The Antiepileptic Lamotrigine and Its Analogues: Comparative Theoretical Electronic Properties

Electronic properties of lamotrigine (LTG) and two analogues (A1 and A2) are compared through MOPAC-AM1 calculations. Two stable conformers of LTG are calculated to exist in agreement with X-ray crystallography. In the three compounds and the two conformers for each of them, the more favorable protonation sites are N₂ and N₄; these should then be the sites appropriate for interaction with a receptor, and group valence reinforces the supposition. The molecular electrostatic potentials show that a region between the two chlorine atoms in LTG could be the site for an electrostatic interaction with a corresponding site in the receptor. The fluorine atom in A1 would play an equivalent role. A simple model for LTG-receptor interaction is proposed.     

Application of a magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer for the selective extraction and trace detection of lamotrigine in urine and plasma samples

Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers have been synthesized for the selective preconcentration and trace determination of lamotrigine (LTG) in urine and plasma samples. The magnetic nanoparticles were modified by tetraethyl orthosilicate and 3‐methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane before imprinting. The magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers were prepared via surface molecular imprinting technique, using Fe₃O₄ as a magnetic component, LTG as template molecule, methacrylic acid as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross‐linker, and 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile as a radical initiator in methanol/acetonitrile (50:50, v/v) as the porogen. The obtained sorbent was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and thermal analysis. Separation of the sorbent from the sample solution was simply achieved by applying an external magnetic field. Determination of the extracted drug was performed by high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Under the optimum extraction conditions, the method detection limits were 0.7 μg/L (based on S/N of 3) for urine samples and 0.5 μg/L for plasma samples. A linear dynamic range of 1–1000 μg/L was obtained for LTF in plasma and urine samples. Finally, the applicability of the proposed method was evaluated by extraction and determination of LTG in urine and plasma samples.     

A Novel Electrochemiluminesence Sensor Based on Silver Prussian Blue Analogue/Carboxylated Sulfur-doped Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanocomposite for Determination of Lamotrigine

In this study, for the first time an electrochemiluminescence sensor for ultra-trace monitoring of lamotrigine is reported. The sensing probe was fabricated using silver prussian blue analogue as a new effective co-reaction accelerator and carboxylated sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposite as a new green luminophore. Also potassium peroxydisulfate was utilized as a strong co-reactant. The proposed ECL sensor exhibited excellent wide linear range (3.45×10⁻¹⁵ to 2.98×10⁻⁸ M), low detection limit (4.89×10⁻¹⁶ M), the relative standard deviation of 1.07 %, outstanding reproducibility and superior long-term stability. The prominent advantages of the sensor showed that it can be used to determine LMT in clinical samples.     

Analysis of levofloxacin in pharmaceutical preparations by high performance thin layer chromatography

A new simple, precise, rapid, and selective high‐performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method has been developed for the analysis of levofloxacin in pharmaceutical formulations. The method uses lamotrigine as an internal standard. The stationary phase was silica gel 60F₂₅₄ prewashed with methanol; water‐methanol‐n‐butanol‐ammonia solution 5 + 5 + 5 + 0.4 (v/v) was used as mobile phase. Detection and quantification were performed densitometrically at λ = 298 nm. The linear range of the analysis was 0.8–3.0 μg and the percentage recovery was 99.90%.     

Simultaneous determination of antiepileptic drugs and their two active metabolites by HPLC

An HPLC procedure for the determination of lamotrigine (LAM) simultaneously with other antiepileptic drugs, primidone (PD), phenobarbital (PB), phenytoin (DPH), carbamazepine (CMZ), and two active metabolites 2-phenyl-2-ethyl-malonamide (PEMA) and 10,11-dihydro-10,11-epoxycarbamazepine (EPO) was developed and validated. The method involves an ordinary RP system and a liquid-liquid extraction. The mobile phase consisting of water/ACN/methanol/triethylamine in the ratio 72:23:5:0.1 with pH 7.0 was selected as the best one after the assays testing both pH and triethylamine contents. UV detection was carried out at a wavelength of 220 nm and the whole analysis took 15 min. The method was linear in the range of 0.5-25 mg/L for PEMA and LAM; 1.25-25 mg/L for PD and CMZ; 0.625-12.5 mg/L for EPO; 1.5-60 mg/L for PB; and 1.25-50 mg/L for DPH, respectively. Within-day CV% and between-day CV% were within 10%. The developed HPLC method can be used for routine therapeutic drug monitoring both in children and adults.     

An experimental and theoretical study of the structure of Lamotrigine in its neutral and protonated forms: evidence of Lamotrigine enantiomers

The energies, geometries, and NMR chemical shifts have been calculated at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level for 17 structures of the anticonvulsant drug Lamotrigine and 29 structures of protonated Lamotrigine, including tautomers and E/Z isomers of the imino groups. The calculations were compared with solid state (X-ray and CPMAS NMR) and solution experimental results both reported in the literature and determined in this work. The conclusion is that Lamotrigine exists as the diamino tautomer and that its protonation takes place on the N2 atom. Using ABTE and/or deuterated ABTE as chiral solvating agent, it has been demonstrated for the first time by NMR in solution that Lamotrigine is a racemate of rapidly interconverting enantiomers. The crystal structure of two new solvated salts of Lamotrigine, both saccharinates, has been determined. Both salts present the same arrangement in chains of Lamotrigine and saccharinate joined by hydrogen bonds and stacking interactions. No isostructurality is present because of the different arrangement of the chains in both crystal structures.     

A three phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction for quantification of lamotrigine in plasma of epileptic patients by capillary electrophoresis

A three phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction technique combined with capillary electrophoresis was developed to quantify lamotrigine (LTG) in plasma samples. The analyte was extracted from 4.0 mL of a basic donor phase (composed of 0.5 mL of plasma and 3.5 mL of sodium phosphate solution pH 9.0) through a supported liquid membrane composed of 1‐octanol immobilized in the pores of the hollow fiber, and to an acidic acceptor phase (hydrochloric acid solution pH 4.0) placed in the lumen of the fiber. The extraction was carried out for 30 min at 500 rpm. The eletrophoretic analysis was carried out in 130 mmol/L MES buffer, pH 5.0 with a constant voltage of +15 kV and 20°C. Sample injections were performed for 10 s, at a pressure of 0.5 psi. The detection was performed at 214 nm for both LTG and the internal standard lidocaine. Under the optimized conditions, the method showed a limit of quantification of 1.0 μg/mL and was linear over the plasmatic concentration range of 1.0–20.0 μg/mL. Finally, the validated method was applied for the quantification of LTG in plasma samples of epileptic patients.     

Determination of lamotrigine by adsorptive stripping voltammetry using silver nanoparticle-modified carbon screen-printed electrodes

Carbon screen-printed electrodes (CSPE) modified with silver nanoparticles present an interesting alternative in the determination of lamotrigine (LTG) using differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry.Metallic silver nanoparticle deposits have been obtained by electrochemical deposition. Scanning electron microscopy measurements show that the electrochemically synthesized silver nanoparticles are deposited in aggregated form.The detection limit for this analytical procedure was 3.72 × 10⁻⁷ M. In terms of reproducibility, the precision of the above mentioned method in %R.S.D. values was calculated at 2.58%.The method was applied satisfactorily to the determination of LTG in pharmaceutical preparations.     

Simultaneous extraction and quantification of lamotrigine,phenobarbital, and phenytoin in human plasma and urine samples using solidified floating organic drop microextraction and high‐performance liquid chromatography

A novel and simple method based on solidified floating organic drop microextraction followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection has been developed for simultaneous preconcentration and determination of phenobarbital, lamotrigine, and phenytoin in human plasma and urine samples. Factors affecting microextraction efficiency such as the type and volume of the extraction solvent, sample pH, extraction time, stirring rate, extraction temperature, ionic strength, and sample volume were optimized. Under the optimum conditions (i.e. extraction solvent, 1‐undecanol (40 μL); sample pH, 8.0; temperature, 25°C; stirring rate, 500 rpm; sample volume, 7 mL; potassium chloride concentration, 5% and extraction time, 50 min), the limits of detection for phenobarbital, lamotrigine, and phenytoin were 1.0, 0.1, and 0.3 μg/L, respectively. Also, the calibration curves for phenobarbital, lamotrigine, and phenytoin were linear in the concentration range of 2.0–300.0, 0.3–200.0, and 1.0–200.0 μg/L, respectively. The relative standard deviations for six replicate extractions and determinations of phenobarbital, lamotrigine, and phenytoin at 50 μg/L level were less than 4.6%. The method was successfully applied to determine phenobarbital, lamotrigine, and phenytoin in plasma and urine samples.     

Hydrogen bonding patterns in 3,5-diamino-6-aryl triazines

The crystal structure of two related 1,2,4-triazine derivatives, C₉H₇N₅Cl₂·H₂O (1) and C₁₂H₁₄N₅Cl₂⁺·CH₃SO₃⁻·H₂O (2) that have different biological effects, have been determined. Lamotrigine (Lamictal, 1) is a novel anticonvulsant and BWA256C (2) is a class 1 antiarrythmic drug. The dihedral angles between the least-squares planes of almost exactly planar phenyl and triazine rings are 76.42(6) and 76.08(6)°, for compounds 1 and 2, respectively. In 2, protonation takes place at the iminium nitrogen atom, thus suggesting the importance of resonance through the triazine ring. This resonance is also confirmed by the pattern of bond lengths and angles. Extensive networks of hydrogen bonds, in which all molecular species are involved, rule the crystal packing in both compounds. The analysis of hydrogen bond networks in other 3,5-diamino-6-aryl derivatives suggests that there is a strong influence of co-crystallizing solvent molecule on the nature of resulting hydrogen bond topology.