Normal phase high performance liquid chromatography for determination of paclitaxel incorporated in a lipophilic polymer matrix

A normal phase (NP) high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for analysis of paclitaxel incorporated in poly(sebacic-co-ricinoleic acid), a lipophilic polymer matrix utilized for preparation of an injectable formulation for the localized delivery of paclitaxel. Thin layer chromatography experiments revealed that separation of paclitaxel from the polymer is dependent on the eluting strength (solvent strength) of the mobile phase. The HPLC system consists of a Purospher STRAR Si analytical HPLC column (5 microm, 250mm x 4mm, Merck), and 1-2.5% (v/v) methanol in dichloromethane as the mobile phase. Detection was by UV absorbance at 240 and 254 nm. The effect of the mobile phase composition on paclitaxel retention, peak shape and column efficiency, and the influence of the sample loading on the shape of the paclitaxel peak were studied. The mobile phases used for the chromatography consisted of 1.5% (v/v) methanol in dichloromethane. Paclitaxel was determined in the formulation and in the samples from degradation studies using UV detection at a wavelength of 254 nm. UV detection at 240 nm has advantages for following polymer matrix degradation products due to higher detector response at this wavelength. The utility of the proposed NP HPLC approach was demonstrated by assessment of intra- and inter-batch content uniformity, and by the determination of paclitaxel content after 7 and 60 days exposure of the paclitaxel-loaded polymer matrix to in vitro and in vivo degradation.     

Platinum-dihalide complexes with N-alkyl O-ethylthiocarbamates

Summary The thiocarbamic esters (L)ETC(EtOSCNHEt) and PTC (EtOSCNHPr) act as sulphur donors towards platinum halides, yielding the cis-[Pt(L)₂Cl₂], trans-[Pt(L)₂Br₂], [Pt(L)₃X]X (X = Cl or Br) and [Pt(L)₄]X₂ (X = Cl, Br or I) complexes. By addition of n-hexane to platinum chloride solutions in pure ligands the 16 adducts [Pt(L)₄]-Cl₂·2L have been isolated. The non-bonded ligand molecules are easily released to give the corresponding 14 complexes. The compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopy. The 14 and 16 complexes decompose in benzene to form the 13 species, except for [Pt(ETC)₄]I₂, which releases two ligand molecules to give trans-[Pt(ETC)₂I₂]. The 12 and 13 complexes have been tested for in vitro cytostatic activity against KB cells.     

Platinum(II) complexes of 8-quinolylmethylphosphonates: Synthesis,characterization and antitumour activity

A series of novel platinum(II) complexes of diethyl (8-dqmp) and monoethyl (8-Hmqmp) ester of 8-quinolylmethylphosphonic acid has been prepared and studied. It was shown that molecular or ionic complexes could be isolated by reaction of these organophosphorus ligands with [PtX₄]²⁻ (X = Cl, Br), depending on the acidity of the reaction solution. In the neutral medium diester formed dihalide adducts, trans-[Pt(8-dqmp)₂X₂] (1 and 2), with N-bonded ligand through the quinoline nitrogen. Under acidic conditions (pH < 3) both ligands gave the quinolinium salt complexes [LH]₂[PtX₄] (3 and 4, L = 8-dqmp; 7 and 8, L = 8-Hmqmp), with protonated quinoline ligand as cation and tetrahalidoplatinate complex as anion. By heating in methanol complexes 3 and 4 were converted into the corresponding dimeric hexahalidodiplatinum complexes, [8-Hdqmp]₂[Pt₂X₆] (5 and 6). The chelate complex [Pt(8-mqmp)₂] (9), with monoester ligand bonded through the quinoline nitrogen and the deprotonated phosphonic acid oxygen and forming two seven-membered {N, O} chelate rings, was obtained in neutral and basic media by reaction of platinum(II) halides either with sodium or hydrochloride salt of this monoester. The complexes were identified and characterized by elemental and thermogravimetric analyses, conductometric measurements, and by spectroscopic studies. In vitro antitumour activity of complexes was evaluated against the human epidermoid KB and murine leukaemia L1210 cell lines. These results were compared with those obtained for the palladium(II) complexes of the same phosphonate ligands and with those of platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes of diethyl and monoethyl 2-quinolylmethylphosphonate, in order to correlate the structural and biological properties of quinoline-based aminophosphonate compounds.     

The balance between side-chain and backbone-driven association in folding of the α-helical influenza A transmembrane peptide

The correct balance between attractive, repulsive and peptide hydrogen bonding interactions must be attained for proteins to fold correctly. To investigate these important contributors, we sought a comparison of the folding between two 25-residues peptides, the influenza A M2 protein transmembrane domain (M2TM) and the 25-Ala (Ala₂₅). M2TM forms a stable α-helix as is shown by circular dichroism (CD) experiments. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with adaptive tempering show that M2TM monomer is more dynamic in nature and quickly interconverts between an ensemble of various α-helical structures, and less frequently turns and coils, compared to one α-helix for Ala₂₅. DFT calculations suggest that folding from the extended structure to the α-helical structure is favored for M2TM compared with Ala₂₅. This is due to CH⋯O attractive interactions which favor folding to the M2TM α-helix, and cannot be described accurately with a force field. Using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and quantum theory atoms in molecules (QTAIM) calculations, 26 CH⋯O interactions and 22 NH⋯O hydrogen bonds are calculated for M2TM. The calculations show that CH⋯O hydrogen bonds, although individually weaker, have a cumulative effect that cannot be ignored and may contribute as much as half of the total hydrogen bonding energy, when compared to NH⋯O, to the stabilization of the α-helix in M2TM. Further, a strengthening of NH⋯O hydrogen bonding interactions is calculated for M2TM compared to Ala₂₅. Additionally, these weak CH⋯O interactions can dissociate and associate easily leading to the ensemble of folded structures for M2TM observed in folding MD simulations.