Um método para determinação simultânea de ácido clavulânico (CA) e amoxicilina (AMO) foi desenvolvido utilizando a técnica de espectroscopia no infravermelho médio com transformada de Fourier acoplada ao acessório de reflexão total atenuada (ATR/FTIR). Utilizaram-se 27 e 8 amostras para os conjuntos de calibração e previsão, respectivamente. Os modelos de calibração foram desenvolvidos utilizando os algoritmos por mínimos quadrados parciais (PLS), PLS por intervalo (iPLS), PLS por sinergismo (siPLS) e PLS por exclusão (biPLS). Os melhores modelos foram aqueles que utilizaram o algoritmo biPLS. Obtiveram-se erro padrão relativo de previsão (RSEP) de 3,8 e 5,1% para CA e AMO, respectivamente. Os resultados obtidos pela metodologia proposta foram comparados com os obtidos por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (HPLC) e nenhuma diferença significativa foi observada. O método proposto utilizando ATR/FTIR associado a métodos de análise multivariados foi satisfatório para determinação de CA e AMO em produtos farmacêuticos.A method for simultaneous determination of clavulanic acid (CA) and amoxicillin (AMO) was developed using Fourier transform mid infrared technique coupled with attenuated total reflectance (ATR/FTIR) accessory. 27 samples were used as calibration set and 8 samples were used for prediction set. Calibration models were developed using partial least squares (PLS), interval PLS (iPLS), synergy PLS (siPLS) and backward PLS (biPLS). Multiplicative scatter correction and the mean centering were used and produced the best models. Relative standard error of prediction (RSEP) of 3.8% for CA and 5.1% for AMO were obtained using biPLS algorithm for ATR/FTIR data. Results obtained by the proposed methodology were compared with those using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and no significant differences were obtained. The proposed method using ATR/FTIR combined to multivariate analysis methods was suitable for the simultaneous determination of CA and AMO in commercial pharmaceutical products.

Abstract. A dissolution method for benzoyl metronidazole (BMZ) oral suspensions was developed and validated using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. After determination of sink conditions, dissolution profiles were evaluated using different dissolution media and agitation speeds. The sample insertion mode in dissolution media was also evaluated. The best conditions were obtained using a paddle, 50 rpm stirring speed, simulated gastric fluid (without pepsin) as the dissolution medium, and sample insertion by a syringe. These conditions were suitable for providing sink conditions and discriminatory power between different formulations. Through the tested conditions, the results can be considered specific, linear, precise, accurate, and robust. The dissolution profiles of five samples were compared using the similarity factor (f 2 ) and dissolution efficiency. The dissolution kinetics were evaluated and described by the Weibull model. Whereas there is no monograph for this pharmaceutical formulation, the dissolution method proposed can be considered suitable for quality control and dissolution profile comparison of different commercial formulations.

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.

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element for cellular viability, but concentrations above physiologic level may lead to cellular damage. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro ZnCl 2 genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in human leukocyte cells. This was assessed in an unprecedented way that correlated the level of intracellular Zn after cell exposition with the cellular damage. The exposure to increased Zn concentrations (2.5-20 μg mL-1), showed significantly reduced cellular leukocyte viability. However, significant DNA damages were observed only when the Zn exposure concentrations were from 10-20 μg mL-1. The Zn intracellular levels found in leukocytes was from 72.25-268.9 ρg cell-1 , starting to induce cytotoxicity and genotoxicity at concentrations of 95.68 and 126.2 ρg cell-1 , respectively. The relationship between the exposure concentration and intracellular levels of Zn suggests that the influx of Zn, in the form of ZnCl 2 , occurs in human leukocytes under zero-order kinetics.

Meglumine Antimoniate did not interfere in the reproductive performance, after chronic exposition of dams. Data suggest that there is a gradual elimination of Meglumine Antimoniate by the maternal organism without damaging the future offspring.

An alternative method for the quantifi cation of sulphametoxazole (SMZ) and trimethoprim (TMP) using diffuse refl ectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and partial least square regression (PLS) was developed. Interval Partial Least Square (iPLS) and Synergy Partial Least Square (siPLS) were applied to select a spectral range that provided the lowest prediction error in comparison to the full-spectrum model. Fifteen commercial tablet formulations and forty-nine synthetic samples were used. The ranges of concentration considered were 400 to 900 mg g -1 SMZ and 80 to 240 mg g -1 TMP. Spectral data were recorded between 600 and 4000 cm -1 with a 4 cm -1 resolution by Diffuse Refl ectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The proposed procedure was compared to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results obtained from the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), during the validation of the models for samples of sulphamethoxazole (SMZ) and trimethoprim (TMP) using siPLS, demonstrate that this approach is a valid technique for use in quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical formulations. The selected interval algorithm allowed building regression models with minor errors when compared to the full spectrum PLS model. A RMSEP of 13.03 mg g -1 for SMZ and 4.88 mg g -1 for TMP was obtained after the selection the best spectral regions by siPLS.

Recebido em 1/11/10; aceito em 14/5/11; publicado na web em 22/7/11 Doripenem was characterized through physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques, as well as thermal analysis. TLC (Rf = 0.62) and HPLC (rt = 7.4 min) were found to be adequate to identify the drug. UV and infrared spectra showed similar profile between doripenem bulk and standard. The 1 H and 13 C NMR analysis revealed chemical shifts that allowed identifying the drug. Thermal analysis demonstrated three steps with mass loss, at 128, 178 and 276 o C. The work was successfully applied to qualitative analysis of doripenem, showing the reported methods can be used for physicochemical characterization of doripenem.

A method for simultaneous determination of clavulanic acid (CA) and amoxicillin (AMO) in commercial tablets was developed using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and multivariate calibration. Twenty-five samples (10 commercial and 15 synthetic) were used as a calibration set and 15 samples (10 commercial and 5 synthetic) were used for a prediction set. Calibration models were developed using partial least squares (PLS), interval PLS (iPLS), and synergy interval PLS (siPLS) algorithms. The best algorithm for CA determination was siPLS model with spectra divided in 30 intervals and combinations of 2 intervals. This model showed a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 5.1 mg g(-1). For AMO determination, the best siPLS model was obtained with spectra divided in 10 intervals and combinations of 4 intervals. This model showed a RMSEP of 22.3 mg g(-1). The proposed method was considered as a suitable for the simultaneous determination of CA and AMO in commercial pharmaceuticals products.