Polarographic Determination of Lisinopril in Pharmaceuticals and Biological Fluids Through Treatment with Nitrous Acid

 A simple and highly sensitive polarographic method was developed for the determination of lisinopril in dosage forms and biological fluids. The method is based on treatment of the compound with nitrous acid followed by measuring the cathodic current produced by the resulting nitroso derivative. The polarographic behavior was studied adopting direct current (DC_t), differential pulse (DP) and alternating current (AC_t) polarography. A well-defined, diffusion-controlled cathodic wave over the pH range of 1.0–8.0 was obtained in Britton-Robinson buffers (BRb). At pH 3.0, the value of limiting diffusion-current constant (K) was 8.42 ± 0.23 (n = 7). The limiting diffusion current-concentration relationship was found to be rectilinear over the range of 2–24 μg/mL and 0.1–20 μg/mL using DC_t and DP polarographic modes, respectively. The minimum detectability was (S/N = 2) 0.02 μg/mL (4.54 × 10⁻⁸ M). The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of lisinopril either per se or in dosage forms and the results obtained were in good agreement with those given using a reference method. The proposed method was further applied to the determination of lisinopril in spiked human urine and plasma. The percentage recoveries adopting the DP polarographic mode were 99.71 ± 1.87 and 97.16 ± 1.09, respectively. Received October 18, 2001; accepted July 31, 2002     

Molecular dynamics of amorphous/crystalline polymer blends studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy

The molecular dynamics of poly(vinyl acetate), PVAc, and poly(hydroxy butyrate), PHB, as an amorphous/crystalline polymer blend has been investigated using broadband dielectric spectroscopy over wide ranges of frequency (10⁻² to 10⁵ Hz), temperature, and blend composition. Two dielectric relaxation processes were detected for pure PHB at high and low frequency ranges at a given constant temperature above the T_g. These two relaxation peaks are related to the α and α′ of the amorphous and rigid amorphous regions in the sample, respectively. The α′-relaxation process was found to be temperature and composition dependent and related to the constrained amorphous region located between adjacent lamellae inside the lamellar stacks. In addition, the α′-relaxation process behaves as a typical glass relaxation process, i.e., originated from the micro-Brownian cooperative reorientation of highly constraints polymeric segments. The α-relaxation process is related to the amorphous regions located between the lamellar crystals stacks. In the PHB/PVAc blends, only one α-relaxation process has been observed for all measured blends located in the temperature ranges between the T_g’s of the pure components. This last finding suggested that the relaxation processes of the two components are coupled together due to the small difference in the T_g’s (ΔT_g = 35 °C) and the favorable thermodynamics interaction between the two polymer components and consequently less dynamic heterogeneity in the blends. The T_g’s of the blends measured by DSC were followed a linear behavior with composition indicating that the two components are miscible over the entire range of composition. The α′-relaxation process was also observed in the blends of rich PHB content up to 30 wt% PHB. The molecular dynamics of α and α′-relaxation processes were found to be greatly influenced by blending, i.e., the dielectric strength, the peak broadness, and the dielectric loss peak maximum were found to be composition dependent. The dielectric measurements also confirmed the slowing down of the crystallization process of PHB in the blends.     

Fibrinolytic Serine Protease Isolation from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</Emphasis> An6 Grown on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mirabilis jalapa</Emphasis> Tuber Powders

In this study, Mirabilis jalapa tuber powder (MJTP) was used as a new complex organic substrate for the growth and production of fibrinolytic enzymes by a newly isolated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens An6. Maximum protease activity (1,057 U/ml) with casein as a substrate was obtained when the strain was grown in medium containing (grams per liter) MJTP 30, yeast extract 6, CaCl₂ 1, K₂HPO₄ 0.1, and K₂HPO₄ 0.1. The strain was also found to grow and produce extracellular proteases in a medium containing only MJTP, indicating that it can obtain its carbon, nitrogen, and salts requirements directly from MJTP. The B. amyloliquefaciens An6 fibrinase (BAF1) was partially purified, and fibrinolytic activity was assayed in a test tube with an artificial fibrin clot. The molecular weight of the partially purified BAF1 fibrinolytic protease was estimated to be 30 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration. The optimum temperature and pH for the caseinolytic activity were 60 °C and 9.0, respectively. The enzyme was highly stable from pH 6.0 to 11.0 and retained 62% of its initial activity after 1 h incubation at 50 °C. However, the enzyme was inactivated at higher temperatures. The activity of the enzyme was totally lost in the presence of phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, suggesting that BAF1 is a serine protease.     

Indirect determination of organic compounds by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry

A review of the published methods for analysis of organic compounds by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry is given. Most of the applications are based on precipitation of metal compounds or solvent extraction of metal chelates or ion-association complexes. Although many of the methods offer great sensitivity, simplicity, and speed of analysis, few have been widely accepted by analysts, but some have proved to be satisfactory in field trials.     

Existence and uniqueness of positive solutions of a system of nonlinear algebraic equations

In this paper we consider the nonlinear system \(\gamma _i(x_i)=\sum _{j=1}^{m}g_{ij} (x_j)\), \( 1\le i \le m\). We give sufficient conditions which imply the existence and uniqueness of positive solutions of the system. Our theorem extends earlier results known in the literature. Several examples illustrate the main result.     

Metal complexes derived from hydrazoneoxime ligands: III – Synthesis,characterization and electrospray ionization mass spectra of some nickel(II) complexes with aroylhydrazoneoximes

Five binuclear nickel(II) complexes [{Ni(L-R)}₂] derived from diacetylmonooxime aroylhydrazones (H₂L-R) have been prepared and characterized. In these complexes the oximate group functions as a bridge between the two nickel(II) ions. The corresponding octahedral bisligand complexes [Ni(HL-R)₂] have been also prepared and characterized. Reaction of [{Ni(L-R)}₂] with excess pyrazole (HPyr) afforded square planar [Ni(L-R)HPyr] complexes. The structure of [Ni(L-H)HPyr] (11), [Ni(L-CH₃O)HPyr] (13) and [Ni(L-Cl)HPyr] (14) have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In these complexes, the Ni(II) is coordinated to the oximate nitrogen, hydrazone nitrogen and enolimine oxygen of the aroylhydrazoneoxime ligand, the fourth coordination site is occupied by pyrazole nitrogen. In 11 and 13 the molecular units are linked together by intramolecular NH?O hydrogen bonds forming a helical chain propagating along a and b axis respectively. The helical structure is stabilized by CH?O, CH?π and π?π noncovalent interactions. The structure of 14 consists of two independently crystallographic molecular units. The Ni1 molecular units are assembled together by CH?O and CH?Cl1 interactions forming a two dimensional sheet, while the Ni2 units are jointed together by CH?O and CH?C interactions forming a chain extending along b-axis which are enclosed between sheets of Ni1 units.     

Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Pomegranate Fruit Peel and Solid Coffee Grounds vs. Chemical Method of Synthesis,with Their Biocompatibility and Antibacterial Properties Investigation

This research aims to investigate the synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of the biocompatibility and antibacterial activity of novel zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by Punica granatum peel and coffee ground extracts as the reducing and capping agents. Chemically synthesized ZnONPs were prepared using zinc acetate dihydrate and sodium hydroxide as reducing precursors. ZnONPs were characterized using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-VIS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Peaks of UV spectra were 300 nm for ZnONPs_PPE, 320 nm (ZnONPs_CE), 290 nm, and 440 nm (ZnONP_Chem), thereby confirming ZnONPs formation. The X-ray diffractograms revealed their hexagonal structure. TEM micrographs of the biosynthesized ZnONPs revealed their hexagonal pattern and nanorod shape for ZnONPs_Chem with particle sizes of 118.6 nm, 115.7 nm, and 111.2 nm, respectively. The FTIR analysis demonstrated the presence of proteins, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups on ZnONPs surfaces that act as reducing and stabilizing agents. ZnONP_Chem shows the antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Punica peel and coffee ground extracts are effective reducing agents for green ZnONPs synthesis with a lower cytotoxic effect on Vero cells than ZnONPs_Chem with IC50 = 111, 103, and 93 μg/mL, respectively.     

Conversion of 2(3H)‐furanones into 1,3,4‐oxadiazoles

A series of 2‐phenyl‐5‐alkenyl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazoles were synthesized in high yields from the corresponding dicarbonylhydrazides through cyclodehydration. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:570–574, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10197     

New Approaches for the Synthesis of 1,3,4-Thiadiazole and 1,2,4-Triazole Derivatives with Antimicrobial Activity

The thiosemicarbazide derivatives 3a and 3b were cyclized in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid to give the 5-cyanomethyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives 4a and 4b , respectively. The latter products were used for many heterocyclic transformations to form coumarin, 1,3,4-thiadiazolo[4,5-a]pyridine, and 5-thiophenylthiophene. In addition, compound 3b underwent cyclization in NaOH (2 N) solution to give the 1,2,4-triazole derivative 16 . The reactivity of the latter product towards some chemical reagents was studied. The antimicrobial activities of the newly synthesized products were measured and showed high activities.     

Sorption of iron(II) and ruthenium(III)-triazine complexes on silica gel and its analytical applicability

2,4,6-Tri(2′-pyridyl)-s-triazine (TPTZ) complexes with iron(II) and ruthenium(III) were prepared. Their sorption and desorption features on silica gel have been investigated. Both complexes were strongly adsorbed. This has been utilized for separating and preconcentrating iron(II) and ruthenium(III) using TPTZ-impregnated silica gel. The chromatographic behavior of TPTZ on silica gel column was examined and found to be effective modifier for silica gel surface. The sorption capacity of silica gel for those metal-triazine complexes has been determined under static conditions and was found to be 5.28 × 10^–3 mM (Fe(TPTZ)₂²⁺) and 2.9 × 10^–3 mM (Ru(TPTZ)₂³⁺). Saturated methanolic solutions of KI or 25% NaClO₄ solutions desorbed both complexes quantitatively from the silica gel surface.