High-performance thin layer chromatography: A powerful analytical technique in pharmaceutical drug discovery

Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities of Coleus amboinicus: A Comprehensive Review

Coleus amboinicus Benth., also known as Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng., is a perennial plant from the Lamiaceae family commonly found in tropical and warm regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia. Folk medicine commonly employs this remedy to address various ailments, including but not limited to asthma, headaches, skin disorders, coughs, constipation, colds, and fevers. Several phytoconstituents from various phytochemical classes, such as phenolics, terpenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, flavones, and tannins, have been identified in Coleus amboinicus up to the present time. Numerous pharmacological properties of Coleus amboinicus crude extracts have been documented through both in vitro and in vivo studies, including but not limited to antitumor, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, wound healing, analgesic, antirheumatic, and various other therapeutic effects. Due to its extensive history of traditional usage, the diverse array of bioactive phytochemicals, and numerous established pharmacological activities, Coleus amboinicus is widely regarded as having significant potential for clinical applications and warrants further exploration, development, and exploitation through research. With this context, the present study gathers information on the occurrence, biological description, cultivation, and nutritional values of Coleus amboinicus. Furthermore, it thoroughly discusses various phytoconstituents, along with their classes, present in Coleus amboinicus, followed by detailed descriptions of their pharmacological activities based on recent literature.

Greenness assessment of two chromatographic methods developed for the determination of Mupirocin in two binary mixtures along with its impurity

Two simple, accurate and precise chromatographic methods have been developed and validated for estimating Mupirocin (MUP) in two binary mixtures. Mixture (1); with Fluticasone propionate (FLU) together with two of their impurities, namely; Pseudomonic acid-D (Pseud-D) and Fluticasone impurity C (FIC). Mixture (2); with Mometasone furoate (MF) along with Pseud-D impurity. High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC-densitometry) and high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) were the two proposed methods. In the HPTLC method, good separation of both mixtures was achieved by using HPTLC plates pre-coated with silica gel 60 F254 as stationary phase and the mobile phase consisted of toluene: chloroform: ethanol at a ratio of (5: 4: 2, by volume). The detection was carried out at 220 nm for MUP and 254 nm for FLU, MF, Pseud-D and FIC. In the HPLC method, chromatographic separation was carried out using Agilent Eclipse XDB (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm) C18 column. For mixture (1), a mobile phase of methanol: sodium di-hydrogen phosphate (pH 3.0) was applied in stepwise gradient elution starting at ratios of (50: 50, v/v) and then switching to (80: 20, v/v) after 7 min at a flow rate of 1 mL.min- 1. Detection was performed using diode array detector at 220 nm for MUP and Pseud-D and 240 nm for FLU and FIC. For mixture (2), the same mobile phase was used, but in isocratic elution in the ratio (80: 20, v/v) at flow rate of 1 mL.min- 1 and detection at 220 nm for MUP and Pseud-D and 248 nm for MF. The two methods successfully separated the cited drugs and were used to determine the drugs in pure form as well as pharmaceutical dosage forms. Validation was done as per International Council on Harmonization guidelines. Furthermore, the greenness of the proposed methods compared to the reported method, was evaluated as per the National Environmental Method Index, analytical Eco scale, Green Analytical Procedure Index and Analytical Greenness metric approaches.

Application of a Customised Franz-Type Cell Coupled with HPTLC to Monitor the Timed Release of Bioactive Components in Complex Honey Matrices

The aim of this study was to assess the release profile of components in five different honeys (a New Zealand Manuka and two Western Australian honeys, a Jarrah honey and a Coastal Peppermint honey) and their corresponding honey-loaded gel formulations using a custom-designed Franz-type diffusion cell in combination with High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC). To validate the suitability of the customised setup, release data using this new approach were compared with data obtained using a commercial Franz cell apparatus, which is an established analytical tool to monitor the release of active ingredients from topical semisolid products. The release profiles of active compounds from pure honey and honey-loaded formulations were found to be comparable in both types of Franz cells. For example, when released either from pure honey or its corresponding pre-gel formulation, the percentage release of two Jarrah honey constituents, represented by distinct bands at RF 0.21 and 0.53 and as analysed by HPTLC, was not significantly different (p = 0.9986) at 12 h with over 99% of these honey constituents being released in both apparatus. Compared to the commercial Franz diffusion cell, the customised Franz cell offers several advantages, including easy and convenient sample application, the requirement of only small sample quantities, a large diffusion surface area, an ability to analyse 20 samples in a single experiment, and lower cost compared to purchasing a commercial Franz cell. Thus, the newly developed approach coupled with HPTLC is conducive to monitor the release profile of minor honey constituents from pure honeys and honey-loaded semisolid formulations and might also be applicable to other complex natural-product-based products.

In vitro evaluation of the neuroprotective potential of Olea dioica against Aβ peptide-induced toxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a type of neurodegenerative disease, associated with the hastening of ROS, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and amyloid β peptides plaques in the brain. The limitations and side effects of existing synthetic drugs incline toward natural sources. In the present communication active principles of methanolic extract of Olea dioica Roxb, leaves are explored as an antioxidant, AChE inhibitor, and anti-amyloidogenic. Furthermore, neuroprotection against the amyloid beta-peptide has been studied. The bioactive principles were identified by GC-MS and LC-MS and further subjected to antioxidant (DPPH and FRAP) and neuroprotection (AChE inhibition, ThT binding, and MTT assay, DCFH-DA and lipid peroxidation (LPO) assay using neuroblastoma (SHSY-5Y) cell lines) assays. Methanolic extract of O. dioica Roxb, leaves was found to contain polyphenols and flavonoids. In vitro assays exhibited potential antioxidant and anti-AChE (˃50%) activities. ThT binding assay indicated protection against amyloid-beta aggregation. MTT assay, Aβ1-40 (10 µM) with extract increase the cell viability (˃50%) and showed significant cytotoxicity to SHSY-5Y cells. ROS level (˃25%) significantly decreased in the Aβ1-40 (10 µM) + extract (15 and 20 μM/mL) and LPO assay (˃50%) suggesting prevention of cell damage. Results advocate that O. dioica leaves are a good source of antioxidants, anti-AChE, and anti-amyloidogenic compounds which may be further evaluated as a natural medicine for the treatment of AD.

Validated High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Method and Stability Study of Linalool in the Volatile Oil of the Rhizomes of Homalomena aromatica Schott

Homalomena aromatica is a herb of tremendous ethnomedicinal importance to various communities residing in northeast India. In this study, a high-performance thin-layer chromatography-based densitometric method was developed for identification, quantification and stability study of linalool. Mass spectrometry was hyphenated to HPTLC for streamlining the method. The stability of linalool was studied by analyzing the effect of acid, base, UV, sunlight, thermal stress and H2O2 on linalool. The chromatographic plates were developed to a height of 70 mm in toluene:ethyl acetate solvent system at a ratio of 9.5:0.5 and visualized with p-anisaldehyde reagent. The developed method was found to be precise, accurate and reproducible according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines, and compact bands of linalool were observed at Rf of 0.351 ± 0.001. The content of linalool in the volatile oil of H. aromatica was found to be 58% v/v. By application of the hyphenated MS technique, linalool was identified at m/z 137, (M + H)+. It was observed that acidic pH has the highest effect on linalool with a percentage degradation of 65. The developed method can be used in the analysis and quality control of herbal materials and volatile oils containing linalool and quality control of rhizomes of H. aromatica.

An eco-friendly separation-based framework for quantitative determination and purity testing of an antihypertensive ternary pharmaceutical formulation

Designing new, verified methodologies with a focus on sustainability, analytical efficiency, simplicity, and the environment has become a major priority for pharmaceutical quality control units. In this way, sustainable and selective separation-based methodologies were designed and validated for the concurrent estimation of amiloride hydrochloride (AML), hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) and timolol maleate (TIM) in their fixed dose formulation (Moducren^® Tablets) along with hydrochlorothiazide potential impurities, salamide (DSA) and chlorothiazide (CT). The first method is a high performance thin layer chromatographic method (HPTLC-densitometry). The first developed method employed silica gel HPTLC F₂₅₄ plates as stationary phase using a chromatographic developing system composed of ethyl acetate-ethanol-water-ammonia (8.5:1:0.5:0.3, by volume). The separated drug bands were densito-metrically measured at 220.0 nm for AML, HCT, DSA and CT and at 295.0 nm for TIM. The linearity was assessed over a wide concentration range, 0.5-10 µg/band, 1.0-16.0 µg/band and 1.0-14 µg/band for AML, HCT and TIM, in order and 0.05-1.0 µg/band for each of DSA and CT. The second method is capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The electrophoretic separation was achieved using background electrolyte (BGE), borate buffer 40.0 mM with pH 9.0 ± 0.2, at applied voltage of + 15 kV with on-column diode array detection at 200.0 nm. The method linearity was reached over the concentration range of 20.0-160.0 µg/mL, 10.0-200.0 µg/mL, 10.0-120.0 µg/mL for AML, HCT and TIM, respectively and 10.0-100.0 µg/mL for DSA. The suggested methods were optimized to achieve best performance and validated agreeing with the ICH guidelines. Assessment of methods' sustainability and greenness was performed using different greenness assessment tools.

Guesstimate of thymoquinone diversity in Nigella sativa L. genotypes and elite varieties collected from Indian states using HPTLC technique

Thymoquinone is a valuable metabolite derived from the Nigella sativa L. seeds and has a variety of therapeutic properties. Thymoquinone was estimated using n-hexane:ethyl acetate (8:2, v/v) green solvent system and computed at a wavelength of 254 nm using the high-performance thin-layer chromatography densitometry method in distinct varieties and genotypes congregated from different geographical regions. Genotype Ajmer Nigella-13 has the paramount thymoquinone content (247.60 µg/100 mg seed) followed by Ajmer Nigella 19 (244.5 µg/100 mg seed), while the lowest amount of thymoquinone was recorded in the genotype Ajmer Nigella-6 (42.88 µg/100 mg seed). The hierarchical cluster analysis found that the collected genotypes and elite varieties were classified into four broad clusters, and the identified chemotypes with elevated thymoquinone proportion were positioned in cluster D. Significant genotypic variation in thymoquinone content is available, that can be used in exploiting pharmaceutical applications of N. sativa L. as well as a breeding programme for specific metabolite improvement perspective.

Quality evaluation of commercial herbal products using chemical methods

Herbal products comprise a wide spectrum of locally, nationally or internationally commercialized commodities. As these products have an increasingly important position in healthcare systems worldwide, a detailed product quality assessment is of crucial importance. For the quality evaluation of commercial herbal products, a wide range of methods were used, from simpler, quicker, and cost-effective HPTLC, to hyphenated methods with MS or NMR, where more precise quantification or specific structural information is required. Additionally, most of the methods have been coupled with chemometric tools, such as PCA, or PDA, for the multivariate analysis of the high amount of data generated by chromatograms, electropherograms or spectra. The chemical methods have revealed the widespread presence of low or variable quality herbal products in the marketplace. The majority of analytical investigations present major, qualitative and quantitative, inter-product variations of their chemical composition, ranging from missing ingredients, to strikingly and unnaturally high concentrations of some compounds. Moreover, the inter-batch quality variations were frequently reported, as well as the presence of some undesirable substances. The chemical analysis of herbal products is a vital component to raise the overall awareness of quality in the herbal market and generate a quality driven approach.

Two Eco-Friendly Chromatographic Methods Evaluated by GAPI for Simultaneous Determination of the Fluoroquinolones Moxifloxacin, Levofloxacin, and Gemifloxacin in Their Pharmaceutical Products

In this paper, novel green HPLC and HPTLC chromatographic methods were developed for the concurrent determination of moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, and gemifloxacin in bulk and pharmaceutical products. The green HPLC method was used on Thermo C18 (4.6 × 250 mm, 5 µm). By mixing ethanol and 20 mM sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate (pH 5) in a ratio of 25:75, v/v, the mobile phase was created using isocratic elution. The flow rate was 1 mLmin−1. The studied antibiotics were separated well within 9.5 min. The green HPTLC method was used on coated HPTLC aluminum sheets with Silica gel 60 F254 using a mobile phase mixture of water: acetone: ammonia (8:1:1, v/v/v). Compact and well-resolved peaks were obtained under chamber-saturation circumstances for the standard fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Both methods were optimized individually, validated by ICH, and assessed using the Green analytical procedure index (GAPI). The methods were applied to pharmaceutical products and compared with the published methods for the determination of each of these antibiotics individually, using Student’s t-test. They can be used by quality-control laboratories in pharmaceutical factories as sensitive eco-friendly methods for the analysis of these drugs and for the detection of cross-contamination during manufacturing processes.

Pharmacognostic evaluation of Eranthemum indicum extracts for its in-vitro antioxidant activity, acute toxicology, and investigation of potent bioactive phytocompounds using HPTLC and GCMS

Background

Northeast India has a rich resource of herbal plants, and it is essential to validate their therapeutic activity with proper scientific evidence. This study aims to identify active phytocompounds found in the extracts of Eranthemum indicum (E. indicum) and to determine its antioxidative activities and toxicity.

Results

In vitro free radical scavenging activity of the aqueous extract (AE) and methanol extract (ME) of E. indicum (leaves) was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic-acid (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total antioxidant activity (TAC). ME depicted better inhibitory concentration when compared to AE. This indicates the effective extraction capacity of methanol, which is consistent with the fact that ME had a higher polyphenol and flavonoid, resulting in their antioxidative activity. HPTLC analysis using the solvent system of ethyl acetate/methanol/ammonia 28–30% (40:10:10) showed better fingerprinting separation, especially in the ME. Furthermore, DPPH radical solution, when used as a derivatizing agent in HPTLC analysis, confirmed that ME has better in vitro antioxidant activities than AE. GCMS analysis of AE identified 3-beta-hydroxy-5-cholen-24-oic-acid as active compound, while in ME Beta.-l-arabinopyranoside and 2-methyl-3-(3-methyl-but-2-enyl)-2-(4-methyl-pent-3-enyl)-oxetane were identified as the major bioactive compound. Acute toxicological investigations have shown that both E. indicum extracts have a high L.D. 50 value of 1533 mg/kg b.w for AE and 1567 mg/kg b.w for ME making them safe and non-toxic.

Conclusions

Extraction and identification of these phytocompounds in the extracts of E. indicum can help us scientifically document its medicinal importance, and its benefit in pharmaceutical industries. Since it showed promising free radical scavenging activity, it can also be a potent antioxidant source.

Monolithic Silica Microbands Enable Thin-Layer Chromatography Analysis of Single Cells

A picoliter thin-layer chromatography (pTLC) platform was developed for analyzing extremely miniature specimens, such as assay of the contents of a single cell of 1 picoliter volume. The pTLC chip consisted of an array of microscale bands made from highly porous monolithic silica designed to accept picoliter-scale volume samples. pTLC bands were fabricated by combining sol-gel chemistry and microfabrication technology. The width (60-80 μm) and depth (13 μm) of each band is comparable to the size of single cells and acted to reduce the lateral diffusion and confine the movement of compounds along the microbands. Ultrasmall volumes (tens of pL) of model fluorescent compounds were spotted onto the microband by a piezoelectric microdispenser and successfully separated by pTLC. The separation resolution and analyte migration were dependent on the macropore size (ranging from 0.3 to 2.3 μm), which was adjustable by changing the porogen concentration during the sol-gel process. For a 0.3 μm macropore size, attomoles of analyte were detectable by fluorescence using standard microscopy methods. The separation resolution, theoretical plate number, and separation times ranged from 1.3 to 2.1, 4 to 357, and 2 to 8 min, respectively, for the chosen model biological lipids. To demonstrate the capability of pTLC for separating analytes from single mammalian cells, cells loaded with fluorescent lipophilic dyes or sphingosine kinase reporter were spotted on microbands, and the single-cell contents separated by pTLC were detected from their fluorescence. These results demonstrate the potential of pTLC for applications in many areas where miniature specimens and high-throughput parallel analyses are needed.

Chemical Profiling and In Vitro Antiurolithiatic Activity of Pleurolobus gangeticus (L.) J. St.- Hil. ex H. Ohashi & K. Ohashi Along with Its Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties

Pleurolobus gangeticus (L.) J. St.- Hil. ex H. Ohashi & K. Ohashi (Fabaceae) is an important medicinal plant used to treat various ailments. In this study, we report the antiurolithiatic, antioxidant, and antibacterial potential of chloroform fraction (CF) from P. gangeticus roots. For the chemical profiling, HPTLC, FT-IR, and GC-MS techniques of the CF were carried out, and phytochemical investigation was revealed that stigmasterol (45.06%) is one of the major components present in the fraction. The nucleation and aggregation assays were used to evaluate the in vitro antiurolithiatic activity at various concentration (2-10 mg/mL) of the CF. The results showed that the chloroform fraction had dose-dependent effects on Calcium Oxalate (CaOx) crystal formation. In both the assays, the maximum concentration of 10 mg/mL has shown better results. This concentration resulted significant increase in CaOx crystal nucleation along with the reduction of crystal size and the inhibition of crystal aggregation. Further, the CF showed stronger antioxidant (DPPH, NO, SOD, TRC) potential with an IC₅₀ values of 415.9327, 391.729, 275.971, and 419.14 µg/mL, respectively. The antibacterial evaluation displayed effective results in the Agar well diffusion assay against selective urinary tract infection (UTI) pathogens (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Staphylococcus aureus). A maximum zone of inhibition (ZOI) 12.33 ± 1.05 mm for K pneumonia and minimum ZOI of 8.46 ± 0.27 mm for S. aureus were obtained. Further, the ADME-PK property of the stigmasterol was investigated, and it was found to pass the Lipinski and Ghose rules, supporting the drug-likeliness. This is the first record of the antiurolithiatic potential of P. gangeticus along with antioxidant and antibacterial activities. These findings give an insight into the effective drug development and treatment for kidney stones in future.

Downstream processing and structural confirmation of pullulan - A comprehensive review

Pullulan is a microbial polymer, commercially produced from Aureobasidium pullulans. Downstream processing of pullulan involves a multi-stage process which should be efficient, safe and reproducible. In liquid-liquid separations, firstly cell free extract is separated. Cell biomass can be separated after fermentation either by centrifugation or filtration. Due to practically insolubility of pullulan in organic solvents, ethanol and isopropanol are the most commonly used organic solvents for its recovery. Pullulan can also be purified by chromatographic techniques, but these are not cost effective for the purification of pullulan. Efficient aqueous two-phase system can be used for the purification of pullulan. The current review describes the methods and perspectives used for solid-liquid separation, liquid-liquid separations and finishing steps for the recovery of pullulan. Techniques used to determine the structural attributes of pullulan have also been highlighted.

Apigenin Isolated from Carduus crispus Protects against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage and Spermatogenic Expression Changes in GC-2spd Sperm Cells

Testicular oxidative stress is one of the most common factors underlying male infertility. Welted thistle, Carduus crispus Linn., and its bioactive principles are attracting scientific interest in treating male reproductive dysfunctions. Here, the protective effects of apigenin isolated from C. crispus against oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and dysregulation in spermatogenesis associated parameters in testicular sperm cells was investigated. Cell viabilities, ROS scavenging effects, and spermatogenic associated molecular expressions were measured by MTT, DCF-DA, Western blotting and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. A single peak with 100% purity of apigenin was obtained in HPLC conditions. Apigenin treated alone (2.5, 5, 10 and 20 µM) did not exhibit cytotoxicity, but inhibited the H2O2-induced cellular damage and elevated ROS levels significantly (p < 0.05 at 5, 10 and 20 µM) and dose-dependently. Further, H2O2-induced down-regulation of antioxidant (glutathione S-transferases m5, glutathione peroxidase 4, and peroxiredoxin 3) and spermatogenesis-associated (nectin-2 and phosphorylated-cAMP response element-binding protein) molecular expression in GC-2spd cells were attenuated by apigenin at both protein and mRNA levels (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our study showed that apigenin isolated from C. crispus might be an effective agent that can protect ROS-induced testicular dysfunctions.

In-vivo hyperglycemic, antioxidant, histopathological changes, and simultaneous measurement of kaempferol verified by high-performance thin layer chromatography of Setaria italica in streptozotocin -induced diabetic rats

Background

Setaria italica (common name- foxtail, kangni) is one of the major food crops which is prominently cultivated in southern regions of India and in certain regions of Uttar Pradesh. Besides the crop’s consumption as a general source of carbohydrate rich cereal, the seeds of the crop are comprised of more fiber. So, it is recommended to add in the dietary supplementation of the diabetic people across the country.

Objective

In this paper, it intends to investigate the antidiabetic activity and antioxidant activity of S. italica (foxtail millet) seeds in diabetic rats.

Methods

The six genotypes of foxtail millets (S. italica) namely Kangni-1, Kangni-4, Kangni-5, Kangni-6, Kangni-7 & Kangni-10 respectively were subjected to in vitro investigations via. comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) involving blood glucose study, Kidney & Liver function test, and antioxidant study (Catalase test; Glutathione S-transferase (GST); Superoxide Dismutase (SOD); glutathione (GSH); hiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) & Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and were performed in vivo animal investigations in Wistar rats. The STZ induced diabetic rats were fed with doses of different S. italica seed aqueous extract to evaluate its anti-hyperglycemic activity by oral administration of SISAE. Further, it was compared with Glibenclamide which acts as one of the standard oral hypoglycemic agents.

Results

From achieved outcomes, a significant fall of blood glucose level (70%) produced 300 mg SISAE/kg b.w. after 6 h of extract administration. However, no change could be produced by these doses of the SISAE in normal rats’ blood glucose levels. A significant fall in glucose level along with significant glycemic control by lower HbA1c levels was observed in diabetic treated rats after 3 weeks of treatment with 300 mg of SISAE/kg b.w./day when comparing to untreated diabetic rats. Among these five genotypes of S. italica, the differences in the glycemic index were found. a significant fall could be found in blood glucose levels of Wistar rats, when every experimental rat was incorporating with the extract of different genotypes of Setaria italica L. Beauv than the rats treated with Glibenclamide in every 7 days of interval. The level of catalase, SOD, GST, GPx, GSH and TBARS showed variation while the rats were fed with the extract of S. italica in the liver test of rats. In kidney function test, the result shows that there is significant relationship between foxtail extract and kidney function of STZ induced diabetes rats. They show the change in their serum creatinine level, serum urea and serum uric acid.

Conclusion

The result obtained from the study shows that the extract of S. italica seeds is capable for the hypolipidemic and antihyperglycemic activities, thereby, they serve as one of the good sources for herbal medicinal items.

Phytochemical characterization of the ethanolic extract of Kaempferia galanga rhizome for anti-oxidant activities by HPTLC and GCMS

Background

The rhizome of Kaempferia galanga (K. galanga) was collected from Meghalaya, India, and its ethanolic extract was obtained by freeze-drying or lyophilization process, which was then assessed for its in vitro anti-oxidant activity and phytochemical characterization using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS).

Results

In vitro anti-oxidant activity analysis shows an inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 1.824 mg/mL and 0.307 mg/mL for, α, α-diphenyl-ρ-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays, respectively. Total polyphenol content (TPC) of 23.55 ± 0.5 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry weight of extract and total flavonoid content (TFC) of 100 ± 1.414 mg rutin equivalents (RE)/g dry weight of extract were found. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis shows the best separation of bands at different retention factor (Rf) values, when employing the solvent system 2-butanol/1-propanol/water in the ratio of 3:1:1 (v/v/v). Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS) analysis confirms the presence and identification of various phytocompounds, with ethyl p-methoxycinnamate identified as the major active compound.

Conclusion

Freeze-dried ethanolic extract of K. galanga (rhizome) possesses anti-oxidant activity. Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate is present as the major bioactive component (about 94.87% of the total area composition), and since it has very important and diverse medicinal properties, a freeze-drying process (lyophilization) can be utilized for its isolation and extraction.

Detection and development of a quantitation method for undeclared compounds in antidiabetic biologically active additives and its validation by high performance liquid chromatography

An isocratic, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) quantitation method was developed for the quantitative determination of metformin, glibenclamide, gliclazide, glimepiride in some antidiabetic biologically active additives. A Nucleosil C18, 5 μm, 4.6 mm × 150 mm, column with mobile phase containing buffer (10 mm Na2HPO4, 10 mm sodium dodecyl sulfate): acetonitrile = 68 : 32 (V/V), pH = 7.5 was used. The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min, and effluents were monitored at 226 nm. The retention times of gliclazide glibenclamide, glimepiride and metformin, were 2.203, 4.587, 5.667 and 10.182 min, respectively. Linearity was studied by preparing standard solutions of gliclazide, glibenclamide, glimepiride and metformin at the concentration range of 50% to 150% of working concentration from a stock solution. The method was successfully applied to the estimation of gliclazide, glibenclamide, glimepiride and metformin in some antidiabetic biologically active additives. This method was validated to confirm its system suitability, selectivity, linearity, precision and accuracy according to international conference on harmonization (ICH) guidelines.

Recent Advances in Sensor-Based Detection of Toxic Dyes for Bioremediation Application: a Review

Extensive use of these harmful dyes has resulted in the surplus presence of these emerging pollutants in the environment, thus demanding an instant and sensitive detection method. Various synthetic dyes are illegitimately mixed into food and other consuming items for displaying bright colours that attracts consumers. The synthetic dyes cause a number of environmental health hazards and promote toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity in humans. Despite these serious health glitches, synthetic dyes are widely used due to their much lower cost. As a result, a faster, more selective and extremely sensitive technology for detecting and quantifying hazardous dyes in trace amount is urgently needed. This topic is currently in its initial phases of development and needs continuous refinements, such as explaining various sensing methods and potential future uses linked with dye detection technologies. The present review encompasses a comprehensive literature survey on detection of dyes and latest progress in developing sensors for dye detection and summarizes different detection mechanisms, including biosensor-, optical- and electrochemical-based sensors. Detection methodologies are examined with a focus on biosensor-based recent advancements in dye detection and the growing demand for more appropriate systems in terms of accuracy and efficiency.

Combining high performance thin layer chromatography with minispectrometer-fiber optic probe-coupled to smartphone for in place analysis: Lactose quantification in several matrices

An in place colorimetric method has been proposed for estimation of the quantity of lactose in several matrix (milk, water effluents and surfaces). Analyzing the amount of this carbohydrate it can be control the product, the cleanliness of the parts of the dairy companies and it can avoid contamination of milk products produced there. This method combines the use of HPTLC for sugars separation with novel analytical devices as minispectrophotometer with fiber optic coupled to a smartphone. In order to measure the lactose a colorimetric reaction has been used. Variable volumes of samples or stock solutions were deposited in nano-silica gel layer, a mobile phase of acetonitrile:water:acetic acid was used for carbohydrate separation and a solution of thymol (0.05 g Thymol in 95 mL of EtOH and 5 mL H₂SO₄) was used for revealed the carbohydrate spot. Finally, the reflectance of samples and stock solutions were measured. The achieved limits of detection were 0.03 mg mL^-1 and 0.003 mg mL^-1 for the working concentration range and the analysis at traces level respectively.

Validated HPTLC and antioxidant activities for quality control of catechin in a fermented tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica)

Miang, a Thai traditional fermented tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica), is exploited as nutraceutical and cosmeceutical ingredients despite limited standardization studies. Thus, this research aimed to develop a simple and rapid method for miang quality control using catechin and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) validated according to the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) and the Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC). The developing solvent consisting of toluene: ethyl acetate: acetone: formic acid (6:6:6:1 v/v/v/v) showed acceptable specificity with R f value of 0.54 ± 0.02 and linearity with correlation coefficient of 0.9951. The recovery was 98.84%-103.53%, and the RSD of intra- and inter-day precision was 0.70%-3.00% and 1.93%-4.94%, respectively. Miang ethyl acetate fraction is suggested to be attractive ingredient due to rich catechin (25.78 ± 0.53%), prolonged stability at 40 ◦C, and strong antioxidants determined by the assays of ABTS (IC50 = 3.32 ± 0.74 mg/ml), FRAP (89.05 ± 15.49 mg equivalent of FeSO4/g), and inhibition of lipid peroxidation (IC50 = 4.36 ± 0.67 mg/ml).

Determination of the effect of germination on the folate content of the seeds of some legumes using HPTLC-mass spectrometry-multivariate image analysis

Legumes are the main sources of folates which are not synthesized in the human body. The five folate species: 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate, tetrahydrofolate, pteroyl glutamate, 5-formyl tetrahydrofolate and 10-formyl tetrahydrofolate were quantitatively determined in legumes seeds and sprouts by a newly developed and validated high performance thin layer chromatography method. High resolution plate imaging hyphenated to mass spectrometry was exploited for fingerprint analysis of tested samples. Results indicated that germination of all seeds resulted in a 2.5-4 fold increase in the content of total folates as well as the individual vitamers. The total amount of folate reached a maximum on the fifth day in the case of black-eyed peas (861 μg/100 g Fresh Weight), white beans (755 μg/100 g FW) and brown lentils (681 μg/100 g FW). 5-CH₃-H₄ folate was found to be the most dominating folate species reaching its maximum content in day 5 sprouts of black-eyed peas (490 μg/100 g FW).

Andrographolide: A Review of Analytical Methods

Bicyclic diterpenoid lactone andrographolide is regarded as a "natural antibiotic" as it is known to exhibit a range of bioactivities including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antipyretic, antineoplastic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective and hypoglycaemic, and is present in Andrographis paniculata. The aim of this article is to review the information on analytical methods for andrographolide in biological samples, pharmaceutical formulations and plant materials. This article includes various techniques such as Spectrophotometry, Chemiluminescence method, Electroanalytical method, Chromatography and various hyphenated techniques.

Chitosan and glyceryl monooleate nanostructures containing gallic acid isolated from amla fruit: targeted delivery system

Gallic acid, active constituent of amla fruit its natural abundance with beneficial multi actions in body make them attractive for clinical applications. In present study, we focused on extracting, separating and characterizing gallic acid from amla and further formulated into chitosan nanoparticles, so bring it to increase its aqueous solubility and thereby bioactivity. Gallic acid nanoparticles were prepared by using poloxamer 407, chitosan and Glyceryl Monooleate (GMO) using probe sonicator and high pressure homogenization method. Prepared nanoparticles were characterized by particle size, zeta potential, DSC, XRD, SEM, entrapment efficiency, loading content, in-vitro release and stability study. They showed approximately 76.80% encapsulation of gallic acid with average size of 180.8 ± 0.21 nm, and zeta potential +24.2 mV. The cumulative in vitro drug release upto 24 hrs 77.16% was achieved suggesting that from all our findings, it can be concluded that work will facilitate extraction, design and fabrication of nanoparticles for protection and sustained release of gallic acid particularly to colonic region.

Toxicity and Anti-Proliferative Properties of Anisomeles indica Ethanol Extract on Cervical Cancer HeLa Cells and Zebrafish Embryos

In this study, we showed that crude extract of Anisomeles indica (AI-EtE) expressed its toxicity to HeLa cells with an IC50 dose of 38.8 µg/mL and to zebrafish embryos with malformations, lethality and hatching inhibition at 72-hpf at doses higher than 75 µg/mL. More interestingly, flow cytometry revealed that AI-EtE significantly promoted the number of cells entering apoptotic. Accordingly, the transcript levels of BAX, CASPASE-8, and CASPASE-3 in the cells treated with AI-EtE at IC50 dose were 1.55-, 1.62-, and 2.45-fold higher than those in the control cells, respectively. Moreover, treatment with AI-EtE caused cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase in a p53-independent manner. Particularly, percentages of AI-EtE-treated cells in G1, S, G2/M were, respectively 85%, 6.7% and 6.4%; while percentages of control cells in G1, S, G2/M were 64%, 15% and 19%, respectively. Consistent with cell cycle arrest, the expressions of CDKN1A and CDNK2A in AI-EtE-treated cells were up-regulated 1.9- and 1.64-fold, respectively. Significantly, treatment with AI-EtE also decreased anchorage-independent growth of HeLa cells. In conclusion, we suggest that Anisomeles indica can be considered as a medicinal plant with a possible use against cervical cancer cells; however, the used dose should be carefully monitored, especially when applying to pregnant women.

Novel Simultaneous Identification of Capsaicin and It’s Quantification in Transferosome Formulation By HP-TLC Technique

Introduction:

Capsaicin (8-methy-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide), a potential analgesic derived from Capsicum annuum (Chili peppers), widely used from ancient times for its pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and analgesic and provides relief from migraine and diabetes. But for obvious reasons, capsaicin cannot be administered directly. The present work was designed with a focus to comply with mandatory requirement in various pharmacopeias to know the actual content of API present in final formulations. The formulation (TS3) consisting of 3% lipid, with 4:6 ratio of the polymer and solvent, was found to be the optimized formulation, which gave the best evaluation with regard to the particle size (97.03±2.68) nm, polydispersity index (0.20±0.00), higher zeta potential (61.28±2.06) mv, morphological studies and highest drug entrapment efficiency (68.34±4.24)%. The prepared transferosome formulation was subjected to characterization by validated HP-TLC method consisting of N-Hexane: Tert- Iso-butyl-methyl ether in ratio (5:15) v/v. Linearity was performed in the range of 50-1500 ng/spot with LOD/LOQ 50 ng and 150 ng, with regression analysis (R) of 99.91%. Recovery analysis was performed at 3 different levels at 80, 100 and 120 with an average recovery of 106.97%, respectively. Till now, no analytical method has been reported, associated with the characterization of pharmaceutical nano-forms (Capsaicin), like transferosomes. Thus, the maiden validated HP-TLC method for concurrent analysis of capsaicin as API in nano-transferosome may be employed in process quality control of formulations containing the said API.

Background:

The irritability and adverse effects post application, leading to inflammation and neural pain at the site of administration of newly Capsaicin API and its chemical entities and marketed formulations are usually related to poor permeability, leading to drug complex reactions in the development phases or therapeutic failure along with the quantification of the same in blood plasma. However, advancement in drug formulations with the use of polymer: alcohol ratio and modernized analytical techniques for the quantification of Pharmaceutical APIs seems to be emerging and promising for overcoming pain and related inflammatory complications by formulating the APIs in Transferosome formulation with Validated HP-TLC technique being used as an effective economic and precise tool for quantitative analysis of APIs in their respective nano-forms.

Objective:

The study proposes a novel standardized method development and validation of pharmaceutical nanoforms with Capsaicin as API.

Method:

Capsaicin Transferosomes were formulated using Ultra probe sonication by utilizing different proportions of phospholipid 90G dissolved in a mixture of ethanol and propylene glycol. The formulation was subjected to Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) technique for nano-particle analysis followed by characterization with respect to particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency. The morphological study of vesicles was determined using SEM and TEM. A Validated HP-TLC method for the identification and determination of Capsaicin in transferosomes formulation was performed as per the ICH guidelines.

Results:

The formulation gave the best evaluation for particle size (97.03±2.68) nm, polydispersity index (0.20±0.00), higher zeta potential (61.28±2.06) mv, morphological studies (SEM & TEM) and highest drug entrapment efficiency (68.34±4.24)%. DSC thermograms and FTIR spectral patterns confirmed no physical interaction by polymers with API. The prepared formulation was then characterized using HP-TLC method. The best resolution was found in NHexane: Tert-Isobutyl methyl ether in a ratio of 5:15 v/v. The Rf was found to be 0.3±0.03. Linearity was performed in a range of 50-1500 ng/spot, with regression analysis (R) of 99.91% Further, recovery analysis was done at 3 different levels as 80, 100 and 120 with an average recovery of 106.97%. The LOD/LOQ was found to be 50 and 150 ng, respectively. Precision was carried out in which % RSD was found to be precise and accurate.

Conclusion:

The outcomes of the present study suggested that the proposed novel formulation analyzed by Validated planar chromatographic technique (HP-TLC) for Capsaicin quantification in nanoforms may be employed as a routine quality control method for the said API in various other formulations.

Opportunities and challenges of the tag-assisted protein purification techniques: Applications in the pharmaceutical industry

Tag-assisted protein purification is a method of choice for both academic researches and large-scale industrial demands. Application of the purification tags in the protein production process can help to save time and cost, but the design and application of tagged fusion proteins are challenging. An appropriate tagging strategy must provide sufficient expression yield and high purity for the final protein products while preserving their native structure and function. Thanks to the recent advances in the bioinformatics and emergence of high-throughput techniques (e.g. SEREX), many new tags are introduced to the market. A variety of interfering and non-interfering tags have currently broadened their application scope beyond the traditional use as a simple purification tool. They can take part in many biochemical and analytical features and act as solubility and protein expression enhancers, probe tracker for online visualization, detectors of post-translational modifications, and carrier-driven tags. Given the variability and growing number of the purification tags, here we reviewed the protein- and peptide-structured purification tags used in the affinity, ion-exchange, reverse phase, and immobilized metal ion affinity chromatographies. We highlighted the demand for purification tags in the pharmaceutical industry and discussed the impact of self-cleavable tags, aggregating tags, and nanotechnology on both the column-based and column-free purification techniques.

Emerging techniques for determining the quality and safety of tea products: A review

Spectroscopic techniques, electrochemical methods, nanozymes, computer vision, and modified chromatographic techniques are the emerging techniques for determining the quality and safety parameters (e.g., physical, chemical, microbiological, and classified parameters, as well as inorganic and organic contaminants) of tea products (such as fresh tea leaves, commercial tea, tea beverage, tea powder, and tea bakery products) effectively. By simplifying the sample preparation, speeding up the detection process, reducing the interference of other substances contained in the sample, and improving the sensitivity and accuracy of the current standard techniques, the abovementioned emerging techniques achieve rapid, cost-effective, and nondestructive or slightly destructive determination of tea products, with some of them providing real-time detection results. Applying these emerging techniques in the whole industry of tea product processing, right from the picking of fresh tea leaves, fermentation of tea leaves, to the sensory evaluation of commercial tea, as well as developing portable devices for real-time and on-site determination of classified and safety parameters (e.g., the geographical origin, grade, and content of contaminants) will not only eliminate the strong dependence on professionals but also help mechanize the production of tea products, which deserves further research. Conducting a review on the application of spectroscopic techniques, electrochemical methods, nanozymes, computer vision, and modifications of chromatographic techniques for quality and safety determination of tea products may serve as guide for other types of foods and beverages, offering potential techniques for their detection and evaluation, which would promote the development of the food industry.

Next-Generation TLC: A Quantitative Platform for Parallel Spotting and Imaging

A high-throughput screening approach for simultaneous analysis and quantification of the percent conversion of up to 48 reactions has been developed using a thin-layer chromatography (TLC) imaging method. As a test-bed reaction, we monitored 48 thiol conjugate additions to a Meldrum's acid derivative (1) in parallel using TLC. The TLC elutions were imaged using a cell phone and a LEGO brick-constructed UV/vis light box. Further, a spotting device was constructed from LEGO bricks that allows simple transfer of the samples from a well-plate to the TLC plate. Using software that was developed to detect "blobs" and report their intensity, we were able to quantitatively determine the extent of completion of the 48 reactions with one analysis.

Analytical Methods for the Determination of Sartans in Pharmaceutical Formulations and Biological Fluids: A Review

Background:

Sartans are mostly used as a part of combination with additional medicines in the therapy of essencial hypertension. Preferred combinations are ARB and thiazide diuretics (Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) and Chlorthalidone (CHL)) or ARB and calcium antagonists. The number of sartans mostly prescribed by specialists is only seven - Candesartan (CDS), Eprosartan (EPS), Irbesartan (IBS), Losartan (LOS), Olmesartan (OMS), Telmisartan (TMS) and Valsartan (VLS).

Methods:

The widespread use of sartans in the treatment of hypertension requires reliable methods of analysis. Bulk drugs and pharmaceutical preparations should be analyzed to ensure the quality of the medicinal products reaching patients. On the other hand, the analysis of drugs in biological fluids aims to trace and improve patient care by adjusting the therapeutic doses of drugs. According to our knowledge, a review devoted to the analysis of sartans was published in 2014.

Results:

Spectral methods are widely used in the analysis of bulk drugs and pharmaceutical dosage forms due to their relatively simple procedures, low reagent and sample consumption, speed, precision and accuracy combined with accessibility and comparatively low cost of common apparatus. Many papers for determination of sartans in bulk drugs and pharmaceutical preparations based on liquid chromatographic techniques were published in the available literature. Among these methods, HPLC takes the leading place but UPLC and HPTLC are also present.

Conclusion:

The widespread use of sartans in the treatment of hypertension requires reliable methods of analysis. Bulk drugs and pharmaceutical preparations should be analyzed to ensure the quality of the medicinal products reaching patients. On the other hand, the analysis of drugs in biological fluids aims to trace and improve patient care by adjusting the therapeutic doses of drugs. Since 2014, many articles have been published on the sartans analysis and this provoked our interest to summarize the latest applications in the analysis of sartans in pharmaceutical formulations and biological media. Articles published from 2014 to 2018 are covered.

Changes in lipid profiles induced by bisphenol A (BPA) in zebrafish eleutheroembryos during the yolk sac absorption stage

Bisphenol A (BPA; 4,4'-(propane-2,2-diyl)diphenol) has been shown to act as an obesogen and to disrupt lipid metabolism in zebrafish eleutheroembryos (ZE). To characterize the consequences of this disruption, we performed a detailed lipidomic study using ZE exposed to different BPA concentrations (0, 4, 6 and 8 mg/L of BPA) from day 2 to up to day 6 post fertilization (dpf). Total lipids at 4, 5 and 6 dpf were extracted by Folch method and analyzed by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) as wide-range preliminary screening. Selected conditions (0 and 6 mg/L of BPA) were used to obtain a high-quality lipid profile using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TOFMS). BPA exposed ZE exhibited increased amounts of triglycerides (TG), diglycerides (DG), phosphatidylcholines (PC) and phosphatidylinositols (PI), regarding the control group. Analysis of time- and BPA exposure-related patterns of specific lipid species showed a clear influence of unsaturation degree (mostly in DG and PC) and/or fatty acid chain length (mostly in TG and PC derivatives) on their response to the presence of BPA. A decreased yolk-sac and energy consumption in exposed individuals appeared as the main reason for the observed BPA-driven effects. Integration of these results with previous morphological, biochemical, transcriptomic, metabolomic and behavioral data suggests a disruption of different signalling pathways by BPA that starts at very low BPA concentrations, whose effects propagate across different organization levels, and that cannot be only explained by the relatively weak estrogenic effect of BPA.

An Investigative Review for Pharmaceutical Analysis of 1,4-Dihydropyridine-3,5-Dicarboxylic Acid Derivative: Cilnidipine

Hypertension is commonly a quiet condition, and it expands the risk of heart diseases and stroke. Calcium delivers a substantial role in cardiovascular functions and hence is essential for cardiac automaticity and functioning. Calcium channel antagonists are the choice of drugs for the management of cardiovascular diseases; they precisely stop the introduction of calcium through L-type calcium channels are existing channels in the heart. Cilnidipine belongs to the class 4th generation calcium channel blockers as a foremost therapeutic agent used in the treatment of hypertension and heart diseases. This review article focuses on an inclusive account of crucial analytical methodologies used for the pharmaceutical analysis of cilnidipine in pure forms, biological samples and pharmaceuticals. According to literature reports several analytical techniques such as hyphenated techniques, high-performance thin-layer chromatography, high-performance liquid-chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, voltammetry, UV/Vis-spectrophotometry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy approaches have been used for determination of cilnidipine alone or in the combined dosage form. We have also discussed the pharmacopeial assay methods, physicochemical properties, and also depict the stacked column chart for year wise publication count for cilnidipine. From literature, concluded that the high-performance liquid-chromatography and UV/Vis-spectrophotometry methods are the most prevailing methods for the analysis of cilnidipine. The data presented in this review may provide a very significant base for further studies on cilnidipine in the area of drug analysis.