Simple method for the simultaneous determination of acetylcholine, choline, noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin in brain tissue by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A simple method for the simultaneous determination of acetylcholine, choline, noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin in brain tissue was developed by using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. These compounds are analysed in a single chromatographic run within 30 min with a simple sample clean-up procedure. The detection system consists of two electrochemical detector cells aligned in series: a glassy-carbon electrode for catecholamines and serotonin, and a platinum electrode for acetylcholine and choline. For the detection of the latter compounds, they were converted enzymatically into hydrogen peroxide through a column reactor with immobilized acetylcholinesterase and choline oxidase. A column of boronic acid gel was placed just ahead of the immobilized enzyme column to remove catecholamines, which caused interfering responses on the platinum electrode. Two equivalent analytical columns and a column switching were employed to speed up the serotonin assay. Simultaneous determination of these major neurotransmitters in rat brain regions was successfully carried out with the system described.     

Radio gas chromatography on capillary columns using a multi-column system (column-switching)

Summary A gas chromatographic system with capillary columns (fused silica) for the analysis of radiolabelled compounds is described. The system presented is based on a dual column gas chromatograph equipped with column switching facllity and a variable splitter at the column outlet combined with a dead-volume free adapter for the radioactivity monitor for continous measurement of radioactivity in the column effluent. The first column works as a separation column and the second is roughly shortened and used as a feed to the mass detector. The adjustment of the split ratio is regulated by the inlet pressures for the carrier gas supplying both columns. For mass detection all conventional systems can be used. Detection of radioactivity by a gas proportional counter (system based on a combustion technique). Three flow modes can be adjusted: a) total column effluent to the mass detector or b) to the radioactivity monitor, and c) simultaneous flow (dependent on the chosen split ratio) to mass-and radioactivity detectors. The system was developed for use in clinical chemistry and tested with labelled and unlabelled steroids. The method for peak identification by means of relative retention times and methylene units was possible also for radioactive peaks when a heart cutting technique was used. The radio gas chromatographic system presented allows the development of radiochromatograms with the same peak characteristics as in conventional capillary gas chromatography.Presented at the 14th International Symposium on Chromatography London, September, 1982     

Advances in Platinum Chemotherapeutics

The approved platinum(II)‐based anticancer agents cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin are widely utilised in the clinic, although with numerous disadvantages. With the aim of circumventing unwanted side‐effects, a great deal of research is being conducted in the areas of cancer‐specific targeting, drug administration and drug delivery. The targeting of platinum complexes to cancerous tissues can be achieved by the attachment of small molecules with biological significance. In addition, the administration of platinum complexes in the form of platinum(IV) allows for intracellular reduction to release the active form of the drug, cisplatin. Drug delivery includes such technologies as liposomes, dendrimers, polymers and nanotubes, with all showing promise for the delivery of platinum compounds. In this paper we highlight some of the recent advances in the field of platinum chemotherapeutics, with a focus on the technologies that attempt to utilise the cytotoxic nature of cisplatin, whilst improving drug targeting to reduce side‐effects.     

Interactions between cisplatin derivatives and mobile phase during chromatographic separation

Summary Althoughcis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) (cisplatin or CDDP) is widely used for the treatment of several kinds of tumour, its stability and metabolism in biological fluids have not been completely elucidated. Conditions in which mobile phases of formic or phosphoric acids interact with platinum derivatives during chromatographic separation performed by high performance liquid chromatography on-line with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICPMS) are investigated. During chromatographic separation of CDDP the formic acid mobile phase does not interact with CDDP itself nor with its hydrolysis products. In contrast, the phosphoric acid mobile phase interacts, not with the CDDP itself, but with its hydrolysis products which are present only in an aged aqueous solution, to generate two platinum phosphato-derivatives. This study suggests that the phosphoric acid has greater affinity for the CDDP hydrated complexes than formic acid and the latter is more appropriate for the study of cisplatin behavior in aqueous and biological media.     

Monitoring radioactive compounds in high-performance liquid chromatographic eluates: fraction collection versus on-line detection

This study compared two methods of monitoring radioisotopes in high-performance liquid chromatographic eluates (on-line radioactivity detector versus fraction collection and counting). Testing was accomplished by pumping solutions of tritiated water in acetonitrile--water mixture through the detector or to the fraction collector. At most solvent compositions, the detector's counting efficiency and detection limits were poorer than those of the scintillation counter. However, the reproducibility of the detector data was superior at acetonitrile concentrations of less than 50%. This was attributed to the difficulty in collecting fractions of small equal volumes at the lower organic solvent concentrations in short time intervals. We conclude that on-line monitoring with homogeneous detection is the preferred method for detecting radiolabeled compounds in high-performance liquid chromatographic eluates.     

The GC determination of cisplatin as platinum(II) from pharmaceutical preparations and blood sample of cancer patients

Summary A capillary gas chromatographic method is described for the determination of cisplatin based on the complexation of platinum(II) with bis(isovalerylacetone) ethylenediimine (H₂IVA₂en) and extraction in chloroform. The chromatography was carried out on a BP1 or a BP5 column with an FID. Copper(II), nickel (II) and palladium(II) separated completely and did not affect the determination of platinum(II). The method was applied of the determination of cisplatin in a pharmaceutical preparation and blood samples of cancer patients after infusion of cisplatin. The amounts of cisplatin in blood were found to be within 246–283 ng mL⁻¹ with a C.V. of 2.35–4.26%.     

Determination of Cisplatin and Carboplatin Anticancer Drugs by Non-suppressed Ion Chromatography with an Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Detector

Two non-suppressed ion chromatographic (IC) methods, one with an anion and one with a cation separation column, were investigated for first time to determine cisplatin and carboplatin anticancer drugs using inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry as a detector. The Shodex IC YK-421 (4.6?×?125?mm²) column was considered as the preferred separation column. The mobile phase in this case consisted of tartaric acid and boric acid. The flow rate was 1?mL/min and the injection volume was 20 μL. Separation was carried out in about 2?min with column temperature at 30°C after optimization. With cationic separation, the cisplatin elutes first, as opposed to the anionic one, where it elutes second. In addition, with both columns, a second peak for cisplatin appears which is attributed to a hydrolysis product of the drug. For the cation chromatographic method, the repeatability ranged from 3.1 to 5.9%, whereas the inter-day precision was 13.3 and 16.3% for cisplatin and carboplatin, respectively. The detection limits were 0.1?mg/?L Pt for both compounds. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of human urine with satisfactory recoveries indicating that there are no matrix effects.     

Platinum metallodrug-protein binding studies by capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: characterization of interactions between Pt(II) complexes and human serum albumin

Characterizing how platinum metallocomplexes bind to human serum albumin (HSA) is essential in evaluating anticancer drug candidates. Using cisplatin as a reference complex, the application of capillary electrophoresis (CE) to reliably assess drug/HSA interactions was validated. Since this complex is small compared to the size of the protein, the binding response could only be recognized when applying CE coupled to a (platinum) metal-specific mode of detection, namely inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This coupling allowed for confirmation of a specific affinity of cisplatin and novel Pt complexes to HSA, measurement of the kinetics of binding reactions, and determination of the number of drug molecules attached to the protein. As the cisplatin/HSA molar ratio increased, the reaction rate became faster with a maximum on the kinetic curve appearing at about 50 h of incubation at 20 times excess of cisplatin. The reaction was characterized as a pseudo-first order reaction with the rate constant k = 0.003 min(-1) at 37 degrees C. When incubated with a 20-fold excess of cisplatin, HSA bound up to 10 mol of Pt per mol of the protein. This is indicative for a strong metal-protein coordination occurring at several HSA sites other than the only protein cysteine residue. Structural analogs of cisplatin, bearing aminoalcohol ligands, showed comparable protein binding reactivity and stoichiometry but a common equilibrium was not reached even after one week of incubation. Also apparent was a two-step mechanism of the binding reaction. Results demonstrated the suitability of CE-ICP-MS as a rapid assay for high-throughput studying of drug/HSA interactions.     

Separation and identification of platinum adducts with DNA nucleotides by capillary zone electrophoresis and capillary zone electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry

Platinum adducts are supposed to be the cytotoxic lesions in DNA after platinum-containing anticancer therapy. Various adducts are formed upon interaction of platinum complexes with nucleotides, but contribution of individual adducts to antitumor activity and toxicity of platinum complexes still remains to be examined. A capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method is described that is suitable to separate individual platinum adducts. We investigated the formation of adducts following the reaction of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisplatin) with various DNA nucleotides. Baseline separation of unmodified and modified nucleotides (adducts) was achieved using uncoated fused-silica capillaries and basic separation buffers. In order to elucidate the observed peak pattern, a coupled CZE-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI)-MS approach was applied. After incubation of mononucleotides with cisplatin, monochloro, monoaqua and bifunctional adduct species were detected. Consequently, the migration order of nucleotides and individual platinum adducts could be determined. Moreover, the time-dependent conversion from monochloro to monoaqua and subsequently to bifunctional adducts was monitored. In conclusion, individual platinum adducts were separated by CZE and identified by CZE-ESI-MS. Formation and conversion of distinct species were confirmed. Potential applications comprise studies of novel platinum complexes, investigations of platinum-adduct formation with DNA, and determination of platinum-DNA adducts in cells.     

Conductivity monitoring of inorganic anions with a Cu(II)-containing poly(3-methylthiophene) electrode in single-column ion chromatography

An amperometric detector unit equipped with a Cu(II)-containing poly(3-methylthiophene) working electrode is described for the single-column ion chromatographic detection of electroinactive inorganic anions, such as F^?, Cl^?, Br^?, NO₂^? and NO₃^?. Chromatograms obtained with this unit and with a commercial conductivity detector are almost identical with regard to peak height. Thus, an amperometric unit employing this modified electrode can be used as a conductance monitor in ion chromatographic analysis. Although the responses of this electrode seem to be conductivity related, the detection principle is probably based on a dual mechanism involving equilibria between copper ions and various anions of the system in addition to simple conductivity changes associated with the passage of analyte plugs. This explains the difference in responses observed with platinum and stainless-steel electrodes used in the same cell configuration. The detector displays a linear range of at least two orders of magnitude on a logarithmic scale.     

Dialkyl bisphosphonate platinum(II) complex as a potential drug for metastatic bone tumor

Bisphosphonates have high affinity for hydroxyapatite (HA), which is abundantly present in bone. Also, platinum complexes are known that have a wide spectrum of antitumor activities. The conjugate of bisphosphonate and a platinum complex might have HA affinity and antitumor activity, and become a drug for metastatic bone tumor. In this study, the authors synthesized platinum complexes that had dialkyl bisphosphonic acid as a ligand, and evaluated the possibility of the synthesized complexes as a drug for metastatic bone tumor. The synthesized dialkyl bisphosphonate platinum(II) complex was characterized, and its stability in an aqueous solution was also confirmed. The synthesized platinum complex showed higher HA affinity than other platinum complexes such as cisplatin and carboplatin in an experiment of adsorption to HA. In vitro, the platinum complex showed tumor growth inhibitory effect stronger than or equal to cisplatin, which is the most commonly used antitumor agent. Moreover, the platinum complex showed a bone absorption inhibitory effect on the osteoclast. These results suggest potential of dialkyl bisphosphonate platinum(II) complexes as a drug for metastatic bone tumor.     

Swept-potential oxidative detection in flow streams

A swept-potential electrochemical detector, operated in the oxidative staircase voltammetric metric mode, is demonstrated for the high-performance liquid chromatography of a mixture of catecholamines. Voltammetric limits of detection are approximately 30 pg or 1 nM and chromatographic limits of detection are approximately 250 pg. The use of a platinum working electrode in a wall-jet cell configuration, with potential pulses for cleaning and activation between each sweep, results in a cell that has maintained a constant response for over a year without mechanical refinishing of the electrode surface.     

Using HPLC for the determination of platinum drugs in biological matrixes after derivatization with diethyldithiocarbamate

Challenges and pitfalls in the application of diethyldithiocarbamate derivatization for LC analysis of cisplatin and oxaliplatin, as well as the suitability of this method for different biological matrices with implications for use in routine practice have been identified. The LC of platinum drugs presents a significant challenge. They are polar compounds with poor retention on reverse phase packings. Cisplatin also exhibits poor absorption in UV and ionization in mass spectrometry. Therefore, we developed and optimized a derivatization approach for the LC analysis of total platinum in plasma, plasma ultrafiltrate, peritoneal fluid, and urine. Derivatization in urine proved to be difficult due to the complexity of the matrix, and extended testing was required. Our results highlight the important issues affecting the efficiency, reliability, and suitability of platinum drug derivatization. Although precolumn derivatization is less selective than its postcolumn counterpart, the application of precolumn derivatization is a simple, rapid, and universal approach for the determination of platinum drugs by HPLC. One of its major advantages is that it allows a more affordable analysis using UV detection without the need for additional high-end instrumentation such as a MS detector.     

氨·环己胺·羧酸根合铂(Ⅱ)类配合物的合成、抗肿瘤活性和与DNA的键合水平

本工作设计合成了6种新型氨·环己胺·羧酸根合铂!类配合物[Pt(NH3)(NH2)X2](a￣f)｛其中,X=CH3COO-(乙酸根),CH2ClCOO-(氯乙酸根),C6H5-COO-(苯甲酸根),p-CH3O-C6H4-COO-(对甲氧基苯甲酸根),p-CH3-C6H4-COO-(对甲基苯甲酸根),p-NO2-C6H4-COO-(对硝基苯甲酸根)｝。通过元素分析、摩尔电导、红外光谱、紫外光谱和1H核磁共振谱对配合物进行了表征。通过MTT法研究了配合物的体外抗肿瘤活性,通过流式细胞仪以及等离子体质谱研究了配合物对细胞周期的影响以及与细胞DNA的键合量;体外抗肿瘤活性测试表明,配合物(c￣f)对EJ和HL-602种肿瘤细胞表现出好的活性,而且配合物(c),(d)和(e)对EJ和HL-602种肿瘤细胞的活性高于临床用药顺铂;配合物(a￣f)对MCF-7、HCT-8和BGC-8233种肿瘤细胞的活性低于顺铂;它们能阻止HL-60和EJ细胞G2 M→G1期的进行;配合物(a￣f)与HL-60和EJ细胞的DNA键合量从大到小的顺序为:c>d>e>cisplatin>f>a>b。     

New Cisplatin Analogues—On the Way to Better Antitumor Agents

The clinical success of cisplatin (cis -diamminedichloroplatinum(II )) in antitumor chemotherapy has encouraged an all-out search for analogues with lower toxicity, improved therapeutic index and increased activity. Literally thousands of analogues, obtained by replacement of the ammine- and chloro-ligands by other amines and anionic ligands, respectively, have been systematically screened for activity in experimental tumor models. Some of these analogues have been selected for clinical evaluation, but only very few of them appear to be promising antitumor agents. More recently, cisplatin analogues have been designed and synthesized on the basis of, inter alia, the following considerations: 1) platinum complexes with carrier molecules as ligands should prove useful for achieving increasing drug concentration in tumor tissues; 2) platinum complexes with chemotherapeutic agents as ligands could afford polyfunctional drugs with synergistic action; 3) complexes containing more than one platinum atom might be more effective than complexes containing only one platinum atom; 4) platinum complexes could be used as sensitizers in radiation therapy. In this paper, we shall give a brief account of the “traditional” analogues, and then critically discuss what we believe could be the new trends in the design of cisplatin analogues.     

GC Determination of Cisplatin in Serum and Urine of Cancer Patients after Chemotherapy as Platinum (II) Pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate Chelate

A gas chromatographic procedure has been developed for determination of cisplatin from pharmaceutical preparation, serum and urine after chemotherapy of cancer patients as platinum(II) pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate chelate. The elution was carried from the column DB-1701 (30 m × 0.32 mm i.d.) coupled with FID detection. Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(III), Mn(II), Fe(III), Zn(II) and VO(II) when present together with Pt(II) separated completely and did not affect the determination of platinum. The linear calibration curve for platinum (II) was within 1–30 μg mL^?1 with a detection limit of 300 ng mL^?1. The amount of cisplatin detected from serum and urine was 250–325 and 20–116 ng mL^?1 with relative standard deviations (RSD) of 0.8–1.2%, and 0.9–1.2%. The % recovery of Pt from serum and urine by standard addition was 98 and 98.2% with RSD 1.4 and 1.1%.     

Glass capillary gas chromatography with simultaneous flame ionization (FID) and Hall® element-specific (HECD) detection

Two glass capillary gas chromatographic systems were equipped with inert effluent splitters which allowed simultaneous data acquisition using nonspecific and element-specific detectors. Simultaneous detection was achieved using the nonspecific flame ionization detector (FID) and the Hall^® electrolytic conductivity detector (HECD) operated in either the sulfur-or the nitrogen-specific mode. Typical application of the simultaneous detection system as applied to analysis of petroleum residues is briefly described. The Hall electrolytic conductivity detector can be made element specific for halogen-, sulfur-, or nitrogen-containing compounds. Simultaneous detection enhances the information yield from a single sample injection and proves to be a powerful complementary technique when used with computerized gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.     

Voltammetric/amperometric detection for liquid chromatography

A voltammetric/amperometric detector based on a dual-electrode electrochemical detector is described for liquid chromatography. The detector combines the advantages of both voltammetric and amperometric detection. A three-dimensional data array of current response as a function of both time (chromatographic domain) and potential (electrochemical domain) is obtained. From the chromatographic point of view, this allows post-experimental choice of the optimal detection potential. Different detection potentials can even be chosen for each chromatographic peak. Having the voltammetric data as well as the chromatographic data provides ready identification of chromatographically unresolved compounds and the ability to resolve such co-eluting compounds voltammetrically. The voltammetric data also provide a second method of peak identification for greater certainty in peak assignments. Voltammetric detection limits of less than 10 pmol of material injected on the column were achieved with this detection method. From the electrochemical perspective, voltammetric/amperometric detection provides a technique for obtaining hydrodynamic voltammograms with small amounts or small volumes of sample. Voltammograms can also be obtained for the individual components of complex mixtures without the need for isolation steps.     

氨·二甲胺·羧酸根合铂(Ⅱ)类配合物的合成、抗肿瘤活性和与DNA的键合水平

本工作设计合成了6种新型混胺羧酸根合铂(Ⅱ)类配合物[Pt((?)NH)(NH₃)X₂](a～f){其中，X=CH₃COO^-(乙酸根)，CH₃Cl COO^-(氯乙酸根)，CHCl₂COO^-(二氯乙酸根)，C₆H₅-COO^-(苯甲酸根)，p-CH₃-C₆H₄-COO^-(对甲基苯甲酸根)，p-CH₃O-C₆H₄-COO^-(对甲氧基苯甲酸根)}。通过元素分析、摩尔电导、差热分析、红外光谱、紫外光谱和 ¹H核磁共振谱对配合物进行了表征。通过MTT法研究了配合物的体外抗肿瘤活性，通过等离子体质谱研究了配合物与细胞DNA的键合量；体外抗肿瘤活性测试表明，配合物(a～f)对所测试的肿瘤细胞MCF-7、HCT-8和BGC-823没有表现出活性，但对EJ和HL-60两种肿瘤细胞表现出好的活性，而且配合物(d～f)对HL-60细胞的活性与顺铂相当。配合物(a～f)与HL-60细胞的DNA键合量与其作用浓度表现出一定的依赖性，从小到大的顺序为：cisplatin < c < b < a < f < e < d。