Development of a bioanalytical method for the quantification of sinococuline in human plasma and its application in phase I clinical pharmacokinetic study

A selective, highly sensitive, precise, and novel bioanalytical method has been developed and validated to quantify sinococuline, an active constituent present in the phytopharmaceutical drug product containing Cocculus hirsutus plant extract, in vivo. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Luna Omega Polar-C18 bonded analytical column maintained at 45°C. The isocratic mobile phase consisted of methanol and ammonium formate buffer (60:40, v/v) at acidic pH with a low flow rate of 0.250 mL/min. Detection was performed on an API 4000 mass spectrometer using electrospray ionization in positive polarity and multiple reaction monitoring mode to achieve a lower limit of quantification of 1.50 ng/mL. Excellent accuracy and precision were obtained after extracting the analyte from plasma samples using a chemical analogue as an internal standard in the absence of an isotope-labeled compound. The extraction efficacy was evidenced from recovery study, and the analyte was found to be stable in plasma. Validation study demonstrated linearity with coefficient of correlation, r ≥ 0.99, and minimal matrix effect. This bioanalytical method was successfully applied to evaluate pharmacokinetic parameters of sinococuline from a phase I clinical trial of an aqueous extract of C. hirsutus in healthy human volunteers.     

Synthesis and structural characterisation of a novel tris-methylene bridged compound (NO) 4Fe2 Se(μ-CH2)3

The tris-methylene bridged compound (NO)₄Fe₂Se(μ-CH₂)₃ has been isolated. It has been characterised by IR and ¹H, ¹³C, and ⁷⁷Se NMR spectroscopy. Its structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The structure consists of a heavy atom triangle consisting of one Se and two Fe atoms. The Fe-Fe and the two Fe-Se edges are bridged by methylene groups.     

Electrode kinetics of Eu3+/Eu2+ reaction by cyclic voltammetry

The cyclic voltammetric behaviour of Eu³⁺/Eu²⁺ couple at hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) has been studied in chloride, bromide, iodide, thiocyanate and EDTA supporting electrolytes. The apparent rate constant and transfer coefficient for these systems have been calculated at various voltage scan rates, without using the data for standard or formal potential. The values have been compared with those obtained by earlier workers through other electrochemical methods.     

4-t-Butylphenoxo complexes of oxovanadium(V)

Summary Complexes of composition [VOCl₂(OC₆H₄Bu-t-4)] (1) and [VOCl(OC₆H₄Bu-t-4)₂] (2) have been synthesized by the reaction of VOCl₃ with equimolar and bimolar amounts, respectively, of 4-t-BuC₆H₄OSiMe₃ in CCl₄ and characterized by physio-chemical techniques. The complexes react with -hydroxyaldehydes and ketones such as 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (salicylaldehyde, salH), and 2-hydroxy-2-phenylacetophenone (benzoin, benzH), 2-hydroxyacetophenone (hapH) and also with the potassium salt of p-chlorobenzohydroxamic acid (KBHACl) in 11 and 12 molar ratios, to yield five- and six-coordinate complexes.     

Cyphostemmins A-B, two new antifungal oligostilbenes from Cyphostemma crotalarioides (Vitaceae)

Two new antifungal resveratrol dimers, cyphostemmins A-B (1–2), have isolated from the roots of Cyphostemma crotalarioides planch (Vitaceae) together with resveratrol 3 and previously known reseveratrol dimers (4–7). Structures of these new compounds have been established on the basis of their MS and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic data.