Determination of chamaechromone in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: application to pharmacokinetic study

A rapid, simple and accurate method was developed for the determination of chamaechromone in rat plasma using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS). Rosuvastatin was used as the internal standard. The plasma samples were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was performed on Xbridge™ C₁₈ column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 3.5 μm) with linear gradient elution using water and methanol, both of which were acidified with 0.1% aqueous formic acid. The flow rate was 0.4 mL/min and the total run time was 6 min. Detection was performed on a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer using positive ion mode electrospray ionization (ESI) in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The MS/MS ion transitions monitored were m/z 543.3 → 198.9 and 481.9 → 258.3 for chamaechromone and rosuvastatin, respectively. Good linearity was observed over the concentration range of 8–6400 ng/mL in 0.1 mL of rat plasma. The lowest concentration (8 ng/mL) in the calibration curve was estimated as LLOQ with both deviation of accuracy and RSD of precision <20% (n = 6). Intra-assay and inter-assay variability were less than 11% in plasma. This method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of chamaechromone in rats after intravenous (5 mg/kg) and oral (100 mg/kg) administration. Following oral administration the concentration–time curve of chamaechromone exhibited a biphasic absorption profile. The maximum mean concentration in plasma (C_max, 795.9 ± 14.6 ng/L) was achieved at 11.3 ± 0.8 h (T_max) and the area under curve (AUC_0–60) was 6976.7 ± 1026.9 ng h/L. After single intravenously administration of chamaechromone, the essential pharmacokinetic parameters C_max, AUC_0–48 were 4300.7 ± 113.6 ng/L and 3672.1 ± 225.4 ng h/L, respectively. The result showed that the compound was poorly absorbed with an absolute bioavailability being approximately 8.9%.     

Simultaneous quantification of dextromethorphan and its metabolites dextrorphan, 3-methoxymorphinan and 3-hydroxymorphinan in human plasma by ultra performance liquid chromatography/tandem triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry

A rapid and sensitive ultra performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous quantitative determination of dextromethorphan (DM) and its metabolites dextrorphan (DX), 3-methoxymorphinan (3MM) and 3-hydroxymorphinan (3HM), in human lithium heparinized plasma. The extraction involved a simple liquid–liquid extraction with 1 ml n-butylchloride from 200 μl aliquots of plasma, after the addition of 20 μl 4% (v/v) ammonium hydroxide and 100 μl stable labeled isotopic internal standards in acetonitrile. Chromatographic separations were achieved on an Aquity UPLC^® BEH C₁₈ 1.7 μm 2.1 mm × 100 mm column eluted at a flow-rate of 0.250 ml/min on a gradient of acetonitrile. The overall cycle time of the method was 7 min, with elution times of 1.3 min for DX and 3HM, 2.8 min for 3MM and 2.9 min for DM. The multiple reaction monitoring transitions were set at 272 > 215 (m/z), at 258 > 133 (m/z), at 258 > 213 (m/z) and at 244 > 157 (m/z) for DM, DX, 3MM and 3HM, respectively. The calibration curves were linear (r² ≥ 0.995) over the range of 0.500–100 nM with the lower limit of quantitation validated at 0.500 nM for all compounds, which is equivalent to 136, 129, 129 and 122 pg/ml for DM, DX, 3MM and 3HM, respectively. Extraction recoveries were constant, but ranged from 39% for DM to 83% for DX. The within-run and between-run precisions were within 11.6%, while the accuracy ranged from 92.7 to 110.6%. The applicability of the bioanalytical method was demonstrated and is currently implemented in a clinical trial to study DM as probe-drug for individualized tamoxifen treatment in breast cancer patients.     

Stability indicating ion chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of ibandronate sodium drug substance and its impurities

A simple and sensitive ion chromatography method has been developed for the simultaneous assay of ibandronate sodium drug substance and the determination of its impurities. The separation was achieved on Allsep™ anion column 150 mm × 4.6 mm, 7 μm particle diameter. The mobile phase consisted of 1% (v/v) aqueous formic acid and acetone 98:2% (v/v); flow rate 1.0 ml min⁻¹ at ambient temperature. The analytes were monitored by conductometric detector. The drug substance was subjected to stress conditions of hydrolysis, oxidation, photolytic, thermal and humidity degradation. Considerable degradation was achieved only under oxidative conditions. Mass balance was demonstrated in all stress conditions. The method was validated for specificity, precision, linearity, solution stability and accuracy. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) for impurities were in the range of 0.36–0.80 μg ml⁻¹ and 1.00–2.40 μg ml⁻¹, respectively. For ibandronate LOD was 38 μg ml⁻¹ and LOQ was 113 μg ml⁻¹. The average recoveries for impurities and ibandronate were in the range of 99.0–103.1% and the method can be successfully applied for the routine analysis of ibandronate sodium drug substance.     

Occupational exposure to indium: what does biomonitoring tell us?

Background

The industrial uses of indium, a rare metal with no known physiological role in humans, have increased dramatically over the past 15 years.The results of animal toxicity studies showing pulmonary and systemic effects as well as some reports in workers have created a growing concern about the possible occurrence of toxic effects in exposed workers. Validated biomarkers to assess exposure to indium are not available.

Objectives

This work aimed at investigating the kinetics of indium in urine (In-U) and plasma (In-Pl) in workers manufacturing In ingots and mainly exposed to hardly water-soluble In compounds. All nine workers from the In department of a large metallurgical concern participated in the study as well as 5 retired workers and 20 controls.

Methods

Personal breathing zone air was collected throughout the work shift on Monday and Friday. Blood and urine samples were collected, before and after the shift, on the same day as the air sampling and on preshift the next Monday after a non-working week-end. Moreover, rats were given either InCl₃ by intraperitoneal injection or In₂O₃ by pharyngeal aspiration, In was followed in plasma during 120 days and measured in tissues 120 days after exposure.

Results

Higher In-Pl and In-U concentrations were found in both current (range 0.32–12.61 μg/L plasma; 0.22–3.50 μg/g creat) and former (0.03–4.38 μg/L plasma; 0.02–0.69 μg/g creat) workers compared with controls (<0.03 μg/L plasma; <0.02 μg/g creat). Both biological parameters were highly correlated but no correlation was found between In-air (10–1030 μg/m³) and In-Pl or In-U. Normalizing In-U by the urinary creatinine concentration reduced the inter- (from 90% to 70%) and intra-individual variability (from 54% to 35%). In-Pl remained remarkably stable along the working week (inter- and intra-individual variability: 89% and 10%, respectively). Neither In-U nor In-Pl significantly increased during the day or the week. A week-end without occupational exposure was not sufficient to reach the background In-Pl and In-U levels measured in controls. The results of the experimental investigations confirmed the hypothesis that inhalation of hardly soluble In compounds may cause accumulation of In in the body leading to a prolonged “endogenous exposure” from both a lung depot of “insoluble” particles that are progressively absorbed and from a retention depot in other internal organs.

Conclusion

This study shows that in workers exposed to hardly soluble In compounds, In-U and In-Pl are very sensitive to detect exposure and mainly reflect long-term exposure. In-Pl levels are particularly stable for a given individual. In-U might be more influenced than In-Pl by recent exposure. Both parameters remained high years after withdrawal from exposure, indicating a possible endogenous exposure and a prolonged risk of pulmonary and systemic diseases even after work exposure has ceased.     

Transdermal iontophoresis of ranitidine: an opportunity in paediatric drug therapy

The objective of this study was to examine the use of transdermal iontophoresis for the delivery of ranitidine hydrochloride in children. Constant, direct current, anodal iontophoresis of ranitidine was performed in vitro across dermatomed pig skin. The effect of donor vehicle, current intensity, and drug concentration were first examined using aqueous solutions. It was found that drug delivery was higher at pH 7 (donor: 5 mM Tris) than pH 5.6 (donor: water). In the presence of low levels of competing background electrolyte, ranitidine delivery increased linearly with applied current but was independent of the donor drug concentration. The second part of the study evaluated two Pluronic^® F-127 gels as potential vehicles for ranitidine delivery. The formulations were characterised in terms of apparent viscosity, conductivity and passive permeation measurements. Iontophoretic delivery of ranitidine was only slightly affected when delivered from the gels relative to aqueous solutions. Overall the results demonstrated that therapeutic paediatric doses of ranitidine (neonates: 0.09–0.17 μmol/kg h; 1 month to 12 years: 0.36–0.71 μmol/kg h) could be easily achieved by transdermal iontophoresis with simple gel patches of practical surface area (0.2–1.5 cm²/kg).     

Rapid UPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of sufentanil in human plasma and its application in target-controlled infusion system

A rapid, selective and highly sensitive ultra-performance liquid-chromatography mass-spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method has been developed and validated for the determination of sufentanil in human plasma. Sufentanil was separated on an ACQUITY™ UPLC BEH C₁₈ column (50 mm × 2.1 mm, ID 1.7 μm) and analyzed in positive-ion (PI) electrospray-ionization (ESI) mode. The mobile phase (MP) consisted of acetonitrile:water (45:55, v/v) under isocratic conditions at a flow rate of 0.2 ml/min. Sufentanil and internal-standard (IS) fentanyl were eluted at 1.47 and 1.16 min, respectively, and their responses were optimized at the transitions m/z 387.2 > 238.0 and m/z 337.2 > 188.0, respectively. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.071–4.56 ng/ml, with coefficients of determination >0.999. The accuracy and precision of the method were between 96.49% and 100.37% (RSD < 9%), and the mean recovery of sufentanil was 84.08 ± 7.29%. The method was successfully applied to evaluate the predictive accuracy of Gepts pharmacokinetic sets in a target-controlled infusion (TCI) model, and the Gepts parameters were capable of predicting sufentanil plasma concentrations when multi-level target concentrations were acquired during surgery.     

High-performance liquid chromatography assay of gnetol in rat serum and application to pre-clinical pharmacokinetic studies

A method of analysis of gnetol (2,3′,5′,6-tetrahydroxy-trans-stilbene) in biological fluids is necessary for the study of its kinetics and disposition in plants. A simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of gnetol in rat serum using a reverse-phase, isocratic system. Separation was achieved using a Phenomenex^® Luna C₁₈ (2) column with ultraviolet detection at 305 nm. The standard curves were linear ranging from 0.5 to 100 μg/ml. The mean extraction efficiency was >90.5%. Precision of the assay was <14% (R.S.D.), and was within 14% at the limit of quantitation (0.5 μg/ml). Bias of the assay was lower than 15%, and was within 15% at the limit of quantitation. The assay was applied successfully to the study of serum disposition of gnetol in rats.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels in three pelagic fish species from Atlantic Ocean: inter-specific and inter-season comparisons and assessment of potential public health risks

The concentrations of 18 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in three commercially valuable fish species (sardine, Sardina pilchardus; chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus; and horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus) from the Atlantic Ocean. Specimens were collected seasonally during 2007–2009. Only low molecular weight PAHs were detected, namely, naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene and phenanthrene. Chub mackerel (1.80–19.90 μg/kg ww) revealed to be significantly more contaminated than horse mackerel (2.73–10.0 μg/kg ww) and sardine (2.29–14.18 μg/kg ww). Inter-specific and inter-season comparisons of PAHs bioaccumulation were statistically assessed. The more relevant statistical correlations were observed between PAH amounts and total fat content (significant positive relationships, p ? 0.05), and season (sardine displayed higher amounts in autumn–winter while the mackerel species showed globally the inverse behavior). The health risks by consumption of these species were assessed and shown to present no threat to public health concerning PAH intakes.     

An HPLC-MS/MS method for the quantitative determination of 4-hydroxy-anethole trithione in human plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A selective, rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of 4-hydroxy-anethole trithione (ATX) in human plasma based on high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) was developed and validated. Paracetamol was used as the internal standard (I.S.). After liquid–liquid extraction of 500 μL plasma with ethyl acetate, ATX and the I.S. were chromatographed on an Inertsil^® ODS-3 column. The mobile phase was consisted of methanol–water (75:25, v/v) with a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. The detection was performed on a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode via electrospray ionization (ESI) source. The calibration curve was linear over the range of 0.452–603 ng/mL (r² ≥ 0.99) with a lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of 0.452 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision (relative standard deviation, R.S.D.) values were below 13% and the accuracy (relative error, R.E.) was from −2.7% to −7.5% at three quality control levels. The assay herein described was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of anethole trithione (ATT) tablet in healthy volunteers after oral administration.     

Screening of natural compounds for ligands to PfTrxR by ultrafiltration and LC-MS based binding assay

In our study, we have screened 133 structurally diverse natural compounds from the MEGx^® collection of AnalytiCon Discovery and three synthetic hispolone analogs for binding affinity to Plasmodium falciparum thioredoxin reductase (PfTrxR) using an ultrafiltration (UF) and liquid chromatography (LC/MS) based ligand-binding assay newly developed in our laboratory. PfTrxR catalyzes the reduction of thioredoxin (PfTrx) protein. In reduced form, PfTrx is essentially involved in the antioxidative defense and redox regulation of P. falciparum. Nine compounds (yohimbine (1), catharanthine (2), vobasine (3), gnetifolin E (4), quinidine N-oxide (5), 11-hydroxycoronaridine (6), hispolone (7), hispolone methyl ether (8), and hernagine (9)) displayed binding affinity for PfTrxR at 1 μM. The ranking order of compound's binding affinities for PfTrxR is 7 > 6 > 2 > 4 > 5 > 8 > 1 > 9 > 3. On the other hand, compounds 6, 7, 2 and 8 demonstrated specific binding to the active site of PfTrxR, when ligands were tested in an equimolar mixture of 1 μM.     

Protective effect of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) against oxidative DNA damage and mutagenesis.

Mutagenic and antimutagenic properties of essential oil (EO) of basil and its major constituent Linalool, reported to possess antioxidative properties, were examined in microbial tests. In Salmonella/microsome and Escherichia. coli WP2 reversion assays both derivatives (0.25–2.0 μl/plate) showed no mutagenic effect. Salmonella. typhimurium TA98, TA100 and TA102 strains displayed similar sensitivity to both basil derivatives as non-permeable E. coli WP2 strains IC185 and IC202 oxyR. Moreover, the toxicity of basil derivatives to WP2 strains did not depend on OxyR function. The reduction of t-BOOH-induced mutagenesis by EO and Linalool (30–60%) was obtained in repair proficient strains of the E. coli K12 assay (Nikoli?, B., Stanojevi?, J., Miti?, D., Vukovi?-Ga?i?, B., Kne?evi?-Vuk?evi?, J., Simi?, D., 2004. Comparative study of the antimutagenic potential of vitamin E in different E. coli strains. Mutat. Res. 564, 31–38), as well as in E. coli WP2 IC202 strain. EO and Linalool reduced spontaneous mutagenesis in mismatch repair deficient E. coli K12 strains (27–44%). In all tests, antimutagenic effect of basil derivatives was comparable with that obtained with model antioxidant vitamin E. Linalool and vitamin E induced DNA strand breaks in Comet assay on S. cerevisiae 3A cells, but at non-genotoxic concentrations (0.075 and 0.025 μg/ml, respectively) they reduced the number of H₂O₂-induced comets (45–70% Linalool and 80–93% vitamin E). Obtained results indicate that antigenotoxic potential of basil derivatives could be attributed to their antioxidative properties.     

Role of iodine in the toxicity of diiodomethyl-p-tolylsulfone (DIMPTS) in rats: ADME

Metabolism of diiodomethyl-p-tolylsulfone (DIMPTS) was investigated in rats to determine the role of iodide in its toxicity. Fischer 344 (F-344) (5 or 50 mg/kg) or Sprague Dawley (SD) (5 mg/kg) rats were gavaged with ¹⁴C-DIMPTS or dermally applied with 5 mg/kg (F-344 only) and absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) determined. Additional experiments were conducted with its deiodinated analog (methyl-p-tolylsulfone, MPTS) in female F-344 rats (20 mg/kg) for comparison. Orally administered ¹⁴C-DIMPTS was rapidly absorbed and eliminated in urine (92%). The elimination t_½ was 1–4 h. Dermally applied ¹⁴C-DIMPTS remained undetectable in plasma with bioavailability ∼7%, only 5–7% of the dose was recovered in urine. DIMPTS liberated one or both of its iodine atoms upon absorption. The rate of elimination of the liberated iodide from the systemic circulation was 2- to 3-fold slower in SD than F-344 rats, which resulted in higher bioavailability of iodide to SD rats. DIMPTS was primarily oxidized at the benzylic methyl moiety forming the corresponding benzoic acid. Glutathione conjugation on the sulfonyl methyl group, via displacement of I⁻ was also observed. Overall 67–80% of the total iodine atoms were metabolically released from DIMPTS. The MPTS was rapidly absorbed from the GI tract, metabolized and eliminated in urine similar to that of DIMPTS. These data were compared to iodide toxicokinetic results of a reproductive toxicity study for DIMPTS (80 mg/kg/day) and MPTS (32 mg/kg/day), where DIMPTS was toxic to dams and pups, while MPTS caused no toxicity. These data show that the liberated iodide is the ultimate toxicant of DIMPTS, which is readily transported to pups through milk, while the methyltolylsulfone backbone structure (MPTS) of DIMPTS is relatively nontoxic.     

A search for hepatoprotective activity of aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria L. against oxidative stress cytotoxicity

The protective effects of different concentrations of aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria L. fruit (75 and 100 μg/ml) and also gallic acid (100 μM) as one of its main components were examined against oxidative stress toxicity induced by cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) in isolated rat hepatocytes. Both extract concentrations and gallic acid (100 μM) significantly (P < 0.05) protected the hepatocyte against all oxidative stress markers including cell lysis, ROS generation, lipid peroxidation, glutathione depletion, mitochondrial membrane potential decrease, lysosomal membrane oxidative damage and cellular proteolysis. Aqueous extracts of Rhus coriaria L. (75 and 100 μg/ml) were more effective than gallic acid (100 μM) in protecting hepatocytes against CHP induced lipid peroxidation (P < 0.05). On the other hand gallic acid (100 μM) acted more effective than aqueous extracts of Rhus coriaria L. (75 and 100 μg/ml) at preventing hepatocyte membrane lysis (P < 0.05). In addition H₂O₂ scavenging effect of both extract concentrations (75 and 100 μg/ml) were determined in hepatocytes and compared with gallic acid (100 μM). Gallic acid (100 μM) was more effective than aqueous extracts of Rhus coriaria L. (75 and 100 μg/ml) at H₂O₂ scavenging activity (P < 0.05).     

Volatile compounds in the stem bark of Sclerocarya birrea (Anacardiaceae) possess antimicrobial activity against drug-resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori

The aim of this study was to isolate and identify phytochemicals with anti-Helicobacter pylori activity from the stem bark of Sclerocarya birrea. The plant crude extract was fractionated by silica gel column and thin layer chromatography techniques, initially with ethyl acetate (EA) and subsequently with a combination of ethyl acetate/methanol/water (EMW). Further fractionation and identification of the phytoconstituents was achieved by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. The antimicrobial activity of the fractions and compounds was evaluated against five metronidazole- and clarithromycin-resistant strains of H. pylori as well as a reference strain ATCC 43526 using the microbroth dilution technique. Amoxicillin was included in the experiments as a positive control antibiotic. Of the 18 fractions collected, 16 demonstrated anti-H. pylori activity with 50% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC₅₀) values ranging from 310 μg/mL to 2500 μg/mL. Two of the fractions (EMW fraction 6 and EA fraction 1) revealed the presence of 5 and 24 compounds, respectively, representing 40.5% and 86.57% of the total composition. Most of the compounds were essential oils, with terpinen-4-ol being the most abundant agent (35.83%), followed by pyrrolidine (32.15%), aromadendrene (13.63%) and α-gurjunene (8.77%). MIC₅₀ ranges for amoxicillin, terpinen-4-ol and pyrrolidine were 0.0003-0.06 μg/mL, 0.004-0.06 μg/mL and 0.005-6.3 μg/mL, respectively. The inhibitory activities of terpinen-4-ol and pyrrolidine were similar to amoxicillin (P > 0.05). Most of these compounds are being reported in this plant for the first time and may represent new sources of therapeutically useful compounds against H. pylori.     

Induction of carbonyl reductase 1 (CBR1) expression in human lung tissues and lung cancer cells by the cigarette smoke constituent benzo[a]pyrene

Carbonyl reductase 1 (CBR1) reduces various xenobiotic carbonyl substrates to corresponding alcohol metabolites. Here we demonstrated that benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a potent pro-carcinogen and predominant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compound in cigarette smoke and air pollutants, upregulates CBR1 gene expression in vitro and in vivo, and that a proximal xenobiotic response element (XRE) motif (₋₁₂₂XRE) mediates the induction effect of B[a]P. First, we observed 46% and 50% increases in CBR1 mRNA and CBR1 protein levels, respectively, in human lung tissue samples from smokers compared to never-smokers. Second, we detected 3.0-fold (p < 0.0001) induction of CBR1 mRNA and 1.5-fold (p < 0.01) induction of CBR1 protein levels in cells of the human lung cancer cell line A549 incubated with 2.5 μM B[a]P for 24 h. Third, results from experiments with CBR1 promoter constructs indicated that a proximal XRE motif (₋₁₂₂XRE) mediates induction of reporter activity in response to B[a]P. Furthermore, we detected enhanced nuclear translocation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) following B[a]P exposure in A549 cells. Finally, we demonstrated increased binding of specific protein complexes to ₋₁₂₂XRE in nuclear extracts from B[a]P-treated cells and the presence of the AhR/Arnt complex in the specific nuclear protein ₋₁₂₂XRE complexes.     

Modifications of the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS-G) for use in longitudinal studies

Since the application of the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) has been reported to be problematic when used to measure alcohol craving in longitudinal studies, we examined the following questions: (1) Is it possible to skip problematic quantity items? (2) Is the score calculation rule using the higher value of item pairs necessary? (3) Can the shortened version of the OCDS be applied alternatively? We examined two samples including a total of 355 alcohol-dependent patients: a multi center study sample (n = 149) and a validation control sample (n = 206). Neither an advantage of the score calculation rule nor the necessity of including items regarding alcohol consumption could be demonstrated. The exclusion of consumption items lead to a clear, stable 2-factor structure with a maximum stability (.81–.91). Retest-reliability ranged from r_tt = .73 to r_tt = .76 at an average time interval of 5 weeks. Concerning stability (.68–.81) and reliability (r_tt = .76), the short version turned out to be equivalent. The short version of the OCDS seems to be sufficient. If different effects on cognitive and behavioral levels are expected, the 12-item version without the quantity items should be applied.     

In vivo genotoxicity study of titanium dioxide nanoparticles using comet assay following intratracheal instillation in rats

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is widely used as a white pigment in paints, plastics, inks, paper, creams, cosmetics, drugs and foods. In the present study, the genotoxicity of anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles was evaluated in vivo using the comet assay after a single or repeated intratracheal instillation in rats. The nanoparticles were instilled intratracheally at a dosage of 1.0 or 5.0 mg/kg body weight (single instillation group) and 0.2 or 1.0 mg/kg body weight once a week for 5 weeks (repeated instillation group) into male Sprague–Dawley rats. A positive control, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) at 500 mg/kg, was administered orally 3 h prior to dissection. Histopathologically, macrophages and neutrophils were detected in the alveolus of the lung in the 1.0 and 5.0 mg/kg TiO₂ groups. In the comet assay, there was no increase in % tail DNA in any of the TiO₂ groups. In the EMS group, there was a significant increase in % tail DNA compared with the negative control group. TiO₂ nanoparticles in the anatase crystal phase are not genotoxic following intratracheal instillation in rats.     

Determination of a novel thrombin receptor antagonist (SCH 530348) in human plasma: evaluation of Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography™-tandem mass spectrometry for routine bioanalytical analysis

SCH 530348 is a safe and effective oral anti-platelet agent for patients with acute coronary syndrome. Clinical study results suggest that SCH 530348 dosage at 20 mg or 40 mg is feasible to achieve rapid maximum platelet inhibition following an acute coronary event or intervention procedure. To permit accurate determinations of circulating SCH 530348 in plasma following dosing, a method for measuring SCH 530348 concentrations in human plasma was validated using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The method utilized semi-automated 96-well protein precipitation with gradient chromatography using an ACQUITY™ UPLC BEH C₁₈ (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 μm) column. The retention time of SCH 530348 was approximately 1.5 min. This method was validated for routine quantitation of SCH 530348 over the concentration range of 1.00–1000 ng/mL. Inter-run accuracy based on mean percent theoretical for replicate quality control samples was better than 95.2%. Inter-run precision based on percent relative deviation for replicate quality control samples was ≤3.3%. SCH 530348 quality control samples were stable in human plasma for up to three freeze/thaw cycles, for at least 467 days when frozen at −20 °C and for at least 7 h when stored at room temperature. The lower limit of quantitation was 1.00 ng/mL for a 100 μL plasma aliquot.