Validation of an HPLC method for quantitation of MDMA in tablets

An isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method is developed and validated for the quantitation of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in tablets. The chromatographic separation is achieved with potassium phosphate buffer (pH 3.2)-acetonitrile (9:1, v/v) as mobile phase, a Chromspher B column, and UV detection at 210 nm. The calibration curve is linear from 1.4 to 111 microg/mL. The percent relative standard deviation for intra- and interday precision studies is 2.7% each. The measurement uncertainty is estimated to 9%. The method is specific and successfully used for routine quantitation of MDMA in tablets.     

Validation of the HS-GC-FID method for the determination of ethanol residue in tablets

This paper describes the validation of a HS-GC-FID method (based on the Pharmacopeia’s method) for the determination of ethanol content in tablets. A general view of the procedure development/optimization process is presented. The main point of this study is the calculation of validation parameters. Selectivity of the method was determined. Linearity (r > 0.997) was observed in the range from 9.0 to 3,040 μg of ethanol per sample (because the mass of the tablets used was around 200 mg, this corresponds to 45–15,200 μg g⁻¹). The method showed good recoveries (average 99.0%), and a relative standard deviation for repeatability and intermediate precision of 4.5% and 5.5% respectively. The limit of detection was calculated to be 3.0 μg of ethanol per sample (15 μg g⁻¹). The uncertainty budget was done according to the "Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement" (GUM)[1], and a relative expanded uncertainty was estimated as 4.8%.     

Practical method validation: Validation sufficient for an analysis method

Validation of an analysis method depends on the purpose of the method, the chosen technique and the procedure in question. Methods are used for different research, product development, process control and quality control purposes. The human and economical importance of results vary. Each of the techniques used, such as chromatography-(HPLC, HRGC, TLC), capillary electrophoresis-(CE), spectrophotometry-(UV/VIS, IR, fluorescence, AAS, ICP) or spectrometric techniques (NMR, MS) as well as the hyphenated methods, have their own special features and deficiencies which must be considered. The method can include a simple pretreatment or it may include many demanding steps, it can use automation and data processing in various ways, it can have an official status, it can be a thoroughly verified or less studied one. How should these differences be accounted for during the validation? What would be a sufficient certainty that the method does what is expected, that the method fits for the purpose it was intended? The client (or authority) decides the required timetable, cost and quality level. This is why within a laboratory different quality levels and associated levels of validation exist. This paper tries to outline a practical test frame for validation efforts to assist the analyst when planning validation of a method.     

Validation of a gas chromatographic method for determination of fatty alcohols in 10 mg film-coated tablets of policosanol

A gas chromatographic method using a packed column and 1-eicosanol as an internal standard was validated for the determination of the fatty alcohols that compose policosanol in 10 mg film-coated tablets. The alcohols were determined as trimethylsilyl derivatives, prepared with N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide. The method can detect degradation products with high retention times, without interfering with the peaks of the active principle. Good linearity (correlation coefficient = 0.9992) and accuracy (mean recovery -100.27 +/- 1.66%) were proven over a range of 25-200% of the nominal concentration. Within- and between-day precision at the nominal 100% value met the acceptance criteria (<2%). Ruggedness was examined through an intralaboratory experimental study in which 6 operational changes were made; the changes were found to have no effect on quantitation, repeatability, resolution, and relative retention time. The method is suitable for the quality control process and stability studies of these tablets.     

Validation of a gas chromatographic method for determining fatty alcohols that compose policosanol in five-milligram film-coated tablets.

A gas chromatographic method using a packed column and 1-eicosanol as an internal standard was developed and validated for determination of the aliphatic fatty alcohols that compose policosanol in 5 mg film-coated tablets. The alcohols were analyzed as trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives, prepared with N-methyl-N-trimethylsilylfluoroacetamide. The method can detect degradation products with high retention times without interfering with the peaks of the active principle. Good linearity (correlation coefficient = 0.9996) and accuracy (recovery = 100.44%) were proven over a range of 50-150% of the nominal concentration. Within-day and between-day precisions at the nominal 100% value met the acceptance criteria (< 2%). Ruggedness was examined through an intralaboratory experimental study in which 7 operational changes were made and the observed results were quantitation, repeatability, resolution, and relative retention time. Among these results, only the relative retention time (tC28,C20) was significantly affected when the column used was 2.1 m instead of 3.1 m. Repeatability and reproducibility (r = 0.1506 and R = 0.2450, respectively) were obtained from a uniform-level interlaboratory test. The method is suitable for quality control and stability studies of these tablets.     

Development and validation of an ultra-fast liquid chromatographic method for the quality control of famotidine formulations using a short monolithic stationary phase

An HPLC method for the quality control of famotidine (FMT) containing formulations has been developed and validated. The combination of a short monolithic column (Chromolith® RP-18e 50 × 4.6 mm i.d.) and an elevated flow rate (3.0 mL min^?1) enabled the proposal of a high-throughput analytical scheme capable of reliable operation in a demanding industrial environment. Detection was carried out at 265 nm. Thorough validation of the method included linearity (5–150%), limits of detection (0.13%) and quantification (0.41%), selectivity, precision (within- and day-to-day), accuracy and ruggedness. The new method was applied successfully to the analysis of samples (assay, dissolution, dosage &; blending uniformity) during the production of four validation batches of FMT-containing tablets.     

Validation of chemical separation method for the determination of 63Ni using TDCR technique in steel samples of APSARA reactor

Activity Standards of ⁶³Ni was used to benchmark our triple-to-double coincidence ratio (TDCR) primary standardization instrument Hidex 300SL TDCR device under different chemical and colour quench conditions. The results were compared with a secondary standardization instrument Tricarb 2910TR that employs transformed spectral index of external standard to assess the quench level of samples. Excellent agreement was observed (within 3 %) for a wide range of standard activity and quench conditions. The method was subsequently used for validating chemical separation procedure for estimation of ⁶³Ni in neutron activated standard nickel and steel samples. Further the method was applied for estimation of ⁶³Ni from decommissioning waste of a research reactor, APSARA.     

Validation of an HPLC method for the determination of *-dichlorobenzene and naphthalene in mothrepellents

 The determination of dichlorobenzene and naphthalene in commercial repellents used in Spain has been validated. This was done using an isocratic regime, to test the reverse -phase HPLC system with acetonitrile: water 65 : 35 (v: v) as the mobile phase, at 20  °C. This technique is proposed for the modular validation of the HPLC system . The results obtained with this method show good agreement with the results provided by the manufacturers of the mothrepellents. Received: 21 December 1998 / Accepted: 4 May 1999     

Validation of an HPLC-MS-MS method for the determination of urinary S-benzylmercapturic acid and S-phenylmercapturic acid

A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (HPLC-MS-MS) method is presented and evaluated for the determination of S-benzylmercapturic acid (S-BMA) and S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) in human urine. Both of these compounds are important for occupational health owing to their use as biomarkers of exposure to toluene and benzene, respectively. Toluene is used extensively as a solvent, and the health hazards of benzene have been well established. The optimized urine sample preparation scheme consists of solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by an acetone wash. The chromatographic analysis consists of a reversed-phase gradient system, which uses electrospray ionization in negative-ion mode with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometric detector. Accuracy and precision of this method are demonstrated by a series of recovery studies of spiked human urine and synthetic urine substitute. Spike levels at 1, 2, 6, 8, and 30 ng/mL for both analytes demonstrate average recoveries (accuracy) ranging from 99 to 110%. Precision as measured by the relative standard deviation (%RSD) of multiple samples (n=9) at each concentration level was 5.3% or less for both analytes in urine. The limit of detection (LOD) is approximately 0.2 ng/mL for S-BMA and S-PMA. This data, other figures of merit and other factors, such as ion suppression of the electrospray ionization source, are discussed.     

HPLC method for the analysis of cyproterone acetate in tablets

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is described for the analysis of cyproterone acetate in tablets. This steroid is extracted and quantitated using a C18 column. This procedure is shown to be rapid, simple, and valid in terms of recovery, linearity, and precision. Application of this method to analyze dilute samples obtained from dissolution testing is demonstrated.     

Validation of a new reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for separation and quantification of bovine milk protein genetic variants

A new RP-HPLC method for the separation and quantification of the most common genetic variants of bovine milk proteins is described. A reversed-phase analytical column C8 (Zorbax 300SB-C8 RP, 3.5 microm, 300A, 150 x 4.6 I.D.) was used. All the most common casein (CN) and whey protein genetic variants, including beta-CN(I) were detected and separated simultaneously in less then 40 min, with the exception of alpha(S1)-CN(B) and CN(C) variants. Purified protein genetic variants were employed in calibration and showed different absorbances at 214 nm. The procedure was developed using 40 raw individual milk samples of cows belonging to four different breeds and certified skim milk powder BCR-063R. Method validation consisted in testing linearity, repeatability, reproducibility and accuracy. A linear relationship (R(2)>0.99) between the concentrations of proteins and peak areas was observed over the concentration range, with low detection limits. Repeatability and reproducibility were satisfactory for both retention times and peak areas. The RSD of peak areas ranged from 0.92 to 4.32% within analytical day and from 0.85 to 9.52% across analytical days. The recoveries, calculated using mixtures of samples previously quantified, ranged from 98.1 to 103.7%.     

Developing an antituberculosis compounds database and data mining in the search of a motif responsible for the activity of a diverse class of antituberculosis agents

A novel data mining procedure to look for new antitubercular agents and targets as well as to find a minimum common bioactive substructure (MCBS), has been reported here. The methodology extracts MCBS, both across the diverse chemical classes and within the particular chemical class, known to be present in the various marketed drugs alongside antimycobacterial compounds with known MICs. For this purpose a small in-house database of compounds has been created, for which MICs against Mycobacterium are known. The compounds have been collected from literature available on the synthetic compounds, having known MICs against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. An elaborate HQSAR (Hologram QSAR) study has been attempted to extract active fragment from a diverse class of compounds, in combination with the clustering technique to select a homogeneous group of compounds having good a profile toward the activity. The 2D pharmacophore (the 2D fragments extracted from HQSAR) has been validated searching the database. It has been found further that this validated 2D pharmacophore could be used for searching the orphan target in Mycobacterium effectively.     

Validation and application of an analytical method for monomethylmercury quantification in aquatic plant tissues

An analytical methodology for monomethylmercury (MMHg) determination in aquatic plant tissues with low detection limit (346 pg g⁻¹) is proposed. It consists of acid digestion (HBr/CuSO₄), cleanup step with a Na₂S solution, pre-concentration procedure using a dithizone solution in toluene and quantification by GC–ECD. The performance of the methodology has been tested by determining the MMHg concentrations in the certified reference material Fucus Sea Plant Homogenate—IAEA-140/TM (CRM) and in leaves, stems and roots of the salt marsh plants Sarcocornia fruticosa and Halimione portulacoides. The results obtained for CRM were not statistically different ( = 0.056) from the certified value and repeatability was lower than 2.5% for the plant samples analyzed. This coefficient of variation was similar to those obtained in the externally quality control using within-batch and between-batch (<1.4%).     

A new spectrophotometric method for the determination of finasteride in tablets

A simple, rapid, accurate, precise and sensitive colorimetric method for the determination of finasteride in tablets is described. The proposed methods are based on the formation of ion-pair complexes between the examined drug with bromophenol blue (BPB), bromocresol green (BCG) and bromothymol blue (BTB), which can be measured at the optimum lambda(max). Beer's law is obeyed in the concentration ranges 3.0-15.0, 3.0-15.0 and 5.0-20 microg/mL with BPB, BCG and BTB, respectively. The detection limits of FIN was found to be 1.16 microg/mL for BPB, 1.17 for BCG, 1.76 microg/mL for BTB. All the methods gave similar results and were validated for selectivity, linearity, precision and sensitivity. The proposed methods were directly and easily applied to the pharmaceutical preparation with accuracy, resulting from recovery experiments between 100.11 and 100.33% for BPB, 100.17 and 100.67% for BCG and 100.33 and 100.60% for BTB methods. The low relative standard deviation values indicate good precision and high recovery values indicate accuracy of the proposed methods. The proposed methods have been applied to the determination of drug in commercial tablets. Results obtained from the analysis of commercial preparations with the proposed methods are in good agreement with those obtained with the official HPLC method.     

A sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of desloratadine in tablets

A simple, rapid, and sensitive visible spectrophotometric method was developed, for the first time, for analysis of desloratadine (DE) in tablets. The method is based on the deep-blue colored TCNQ*- radical anion formed by interaction of the drug (n-donor) with 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ, pi-acceptor) in acetonitrile at ambient temperature. Optimum conditions for the reaction were investigated, absorbances were read at 843 nm, and the linearity range for concentrations of DE was found to be 1.5-13 microg/mL. The reaction product remains stable up to 8 h when kept at room temperature in the dark. The developed method was validated and successfully applied to the determination of DE in tablets. The tablets were also analyzed with a column liquid chromatography method reported in literature. The results from both methods were statistically compared by t- and F-tests. No significant difference was found for the means and standard deviations at 95% confidence level. Accuracy was examined through recovery studies. Being very simple and reliable, the method can be recommended for routine quality control analysis of DE in tablets.     

Validation of an analytical LC-MS/MS method in human plasma for the pharmacokinetic study of atomoxetine

This study aimed to validate a sensitive and reliable analytical method for the pharmacokinetic study of atomoxetine in human plasma by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. Metoprolol was used as an internal standard. After liquid-liquid extraction with methyl t-butyl ether, the supernatant was evaporated. The residue was then reconstituted and an aliquot was injected into the high performance liquid chromatographic system. Separation was performed on a Phenomenex Luna C₁₈ column (2.0 mm × 100 mm, 3 μm particles) with a mobile phase of 10 mM ammonium formate buffer: methanol = 10: 90 (v/v). Tandem mass spectrometry was performed in the electrospray ionization positive ion mode using the multiple reaction monitoring mode for quantification. The mass transition pairs of m/z 256 → 44 for atomoxetine and m/z 268 → 116 for the internal standard were used. The flow rate of the mobile phase was 0.25 mL/min and the retention times of atomoxetine and the internal standard were found to be 1.0 and 0.9 min, respectively. The calibration curve for atomoxetine was linear in the concentration range of 1–750 ng/mL (r ² = 0.9992) with a lower limit of quantification of 1 ng/mL. The mean accuracy for atomoxetine was 93–102%. The coefficients of variation (precision) in the intra- and inter-day validation for atomoxetine were 4.0–6.8 and 1.1–9.6%, respectively. The pharmacokinetic parameters of atomoxetine were evaluated after administration of a 40-mg single oral dose to twelve healthy male volunteers. The mean AUC_{0–24 h}, C _max, T _max and T _1/2 for atomoxetine were 1.9 ± 0.8 μg h/mL, 0.34 ± 0.11 μg/mL, 1.0 ± 0.5 h and 3.9 ± 1.3 h, respectively.