RP-LC Determination of the cis-Isomer of Glimepiride in a Bulk Drug Substance

A rapid reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure is developed and validated for the resolution of the cis-isomer of 1-[[p-[2-(3-ethyl-4-methyl-2-oxo-3-pyrroline-1-carboxamido) ethyl] phenyl] sulfonyl]-3-(trans-4-methylcyclohexyl) urea, a dopamine agonist in bulk drugs. The cis-isomer and glimepiride were baseline resolved on a Waters Symmetry column (50 × 4.6 mm, 3.5 μm) using a mobile phase system containing water: tetrahydrofuran (75:25; v/v. The chromatographic resolutions between cis-isomer and glimepiride were found to be greater than two. The developed method was extensively validated and proved to be robust. The limit of detection and the limit of quantification of cis-isomer were 500 and 1,500 ng mL⁻¹, respectively, for 10 μL injection volume. The percentage recovery of the cis-isomer ranged from 97.3 to 102.0 in bulk drug samples of glimepiride. Glimepiride sample solution and mobile phase were found to be stable for at least 48 h. The proposed method was found to be suitable and accurate for the quantitative determination of the cis-isomer in bulk drugs.     

Effect of the headgroup structure on the aggregation behavior and stability of self-assemblies of sodium N-[4-(n-dodecyloxy)benzoyl]-l-aminoacidates in water

Three amino acid-derived chiral surfactants, sodium N-[4-(n-dodecyloxy)benzoyl]-L-leucinate (SDBL), sodium N-[4-(n-dodecyloxy)benzoyl]-L-isoleucinate (SDBIL), and sodium N-[4-(n-dodecyloxy)benzoyl]-L-threoninate (SDBT), were synthesized, and their aggregation behavior was studied in aqueous solution. Surface tension, fluorescence probe, dynamic light scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gel permeation chromatography, circular dichroism, and optical as well as transmission electron microscopic techniques were utilized to characterize the self-assemblies formed by the amphiphiles. Results of these studies reveal that the surfactants have a very low critical aggregation concentration (cac) and they form spherical vesicles spontaneously in dilute aqueous solution. The mean diameters of the vesicles were measured to be in the range of 130-190 nm. 1H NMR spectra indicated hydrogen bonding between the amide groups near the surfactant headgroup, which is one of the driving forces for vesicle formation. The vesicle formation is more favored at a pH of about 7.0. The amphiphiles also form chiral helical aggregates at relatively higher concentrations as indicated by circular dichroism spectra. The stability of the vesicles was also evaluated with respect to the surfactant concentration, pH, temperature, and aging. The vesicles have a tendency to transform into elongated vesicles (closed tubules) or rodlike micelles with an increase of the surfactant concentration and/or pH. On the basis of the results obtained from different studies, phase diagrams for all three water/amphiphile systems have been constructed. The studies have further shown that the stereogenic center at the amino acid side chain has a significant effect on the aggregation properties of the amphiphiles and on the stability of the self-assemblies.     

Elastin-calmodulin scaffold for protein microarray fabrication

In this work, we report a new method to reversibly immobilize proteins to a surface in a functionally active orientation directly from cell lysate by employing a fusion protein consisting of a thermal-responsive elastin (ELP) domain as the surface anchor and a calcium-responsive calmodulin (CalM) domain for protein capturing. Incorporation of an M13 tag into recombinant proteins enables not only easy surface immobilization but also direct purification from cell lysates. The feasibility of concept was demonstrated using the M13-tagged yellow fluorescent protein (M13-YFP). The ELP-CalM functionalized surfaces were shown to capture M13-YFP directly from cell lysate through the specific calmodulin-M13 association in a calcium-dependent manner. We also demonstrated that immobilization is reversible; the bound proteins were released from the surface in the presence of EDTA.     

Synthesis of flower-like gold nanoparticles and their electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of methanol and the reduction of oxygen

This article describes the synthesis of branched flower-like gold (Au) nanocrystals and their electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of methanol and the reduction of oxygen. Gold nanoflowers (GNFs) were obtained by a one-pot synthesis using N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulphonic acid (HEPES) as a reducing/stabilizing agent. The GNFs have been characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electrochemical measurements. The UV-visible spectra show two bands corresponding to the transverse and longitudinal surface plasmon (SP) absorption at 532 and 720 nm, respectively, for the colloidal GNFs. The GNFs were self-assembled on a sol-gel-derived silicate network, which was preassembled on a polycrystalline Au electrode and used for electrocatalytic applications. The GNFs retain their morphology on the silicate network; the UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) of GNFs on the silicate network show longitudinal and transverse bands as in the case of colloidal GNFs. The GNFs show excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of methanol and the reduction of oxygen. Oxidation of methanol in alkaline solution was observed at approximately 0.245 V, which is much less positive than that on an unmodified polycrystalline gold electrode. Reduction of oxygen to H2O2 and the further reduction of H2O2 to water in neutral pH were observed at less negative potentials on the GNFs electrode. The electrocatalytic activity of GNFs is significantly higher than that of the spherically shaped citrate-stabilized Au nanoparticles (SGNs).     

Electronic, epr and magnetic studies of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with thiosemicarbazone (L1) and semicarbazone (L2) derived from pyrole-2-carboxyaldehyde

Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes are synthesized with thiosemicarbazone (L(1)) and semicarbazone (L(2)) derived from pyrole-2-carboxyaldehyde. These complexes are characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility measurements, mass, IR, electronic and EPR spectral studies .The molar conductance measurements of the complexes in DMSO correspond to non-electrolytic nature except Co(L1)2(NO3)2 and Ni(L1)2(NO3)2 complexes which are 1:2 electrolytes. All the complexes are of high-spin type. On the basis of spectral studies an octahedral geometry may be assigned for Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes except Co(L1)2(NO3)2 and Ni(L1)2(NO3)2 which are of tetrahedral geometry. A tetragonal geometry may be suggested for Cu(II) complexes.     

Spectroscopic study of association of a hemicyanine dye in mixed aqueous binary solvents

Electronic absorption and steady state emission properties of a hemicyanine dye [4-[4-(dimethylamino)styryl]-1-docosylpyridinium bromide], have been studied in several pure solvents and two mixed binary solvents (water+ethanol and water+acetonitrile). In pure solvents the band-width of the absorption spectrum correlates well with the Stoke's shift. In mixed aqueous solvents two different molecular forms of the solute, viz. the monomer and the dimer of the solute exists in equilibrium. Thermodynamic parameters (e.g. the Delta G degrees and Delta H degrees ) characterizing the equilibrium have been determined. While the value of Delta G degrees changes very slightly with the composition of the binary mixture, the value of Delta H degrees has been observed to depend significantly with solvent composition.     

The first, discrete Zn4 tetrahedron with a selenium atom in the center: x-ray structure and solution study of [Zn4(mu4-Se)[Se2P(OPr)2]6

The first discrete, selenium-centered tetranuclear zinc cluster [Zn4(mu4-Se)[Se2P(OPr)2]6] was isolated and characterized. The cluster consists of six edge-bridged dsep ligands with four zinc atoms in a slightly distorted tetrahedron and a mu4-Se atom in the center. In addition, 12 mu2-bridging selenium atoms form a Se12 icosahedron. From variable-temperature 31P NMR studies, it was observed that the cluster [Zn4(Se)[Se2P(OPr)2]6] is partly decomposed to [Zn[Se2P(OPr)2]2] and the monomeric species [Zn[Se2P(OPr)2]2] is further in equilibrium with its dimer [Zn[Se2P(OPr)2]2]2.     

Cationic vesicles as chiral selector for enantioseparations of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs by micellar electrokinetic chromatography

A vesicle-forming chiral cationic surfactant (1R,2S)-(-)-N-dodecyl-N-methyl-ephedrinium bromide was evaluated as a pseudo-stationary phase in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) for enantioseparation of eight non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs e.g., carprofen, flurbiprofen, fenoprofen, ibuprofen, indoprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen and suprofen by capillary electrophoresis. The effects of varying experimental conditions such as pH and concentration of surfactant in the running buffer on the enantiomer separation of the drugs are reported. A mixture of five of the above drugs was separated and each enantiomeric pair was also separated simultaneously in a single run by use of the surfactant. The strong electrostatic interactions between the analytes and the vesicles seemed to have a major role in the enantiomeric separation of the profens.     

Unified model to predict self-assembly of nonionic surfactants in solution and adsorption on solid or fluid hydrophobic surfaces: effect of molecular structure

We have developed a pseudo-phase model to predict the self-assembly of nonionic surfactants on hydrophobic solid or fluid interfaces and in bulk solution. The uniqueness of this model is that it provides the relationship between molecular structure and self-assembly in solution and on interfaces. This model requires the input of minimal new experimental data. The remaining model parameters may be calculated on the basis of the surfactant molecular structure. The validity of the model has been established by comparing predictions with a wide array of experimental data for nonionic surfactant adsorption at the hydrophobic solid-water interface and at the air-water interface. The same model is then used to predict the self-assembly in bulk solution. The model predictions for critical aggregation concentration, aggregate shapes, and adsorption isotherms of various surfactants are in good agreement with the experimental data available in the literature.