was prepared by a hydrothermal process using hydrazine hydrate as a reduction agent. Its electrocatalytic activity as an electrocatalyst for the electrooxidation of glucose was evaluated in alkaline solutions using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometric responses (CA) and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS). The nanoNi/Ti electrode exhibits significantly high current density of glucose oxidation. A high catalytic rate constant of 1.67×10⁶ cm³ mol^?1 s^?1 was calculated from amperometric responses on the nanoNi/Ti electrode. Low charge transfer resistances on the nanoNi/Ti in 0.5 M NaOH containing various concentrations of glucose were obtained according to the analysis for EIS. Furthermore, amperometric data show a linear dependence of the current density for glucose oxidation upon glucose concentration in the range of 0.05–0.6 mM with a sensitivity of 7.32 mA cm^?2 mM^?1. A detection limit of 0.0012 mM (1.2 μM) M glucose was found. Results show that the prepared nanoNi/Ti electrode presents high electrocatalytic activity for glucose oxidation.     

Determination of chloral hydrate metabolism in adult and neonate biological fluids after single-dose administration

A simple, rapid and sensitive electron-capture gas chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of chloral hydrate, trichloroethanol and trichloroacetic acid in biological fluids. The described method is applicable to single-dose pharmacokinetic studies of chloral hydrate in the adult. The method also meets the important requirement of using very small sample volumes and is sufficiently sensitive and reliable for disposition studies in the neonate.     

On the Mechanism of the Organocatalytic Asymmetric Epoxidation of α,β‐Unsaturated Aldehydes

Mechanistic studies on the organocatalytic epoxidation of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes explore the autoinductive behavior of the reaction and establish that the hydrate/peroxyhydrate of the product is acting as a phase‐transfer catalyst. Based on these studies, an improved methodology that provides high selectivities and decreased catalyst loading, through the addition of chloral hydrate, is developed.     

Enzymatic Determination of Serum Adenosine-5-Triphosphate by Amperometric Measurement of the Rate of Oxygen Depletion

Abstract

ATP is determined by measuring the competition for glucose between a hexokinase-catalyzed dephospnorylation of ATP and glucose oxidase catalyzed oxidation of glucose. The ATP competition for glucose decreases the rate of oxygen consumption via the oxidation reaction, which is measured amperometrically with a Clark oxygen electrode. The decrease in the oxygen depletion is proportional to the concentration of ATP in the sample. A 10 to 50 μl sample is required and analyses are completed in 3 minutes or less.     

Specific Mass and Energy-Storage Properties of Carbon Electrodes Based on NORIT DLC SUPRA 50 Activated Carbon

The effect of the carbon-material specific mass on the electrochemical parameters of electrodes for supercapacitors on neutral aqueous electrolytes is studied. It is shown that the highest specific capacitance of 11 F/g is observed for electrodes with the specific mass of 1 mg/cm². These electrodes are stable at the potential scan rate from 2 to 600 mV/s, in contrast to electrodes with the specific mass of 6 mg/cm². As the power increases, the decrease in the specific energy of the electrode with the mass of 1 mg/cm² is less pronounced as compared with the electrode with the mass of 6 mg/cm². The specific energy of the former electrode is 8 W h/kg for the specific power of 20000 W/kg, whereas for the specific energy of the latter electrode is 5 W h/kg for the specific power of 2000 W/kg.

     

Long–term Drifts in Sensitivity Caused by Biofouling of an Amperometric Oxygen Sensor

Changes in oxygen sensitivity of an poly(o‐phenylenediamine) (PoPD) coated gold electrode was determined by constructing calibration curves in vitro. Oxygen sensitivities recorded in the presence of biofoulants were significantly different from those recorded in buffer; however, PoPD demonstrated its effectiveness in providing some resistance to changes in oxygen sensitivity over time compared to a bare electrode. Three sets of PoPD‐coated electrodes were calibrated in simple electrolyte of phosphate buffered saline; each set yielding an average oxygen sensitivity of 0.58±0.03 μA/ppm, 0.68±0.01 μA/ppm, and 0.48±0.01 μA/ppm (n=4), which shows the electrode to electrode variation in the PoPD‐coating/electrode. These sets were correspondingly exposed to bovine serum albumin, fibrinogen, rat brain homogenate. Exposure to these biofoulants resulted in decreases in sensitivity ranging from 26–35 % after immediate exposure. Furthermore, long‐term exposure to some biofoulants causes significant decreases in sensitivity over a time period of 14 days. We also estimated through in vitro exposure to rat brain homogenate the errors that might be associated with current methods of calibration. Sensitivities to oxygen determined by precalibration resulted in a 50 % error from the sensitivity found in vitro; the error from postcalibration after rinsing resulted in 25 % error.     

Analysis of the heterogeneity of pO2 dynamics during photodynamic therapy with verteporfin.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin provides a reliable way to destroy malignant tissues. Changes in the blood flow and oxygen partial pressure (pO2) during verteporfin-PDT were studied here in the tumor tissue of the rat mammary R3230Ac carcinoma model. Oxygen microelectrodes (6-12 microns tip diameter) were used to measure the transients locally within tumors during intravenous injection of 1.0 mg/kg verteporfin followed by irradiation 15 min later with 690 nm light at 200 mW/cm2, for a cumulative dose of 144 J/cm2. The observed changes in pO2 were heterogeneous and there was a difference in the response of low-pO2 regions relative to higher-pO2 regions. The change in pO2 in hypoxic tissue regions (pO2 < 8 mmHg) had acute pO2 loss after treatment, whereas the response in regions of higher pO2 (> 8 mm Hg) was more heterogeneous with some areas maintaining their pO2 value after treatment was completed. Blood flow measurements taken on a subset of the animals indicated a significant loss in flow during the initial light delivery that remained low after treatment, indicating some vascular stasis. The results suggest that hypoxic or poorly perfused vessels may be more susceptible to acute stasis than normoxic vessels in this treatment protocol.