Gas chromatographic data of 31 benzodiazepines and metabolites

Spectrofluorimetric quantification of bromazepam using a highly selective optical probe based on Eu3+-bromazepam complex in pharmaceutical and serum samples

A rapid, simple and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method for determination of trace amount of bromazepam is developed. In phosphate buffer of pH 7.4. The bromazepam enhance the luminescence intensity of the Eu(3+) ion in Eu(3+)-bromazepam complex at lambda(ex)=390nm. The produced luminescence intensity of Eu(3+)-bromazepam complex is in proportion to the concentration of bromazepam. The working range for the determination of bromazepam is 2.3x10(-8) to 6.2x10(-7)M with detection limit (LoD) and quantitative detection limit (LoQ) of 3x10(-9) and 1.2x10(-8)M, respectively. While, the working range, detection limit (LoD) and quantitative detection limit (LoQ) in case of the quantum yield calculations are 3.7x10(-8) to 3.4x10(-7)M with of 3.4x10(-9) and 9.2x10(-8)M, respectively. The enhancement mechanism of the luminescence intensity in the Eu(3+)-bromazepam system has been also explained.

Comparison of capillary electrophoresis and reversed-phase liquid chromatography methodologies for determination of diazepam in pharmaceutical tablets

Two novel analytical methodologies using capillary electrophoresis (CE) and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for the determination of diazepam in commercial and simulated tablet formulations were developed and compared. The CE analysis was carried out in a bare fused-silica capillary with 75 microm i.d. and total length of 50 cm (28 cm to the detector) with a buffer solution containing 20 mmol L(-1) sodium tetraborate and 20 mmolL(-1) sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), pH 9.23. The applied voltage was 20 kV and bromazepam was used as internal standard (IS). The RP-HPLC analysis was carried out in a LiChrospher((R)) 100 RP-18 (5 microm) column with a mobile phase constituted of methanol, acetonitrile and water (45:25:30) with a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min, using acetaminophen as IS. In both cases, detection was carried out by ultraviolet (UV) absorption at 242 nm. Under the optimized conditions, the CE retention times for the standard diazepam and bromazepam (IS) were 4.08 and 3.43 min, respectively, and the retention times of the RP-HPLC analysis for the standard diazepam and acetaminophen (IS) were 4.86 and 1.58 min, respectively. The resolution and efficiency for CE were 7.4 and 1.18 x 10(5)plates/m and for RP-HPLC, 7.5 and 1.76 x 10(4) plates/m. Analytical curves of peak area versus concentration presented correlation coefficients of 0.9996 for CE and 0.9994 for RP-HPLC. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) were 4.24 and 12.85 microg/mL for CE and 1.44 and 4.36 microg/mL for RP-HPLC. Relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) were 1.62 and 0.98% for CE and RP-HPLC, respectively. The percentage recovery determined with CE was 100.27+/-1.25 and with RP-HPLC was 101.12+/-2.48. Although both methodologies were shown to be suitable for the determination of diazepam in tablets, performing in a similar manner with regards to several aspects (linearity, recovery and specificity), CE provided a faster analysis and column efficiency whereas RP-HPLC presented a superior repeatability and sensitivity.

Simplified method for simultaneous determination of diazepam and its metabolites in urine by thin-layer chromatography and direct densitometry

A direct densitometric method for determination of diazepam and its metabolites in urine was developed. The proposed procedure involves acid hydrolysis of urine specimens, thereby converting diazepam and its metabolites into benzophenones [2-methylamino-5-chlorobenzophenone (MACB) and 2-amino-5-chlorobenzophenone (ACB)]. It is followed by extraction with chloroform-isopropanol (3:1, v/v). The two benzophenones were separated on thin-layer chromatography plates using hexane-diethyl ether-acetic acid (80:10:10) as a mobile phase. Quantitation of the MACB and ACB spots was achieved by direct ultraviolet densitometry. The limit of detection was 0.5 micrograms per ml of urine for both benzophenones. The proposed method is simple, rapid, reproducible and has been found to be effective for direct determination of diazepam and its metabolites in urine.

Collection of analytical data for benzodiazepines and benzophenones

On April 1st, 1986, amendments were made to Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 such that 33 benzodiazepines became controlled as Class C drugs in the U.K. An analytical database has been prepared to aid the detection and identification of controlled benzodiazepines. Chromatographic properties have been measured including gas chromatography (GC) retention index values, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) capacity factors and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) RF x 100 values. UV spectroscopic and mass spectrometric (MS) data have also been recorded. Analytical data (GC, TLC and MS) are also presented for benzophenones which were produced by acid hydrolysis of the parent benzodiazepines.

Identification and differentiation of benzodiazepines and their metabolites in urine by computerized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A method for the identification and differentiation of the following benzodiazepines and their metabolites in urine after acid hydrolysis and acetylation is described: bromazepam, camazepam, chlordiazepoxide, clobazam, clonazepam, clorazepate, clotiazepam, cloxazolam, delorazepam, diazepam, ethylloflazepate, flunitrazepam, flurazepam, halazepam, ketazolam, loprazolam, lorazepam, lormetazepam, medazepam, metaclazepam, midazolam, nitrazepam, nordazepam, oxazepam, oxazolam, prazepam, quazepam, temazepam and tetrazepam. The acetylated extract was analysed by computerized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. An on-line computer allowed rapid detection using ion chromatography with ions m/z 205, 211, 230, 241, 245, 249, 312 and 333. The identity of positive signals in the reconstructed ion chromatogram was confirmed by a comparison of the stored full mass spectra with reference spectra. The ion chromatograms, reference mass spectra and gas chromatographic retention indices (on OV-101) are documented.

Determination of clobazam, N-desmethylclobazam and their hydroxy metabolites in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography

Owing to the pharmacological and clinical importance of the determination of plasma and urine levels of the hydroxy metabolites of clobazam and N-desmethylclobazam in healthy volunteers and in epileptic patients, a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed that permits the determination of all these compounds in the same plasma or urine sample. The method involved ether extraction at pH 13 with diazepam as internal standard for the measurement of clobazam and N-desmethylcobazam, followed by ether extraction at pH 9 with nitrazepam as internal standard for the measurement of the hydroxy derivatives. The limit of detection was about 10-20 ng/ml for each of these compounds. Applications to patients were limited by chromatographic interferences between the hydroxy metabolites and some medications currently associated with clobazam in the treatment of epilepsy. The only interference in clobazam and N-desmethylclobazam analysis was from N-desmethyldiazepam. Despite these inconveniences, this HPLC procedure appears to be the only available method for the simultaneous quantification of clobazam and its three main metabolites.

The decomposition of benzodiazepines during analysis by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A capillary gas chromatography column directly interfaced to a mass spectrometer was used for the analysis of sixteen benzodiazepines. The thermal stability of the drugs was found to be related to their chemical structure. Nine of the benzodiazepines were thermally unstable indicating that care should be taken in the interpretation of gas chromatographic data from this class of drugs. The unstable benzodiazepines were: ketazolam which decomposes to diazepam; N-4 oxides (chlordiazepoxide and demoxepam) which lose an oxygen radical; aromatic 7-nitro compounds (nitrazepam and clonazepam) which are partially reduced to the corresponding amine; alpha-hydroxy ketones (lorazepam and oxazepam) which decompose with the loss of water and N-methyl-alpha-hydroxy ketones (lormetazepam and temazepam) which partially decompose with the loss of a hydrogen molecule to produce the corresponding alpha, beta-diketones. Few problems were encountered in distinguishing the drugs by their mass spectra, the exceptions being ketazolam which decomposes to diazepam and demoxepam which decomposes to desmethyldiazepam. In general, good spectra were obtained from 20-50 ng of drug injected. However, for those compounds where the decompositions were not quantitative (nitrazepam, clonazepam, lormetazepam, temazepam) detection limits were poor.

Gas-liquid chromatographic retention indices of 1318 substances of toxicological interest on SE-30 or OV-1 stationary phase

Retention indices associated with 1318 substances likely to be encountered in toxicological analyses are presented. They are listed in ascending order of retention index for identification purposes and also in alphabetical order of compound name. The 4586 values used in this collection have been extracted from 36 sources, many of which have not been previously published. In many cases, where the quoted retention index is the mean of several determinations, the reproducibility and reliability of this value may be assessed. A histogram of the 1742 values listed is provided to help in determining the usefulness of a retention index for identification purposes. The reproducibility of inter-laboratory retention index measurements for twenty compounds on both SE-30 and OV-17 are presented and show the former, on average, to give more reproducible results.