Automated high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for monitoring caffeine and its metabolites in biological fluids of monkeys consuming caffeine

Topically instilled caffeine selectively alters emmetropizing responses in infant rhesus monkeys

Oral administration of the adenosine receptor (ADOR) antagonist, 7-methylxanthine (7-MX), reduces both form-deprivation and lens-induced myopia in mammalian animal models. We investigated whether topically instilled caffeine, another non-selective ADOR antagonist, retards vision-induced axial elongation in monkeys. Beginning at 24 days of age, a 1.4% caffeine solution was instilled in both eyes of 14 rhesus monkeys twice each day until the age of 135 days. Concurrent with the caffeine regimen, the monkeys were fitted with helmets that held either -3 D (-3D/pl caffeine, n = 8) or +3 D spectacle lenses (+3D/pl caffeine, n = 6) in front of their lens-treated eyes and zero-powered lenses in front of their fellow-control eyes. Refractive errors and ocular dimensions were measured at baseline and periodically throughout the lens-rearing period. Control data were obtained from 8 vehicle-treated animals also reared with monocular -3 D spectacles (-3D/pl vehicle). In addition, historical comparison data were available for otherwise untreated lens-reared controls (-3D/pl controls, n = 20; +3D/pl controls, n = 9) and 41 normal monkeys. The vehicle controls and the untreated lens-reared controls consistently developed compensating axial anisometropias (-3D/pl vehicle = -1.44 ± 1.04 D; -3D/pl controls = -1.85 ± 1.20 D; +3D/pl controls = +1.92 ± 0.56 D). The caffeine regime did not interfere with hyperopic compensation in response to +3 D of anisometropia (+1.93 ± 0.82 D), however, it reduced the likelihood that animals would compensate for -3 D of anisometropia (+0.58 ± 1.82 D). The caffeine regimen also promoted hyperopic shifts in both the lens-treated and fellow-control eyes; 26 of the 28 caffeine-treated eyes became more hyperopic than the median normal monkey (mean (±SD) relative hyperopia = +2.27 ± 1.65 D; range = +0.31 to +6.37 D). The effects of topical caffeine on refractive development, which were qualitatively similar to those produced by oral administration of 7-MX, indicate that ADOR antagonists have potential in treatment strategies for preventing and/or reducing myopia progression.

A validated HPLC method for the determination of pyridostigmine bromide, acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid and caffeine in rat plasma and urine

A method was developed for the separation and quantification of the anti-nerve agent pyridostigmine bromide (PB; 3-dimethylaminocarbonyloxy-N-methyl pyridinium bromide), the analgesic drugs acetaminophen and acetylsalicylic acid, and the stimulant caffeine (3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1-H-purine-2,6-dione) in rat plasma and urine. The compounds were extracted using C(18) Sep-Pak(R) cartridges then analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with reversed phase C18 column, and UV detection at 280 nm. The compounds were separated using gradient of 1-85% acetonitrile in water (pH 3.0) at a flow rate ranging between 1 and 1.5 ml/min in a period of 14 min. The retention times ranged from 8.8 to 11.5 min. The limits of detection were ranged between 100 and 200 ng/ml, while limits of quantitation were 150-200 ng/ml. Average percentage recovery of five spiked plasma samples were 70.9+/-9.5, 73.7+/-9.8, 88.6+/-9.3, 83.9+/-7.8, and from urine 69.1+/-8.5, 74.5+/-8.7, 85.9+/-9.8, 83.2+/-9.3, for pyridostigmine bromide, acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid and caffeine, respectively. The relationship between peak areas and concentration was linear over range between 100 and 1000 ng/ml. The resulting chromatograms showed no interfering peaks from endogenous plasma or urine components. This method was applied to analyze these compounds following oral administration in rats.

Use of novel solid-phase extraction sorbent materials for high-performance liquid chromatography quantitation of caffeine metabolism products methylxanthines and methyluric acids in samples of biological origin

An automated reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method, using a linear gradient elution, is described for the simultaneous analysis of caffeine and metabolites according to their elution order: 7-methyluric acid, 1-methyluric acid, 7-methylxanthine, 3-methylxanthine, 1-methylxanthine, 1,3-dimethyluric acid, theobromine, 1,7-dimethyluric acid, paraxanthine and theophylline. The analytical column, an MZ Kromasil C4, 250 x 4 mm, 5 microm, was operated at ambient temperature with back pressure values of 80-110 kg/cm2. The mobile phase consisted of an acetate buffer (pH 3.5)-methanol (97:3, v/v) changing to 80:20 v/v in 20 min time, delivered at a flow-rate of 1 ml/min. Paracetamol was used as internal standard at a concentration of 6.18 ng/microl. Detection was performed with a variable wavelength UV-visible detector at 275 nm, resulting in detection limits of 0.3 ng per 10-microl injection, while linearity held up to 8 ng/microl for most of analytes, except for paraxanthine and theophylline, for which it was 12 ng/microl and for caffeine for which it was 20 ng/microl. The statistical evaluation of the method was examined performing intra-day (n=6) and inter-day calibration (n=7) and was found to be satisfactory, with high accuracy and precision results. High extraction recoveries from biological matrices: blood serum and urine ranging from 84.6 to 103.0%, were achieved using Nexus SPE cartridges with hydrophilic and lipophilic properties and methanol-acetate buffer (pH 3.5) (50:50, v/v) as eluent, requiring small volumes, 40 microl of blood serum and 100 microl of urine.

The confirmation and control of metabolic caffeine in standardbred horses after administration of theophylline

The origin of caffeine detections in equine serum and urine after theophylline administrations was examined. Three different preparations containing theophylline were administered to standardbred mares. Both blood and urine samples were collected. Caffeine was detected and quantified in theophylline administration samples by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Further in vitro analysis showed that caffeine metabolites were not detected when caffeine, or caffeine-containing products, were added to urine. Data derived from HPLC-UV and LC-MS-MS analysis of dosages of theophylline and caffeine are used to propose the establishment of a threshold limit to control and discern between metabolic and administered caffeine concentrations. A serum caffeine concentration of 250 ng/mL and a urine caffeine concentration of 1000 ng/mL are suggested. Based on the data supplied, these threshold concentrations could effectively control orally administered caffeine in racehorses, up to the dosage used in this work, up to 72 h before sampling time.

Analytical considerations for trace determinations of drugs in breast milk

Recent scientific and regulatory interest in lacteal excretion of drugs has prompted this review of bioanalytical sample preparation techniques for milk. The composition and properties of milk are reviewed, with emphasis on how the sample preparation is affected. The most important principals of mammary gland pharmacology, including protein binding, ion trapping and liquid solubility, are described. Because adequate milk volume is difficult to obtain from some smaller rodent species, special arrangements for sample collection, control preparation and assay standardization often need to be made. Several commonly-used sample preparation approaches for drugs in milk, including direct injection, dialysis and ultrafiltration, protein precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction and immunoaffinity extraction. Have been reported with varying degrees of success. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches is discussed.

Excretion of caffeine and its primary degradation products into bile

Caffeine, widely consumed in beverages, is known to alter several biliary parameters that can affect gallstone pathogenesis. To address the question whether methylxanthines can act on the luminal side of biliary epithelial cells, we measured caffeine and its primary demethylation products in human bile. Eight patients had an external biliary drainage due to bile duct or gallbladder disease. Two of the patients suffered from histologically confirmed liver cirrhosis. The levels of caffeine, paraxanthine, theobromine, and theophylline were monitored over 10 h in plasma and bile before and after a prior oral dose of caffeine (5 mg/kg b. wt.). Methylxanthines were enriched by an organic extraction procedure and separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Time-concentration curves in bile paralleled the time-course of methylxanthine levels in blood plasma. Accordingly, values in bile and blood plasma were highly correlated for each methylxanthine measured. Within 1 h after the oral test dose, peak levels of caffeine were obtained in both fluids. Biliary concentrations were either almost equal (caffeine) or lower (dimethylxanthines) than their respective values in blood plasma. The results of our study indicate that minor amounts of caffeine and its primary degradation products are excreted via the bile allowing local interference with epithelial cell metabolism of bile ducts and gallbladder.

Simultaneous determination of caffeine and its primary demethylated metabolites in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

An improved high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of caffeine and its three primary metabolites (theophylline, theobromine and paraxanthine) in human plasma is described. The four substances were separated on a reversed-phase column (5 microns TSK gel ODS-80TM, 150 mm x 4.6 mm I.D.) by use of the mobile phase methanol-0.1 M NaH2PO4 (30:70, v/v) with a flow-rate of 0.8 ml/min. Absorbance was monitored at 274 nm. The detection limit was 5 ng/ml for theobromine and caffeine and 10 ng/ml for paraxanthine and theophylline. The linearity and reproducibility were sufficient for drug monitoring of caffeine and its primary methylxanthines.

High performance liquid chromatographic determination of methylxanthines in canine serum, gastric and pancreatic juices

A convenient high performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of methylxanthines in biological samples is described. Separation was achieved by reversed phase chromatography using a mobile phase consisting of tetrahydrofuran + methanol + 0.01M potassium dihydrogen phosphate, pH 3.5 (1:20:79, v/v/v), on a 7 microns C18 column and a C18 Lichrosorb precolumn at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. Levels varying from 0.25-16 mg/L could be detected by UV at 280 nm. In this range, standard curves were established for 4 methylxanthines: theobromine, paraxanthine, theophylline and caffeine in 4 media: mobile phase, serum, gastric and pancreatic juices, and were found to be linear (r greater than or equal to 0.9975). Overall characteristics of the method were determined as: percent recovery (89.54%), accuracy (greater than or equal to 99.4%) and reproducibility (greater than or equal to 95%). Retention times ranged from 4.21 +/- 0.01 (1-methyluric acid) to 10.8 +/- 0.03 min (caffeine). Animal experiments (5 and 10 mg/kg boluses) were used to determine caffeine half life in dog's blood (310 +/- 46 and 453 +/- 59 min, respectively) and its secretion into pentagastrin stimulated gastric juice (mean concentrations 2.51 and 6.04 mg/L; mean outputs 351 and 1206 micrograms/2.25 h; both statistically different at p less than 0.001 level).

Correlation of caffeine elimination and Child's classification in liver cirrhosis

Apparent pharmacokinetic parameters of caffeine elimination from the circulation were determined in 27 patients with histologically confirmed liver cirrhosis, 8 patients with miscellaneous liver disease, and 8 patients with other than liver disease. The usefullness of this quantitative test to assess the severity of liver cirrhosis was compared to the Child-Turcotte or Child-Pugh classification score as well as to the galactose elimination capacity of these patients. Using reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography caffeine, paraxanthine, theophylline, and theobromine were analysed in blood plasma collected before and after an oral dose of caffeine. Compared to apparent caffeine pharmacokinetics in patients with normal livers or miscellaneous liver disease, cirrhosis was characterized by a statistically significant reduction in apparent caffeine clearance and prolongation in half-life. The reduced apparent plasma disappearance rate of caffeine in cirrhotics was related to the retarded formation of paraxanthine which was the main metabolite of caffeine in blood plasma both in the absence or presence of liver disease. The apparent caffeine clearance in cirrhosis decreased with increasing Child-Turcotte classification score: Child's class A patients differed significantly from Child's class B or Child's class C patients, whereas the difference between Child's class B and C patients did not reach statistical significance (Wilcoxon's rank test). In addition there was a strong correlation between the Child-Pugh classification score and apparent caffeine clearance (P less than 0.001). However, no correlation existed between Child's classification and galactose elimination capacity. Our data emphasize the value of the Child-Turcotte or Child-Pugh classification in assessing the severity of liver cirrhosis in a simpler and less time-consuming way than using quantitative liver function tests.

Variability in caffeine consumption from coffee and tea: possible significance for epidemiological studies

Five surveys, using a previously developed high-performance liquid chromatography procedure to measure caffeine concentrations, indicated great variations in the concentrations of caffeine in tea and coffee. In the study of beverages prepared at home, data on caffeine concentrations in 58 samples of tea and coffee, volumes of cups, and numbers of cups consumed/day, indicated that the range of caffeine intakes for the women participating was 49-1022 mg/day. There were considerable day-to-day variations in caffeine contents in coffee samples from some commercial coffee shops. When 17 samples of five national brands of instant coffee were made into beverages in the laboratory, variations in caffeine concentrations between lots were small but between brands were significant. A considerable range of caffeine concentrations was also found when 12 samples of coffee prepared at work by different individuals using the same jar of instant coffee were analysed. Analysis of tea samples prepared in the laboratory indicated that steeping time had an important influence on resulting caffeine and theobromine concentrations. People preparing their own beverages were found to drink more liquid than the volume offered commerically. The mean caffeine 'contents' of home-made coffee and of coffee prepared by individuals at work were 79.4 and 81.7 mg/cup respectively, indicating a mean intake of approximately 80 mg caffeine/cup. When this amount (80 mg/cup) was used to estimate daily intakes of caffeine from coffee, on the basis of the number of reported cups/day, and the values obtained were compared with the amounts actually consumed by individuals, the potential for misrepresentation of individual consumption became obvious. For example, for subjects consuming three cups of coffee, only 25% would have been correctly categorized in the expected range for the daily intake of caffeine, 39% would have been overestimated and 36% underestimated for the amount of caffeine consumed. These variations in caffeine concentrations and in the volume of coffee consumed have frequently been ignored in examinations of the possible relationship between coffee consumption and various health problems, and this could perhaps partly explain some conflicting results seen in epidemiological studies.