Abstract The illicit market of counterfeit medicines containing sildenafil and tadalafil has been causing serious public health problems. Thus, further studies on this illicit association are needed. A stability-indicating HPLC method was developed for simultaneous determination of tadalafil (TAD) and sildenafil (SIL) using a C18 column (250 x 4.6 mm, 5 µm). Detection was achieved at 284 nm, for TAD, and 292 nm, for SIL. The method was considered to be specific, linear, precise, accurate, robust, and sensitive. In the photodegradation kinetic studies, the drugs showed a first-order reaction rate when isolated, and zero-order when associated. Toxicological assays demonstrated that the photodegraded drugs decreased cell viability in compared to non- degraded drugs, suggesting cytotoxic activity. Additional, mutagenic activity was not observed under the tested conditions. Photodegraded drugs, in association, depicted DNA damage index, suggesting genotoxic effects. The obtained results will be able to support the forensic intelligence laboratories, as well as to alert the population about the risk inherent to consuming counterfeit products.

SUMMARY This study aimed to develop and validate a stability-indicating liquid chromatography method for the determination of tirofiban hydrochloride and two synthetic impurities (impurity A and impurity C). The method utilizes a RP-18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm; 5 µm) with the PDA detector for quantitation. A mixture of triethylamine 0.1% (acidified to pH 5.5 with phosphoric acid) and acetonitrile was used as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL min-1 with gradient elution. The method presented satisfactory linearity, precision, accuracy and robustness, as well as low limits of detection and quantification, which demonstrate sensitivity in the determination of tirofiban and impurities A and C. It was selective for the determination of the drug and impurities analysed, without interference of the degradation products generated under forced conditions, demonstrating the stability-indicating capacity of the proposed method. Tirofiban showed to be practically stable to oxidative (30% H2O2 for 24 h) and thermal (75 °C for 24 h) conditions, but presented degradation to UVA light and acid hydrolysis, obeying the first order kinetics for both. In this way, it can be used as a stability-indicating method in the quality control of the raw material of tirofiban hydrochloride, as well as of the finished product. The obtained results demonstrate the importance of deepening the studies in this area, to guarantee the quality of commercialized pharmaceutical products.

RESUMO Este estudo teve como objetivo desenvolver e validar método indicativo da estabilidade por cromatografía líquida para determinação de cloridrato de tirofibana e duas impurezas de síntese (impureza A e impureza C). O método utilizou coluna de fase reversa RP-18 (250 mm x 4,6 mm; 5 µm) e detector PDA para quantificação. A fase móvel foi composta por uma mistura de trietilamina 0,1% (acidificada com ácido fosfórico para pH 5,5) e acetonitrila, à vazão de 1 mL/min, no modo gradiente. O método apresentou linearidade, precisão, exatidão, robustez, bem como baixos limites de detecção e quantificação, demonstrando sensibilidade na determinação da tirofibana e impurezas A e C. O método apresentou seletividade na determinação do fármaco e das impurezas, sem interferência dos produtos de degradação gerados na degradação forçada da tirofibana, demonstrando sua capacidade indicativa de estabilidade. O fármaco apresentou-se estável a oxidação (H2O2 30% por 24 h) e a degradação térmica (75 °C por 24 h), mas degradou frente à luz UVA e hidrolise ácida, obedecendo cinética de primeira ordem para ambas. Dessa forma, pode ser utilizado como um método indicativo de estabilidade no controle de qualidade da matéria -prima do cloridrato de tirofibana, bem como no produto acabado. Os resultados obtidos demonstram a importância de aprofundar os estudos na área, com intuito de garantir a qualidade dos produtos farmacêuticos comercializados.

Danofloxacin is a veterinary fluoroquinolone used to treat respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases of birds, pigs and cattle. The literature reviewed shows some analytical methods to quantify this fluoroquinolone, but microbiological and biological safety studies are limited. The analytical methods were validated by the Official Codes. The LC-DAD method was developed and validated using an RP-18 column, mobile phase containing a mixture of 0.3% triethylamine (pH 3.0) and acetonitrile (85:15, v/v). The microbiological assay was performed by agar diffusion method (3 x 3) and Staphylococcus epidermidis as a microorganism test. Forced degradation studies were performed in both methods. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was performed by test microdilution and toxicity studies were evaluated using in silico study, cell proliferation, cell viability test, micronuclei and comet assay. LC and a microbiological assay proved linear, accurate, precise, and robust to quantify danofloxacin, but only the LC method showed selectivity to quantify the drug in the presence of its degradation products. These results demonstrate that the LC method is suitable for stability studies of danofloxacin, but a microbiological assay cannot be used to quantify the drug due to the biological activity of the photoproducts. Ex-vivo cytotoxicity and theoretical and experimental genotoxicity were also observed.

ABSTRACT Fluoroquinolones are a known antibacterial class commonly used around the world. These compounds present relative stability and they may show some adverse effects according their distinct chemical structures. The chemical hydrolysis of five fluoroquinolones was studied using alkaline and photolytic degradation aiming to observe the differences in molecular reactivity. DFT/B3LYP-6.31G* was used to assist with understanding the chemical structure degradation. Gemifloxacin underwent degradation in alkaline medium. Gemifloxacin and danofloxacin showed more degradation perceptual indices in comparison with ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin and norfloxacin in photolytic conditions. Some structural features were observed which may influence degradation, such as the presence of five member rings attached to the quinolone ring and the electrostatic positive charges, showed in maps of potential electrostatic charges. These measurements may be used in the design of effective and more stable fluoroquinolones as well as the investigation of degradation products from stress stability assays.

<p>A reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method was developed for the assay of synephrine in <italic>Citrus aurantium</italic> dry extract. The chromatographic separation used a C18 (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) column and a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile: 0.01% orthophosphoric acid (pH 3.0) at a 15:85 ratio, flow rate of 1 mL min^-1 and detection at 220 nm. The detector response was linear in the range 15 - 45 mg mL^-1. Specificity and stability, indicating suitability of the method, were confirmed using stress conditions (acid and basic hydrolysis, oxidation and photolysis). Intraday precision yielded RSD values of less than 1.77% and interday precision of 2.5%. The average recovery accuracy of the test was 102.03%. The method was validated according to international guidelines and can be used in routine quality control and stability studies of <italic>Citrus aurantium</italic> preparations. The preliminary stability study showed that synephrine is susceptible to hydrolysis, oxidation and photolysis.</p>

Este estudo descreve o desenvolvimento e avaliação de método indicativo da estabilidade por cromatografia líquida (LC) e método por espectrofotometria UV para quantificação de ciprofibrato (CPF) em comprimidos e cápsulas. No método por cromatografia líquida as análises foram realizadas isocraticamente em coluna de fase reversa C18, utilizando fase móvel composta por ácido o-fosfórico (0.1% v/v) pH 3.0, ajustado com trietilamina (10% v/v), e acetonitrila (35:65 v/v), com fluxo de 1,0 mL min-1. A detecção foi realizada em detector de arranjo de diodos a 233 nm. Na análise espectrofotométrica, etanol e água foram utilizados como solventes e o comprimento de onda de 233 nm foi selecionado para a detecção do fármaco. Os métodos foram validados de acordo com as diretrizes do International Conference on Harmonization (ICH). A análise estatística não mostrou diferença significativa entre os resultados obtidos pelos dois métodos. Os métodos foram aplicados com sucesso para análises de controle de qualidade do ciprofibrato em comprimidos e cápsulas.

This study describes the development and evaluation of stability-indicating liquid chromatographic (LC) and UV spectrophotometric methods for the quantification of ciprofibrate (CPF) in tablets and capsules. Isocratic LC separation was achieved on a RP18 column using a mobile phase of o-phosphoric acid (0.1% v/v), adjusted to pH 3.0 with triethylamine (10% v/v) and acetonitrile (35:65 v/v), with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1. Detection was achieved with a photodiode array detector at 233 nm. For the spectrophotometric analysis, ethanol and water were used as the solvent and a wavelength of 233 nm was selected for the detection. The methods were validated according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines for validating analytical procedures. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the results obtained by the two methods. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the CPF quality-control analysis of tablets and capsules.

A rapid, economical, reproducible, and simple direct spectrophotometric method was developed and validated for the assay of nitazoxanide in pharmaceutical formulations. Nitazoxanide concentration was estimated in water at 345 nm and pH 4.5. The method was suitable and validated for specificity, linearity, precision, and accuracy. There was no interference of the excipients in the determination of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. The proposed method was successfully applied in the determination of nitazoxanide in coated tablets and in powders for oral suspension. This method was compared to a previously developed and validated method for liquid chromatography to the same drug. There was no significative difference between these methods for nitazoxanide quantitation.