Influence of Different Chromatographic Conditions on the Level of Detection and Quantitation of Spironolactone by means of TLC-Densitometry

Diuretics in Different Samples: Update on the Pretreatment and Analysis Techniques

Diuretics are drugs that promote the excretion of water and electrolytes in the body and produce diuretic effects. Clinically, they are often used in the treatment of edema caused by various reasons and hypertension. In sports, diuretics are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Therefore, in order to monitor blood drug concentration, identify drug quality and maintain the fairness of sports competition, accurate, rapid, highly selective and sensitive detection methods are essential. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the pretreatment and detection of diuretics in various samples since 2015. Commonly used techniques to extract diuretics include liquid-liquid extraction, liquid-phase microextraction, solid-phase extraction, solid-phase microextraction, among others. Determination methods include methods based on liquid chromatography, fluorescent spectroscopy, electrochemical sensor method, capillary electrophoresis and so on. The advantages and disadvantages of various pretreatment and analytical techniques are elaborated. In addition, future development prospects of these techniques are discussed.

Influence of Chromatographic Conditions on LOD and LOQ of Fluoxetine and Sertraline Analyzed by TLC-Densitometric Method

This research introduces the analysis of fluoxetine and sertraline by means of the TLC-densitometric method. They provide information on LOD and LOQ under various chromatographic conditions. The study used adsorption (NPTLC) and partition (RPTLC) thin-layer chromatography in combination with a densitometric analysis. Four types of chromatographic plates precoated with: silica gel 60 F254, silica gel 60, silanized silica gel 60 F254 (RP-2), and a mixture of silica gel 60 and kieselguhr F254, as well as three mobile phases: chloroform + methanol + ammonia (9:1:0.4, v/v/v), chloroform + methanol + glacial acetic acid (5:4:1, v/v/v), and acetone + toluene + ammonia (10:9:1, v/v/v), were used in NPTLC. RP-18F254 and silanized silica gel 60 F254 (RP-2) plates and four mobile phases: methanol + water (10:0 and 9:1, v/v), acetone + water (10:0 and 9:1, v/v), were used in RPTLC. The lowest LOD and LOQ values for fluoxetine were obtained using a silanized silica gel 60 F254 (RP-2) with acetone + toluene + ammonia (10:9:1, v/v/v) in NPTLC, and with a silanized silica gel 60 F254 (RP-2) in combination with methanol + water (10:0, v/v) in RPTLC. The lowest LOD and LOQ values of sertraline were obtained using a silica gel 60 with acetone + toluene + ammonia (10:9:1; v/v/v) in NPTLC. The smallest amount of sertraline was detected on the silanized silica gel 60 F254 plate in combination with methanol + water (9:1, v/v) in RPTLC. The obtained results provide important information that can give a good basis and set the direction for further, more detailed research; the results can also benefit other researchers who analyze fluoxetine and sertraline with the TLC technique in model systems (testing standards) as well as in drug and biological samples.

Dysregulated sphingolipid metabolism and autophagy in granulosa cells of women with endometriosis

We evaluated metabolic profiles between cumulus cells (CCs) and mural granulosa cells (MGCs) derived from women with endometriosis to identify their correlations with oocyte quality. CCs and MGCs were collected from women with and without endometriosis undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment. The metabolomics of CCs and MGCs were measured by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) followed by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction to further confirm the genes involved in the metabolic results. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed differences in 24 metabolites of CCs and 71 metabolites of MGCs between groups. Among them, five metabolites were upregulated and 19 metabolites were downregulated in CCs with endometriosis, whereas three metabolites were upregulated and 68 metabolites were downregulated in MGCs with endometriosis. Metabolites related to sphingolipid metabolism, which included palmitic acid (PA) and docosahexaenoic acid, increased significantly only in CCs with endometriosis, whereas sphingosine and PA were significantly downregulated in MGCs with endometriosis compared with CCs and MGCs without endometriosis. Gene expression involved in ceramide synthesis (CERS1, SPTL1, and SMPD1) and autophagy (BECN1, LAMP, and PC3) were significantly higher in CCs with endometriosis according to FASN, BECN1, and LAMP protein expressions. However, gene expression involved in ceramide synthesis (SPHK1, ASAH1, and SGPP1) and autophagy (BECN1, LAMP, and PC3) were significantly lower in MGCs with endometriosis, whereas CERS1 and UGCG expression increased. There are differences in sphingolipid metabolites in CCs and MGCs with endometriosis compared with women without endometriosis. These differences seem to be involved in the regulation of autophagic cell death in preovulatory follicles.

Estimating Limits of Detection and Quantification of Ibuprofen by TLC-Densitometry at Different Chromatographic Conditions

Ibuprofen is one of the best-known nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. Following the previous work, the current study is focused on estimating the effect of different chromatographic conditions on the sensitivity of thin-layer chromatography in combination with UV densitometry, i.e., the detection and quantification of ibuprofen in a wide range of its concentrations including the lowest limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ). For this purpose, a reliable and easy-to-use calculation procedure for LOD and LOQ determination is presented in this work. In addition, the impact of type plates and mobile phase composition on the LOD and LOQ, respectively, of this active substance is accurately described. The results of detection and the quantification level of ibuprofen obtained under applied chromatographic conditions confirmed the utility of silica gel plates as well as silica gel bonded phases (i.e., reversed-phase (RP) plates) in the thin-layer chromatography (TLC)-densitometric analysis of ibuprofen at a low level, i.e., from several nanograms (below one microgram) to a few micrograms/spot. Among all chromatographic systems tested, the best are those consisting of silica gel 60F254 plates with concentrating zone (1.05583) and the mixture of n-hexane:ethyl acetate:glacial acetic acid in ratio 36:12:2 (v/v/v) as well as RP plates, i.e., RP-18F254 aluminum plates developed with methanol:water in volume composition 40:10 (v/v). These chromatographic systems allowed quantifying ibuprofen in the amount of 0.229 µg/spot and 0.228 µg/spot, which is less than 1 µg/spot. It can be stated that different chromatographic systems in combination with UV densitometric scanning at 224 nm proposed in this work can be successfully applied for the cost-effective and sensitive determination of ibuprofen as a widely used drug component as well as a residual in domestic wastewater. It was found that the modification of silica gel as well as the layer thickness of unmodified or modified silica gel 60 can influence the quality of chromatograms and the detection/quantification of ibuprofen in both normal phase (NP) and RP systems. Therefore, to obtain the best possible LOD and LOQ values of ibuprofen with precoated layers, suitable mobile phase and chromatographic plates are required.