Raman spectroscopy can be used to measure the chemical composition of a sample, which can in turn be used to extract biological information. Many materials have characteristic Raman spectra, which means that Raman spectroscopy has proven to be an effective analytical approach in geology, semiconductor, materials and polymer science fields. The application of Raman spectroscopy and microscopy within biology is rapidly increasing because it can provide chemical and compositional information, but it does not typically suffer from interference from water molecules. Analysis does not conventionally require extensive sample preparation; biochemical and structural information can usually be obtained without labeling. In this protocol, we aim to standardize and bring together multiple experimental approaches from key leaders in the field for obtaining Raman spectra using a microspectrometer. As examples of the range of biological samples that can be analyzed, we provide instructions for acquiring Raman spectra, maps and images for fresh plant tissue, formalin-fixed and fresh frozen mammalian tissue, fixed cells and biofluids. We explore a robust approach for sample preparation, instrumentation, acquisition parameters and data processing. By using this approach, we expect that a typical Raman experiment can be performed by a nonspecialist user to generate high-quality data for biological materials analysis.

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Using Raman spectroscopy to characterize biological materials

Raman spectroscopy: Recent advancements, techniques and applications

General principles of pharmaceutical solid polymorphism: a supramolecular perspective.

Hot-melt extrusion (HME) is a promising technology for the production of new chemical entities in the developmental pipeline and for improving products already on the market. In drug discovery and development, industry estimates that more than 50% of active pharmaceutical ingredients currently used belong to the biopharmaceutical classification system II (BCS class II), which are characterized as poorly water-soluble compounds and result in formulations with low bioavailability. Therefore, there is a critical need for the pharmaceutical industry to develop formulations that will enhance the solubility and ultimately the bioavailability of these compounds. HME technology also offers an opportunity to earn intellectual property, which is evident from an increasing number of patents and publications that have included it as a novel pharmaceutical formulation technology over the past decades. This review had a threefold objective. First, it sought to provide an overview of HME principles and present detailed engineered extrusion equipment designs. Second, it included a number of published reports on the application of HME techniques that covered the fields of solid dispersions, microencapsulation, taste masking, targeted drug delivery systems, sustained release, films, nanotechnology, floating drug delivery systems, implants, and continuous manufacturing using the wet granulation process. Lastly, this review discussed the importance of using the quality by design approach in drug development, evaluated the process analytical technology used in pharmaceutical HME monitoring and control, discussed techniques used in HME, and emphasized the potential for monitoring and controlling hot-melt technology.

/pdf/hot-melt-extrusion-from-theory-to-application-in-3lrysbwbms.pdf

Hot-Melt Extrusion: from Theory to Application in Pharmaceutical Formulation

The production of counterfeit or substandard anti-infective drugs is a widespread and under-recognised problem that contributes to morbidity, mortality, and drug resistance, and leads to spurious reporting of resistance and toxicity and loss of confidence in health-care systems. Counterfeit drugs particularly affect the most disadvantaged people in poor countries. Although advances in forensic chemical analysis and simple field tests will enhance drug quality monitoring, improved access to inexpensive genuine medicines, support of drug regulatory authorities, more open reporting, vigorous law enforcement, and more international cooperation with determined political leadership will be essential to counter this threat.

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/laninf/PIIS1473-3099(06)70581-3.pdf

Counterfeit anti-infective drugs

As Raman spectroscopy enables rapid, non-destructive measurements, the technique appears a most promising tool for on-line process monitoring and analysis in the pharmaceutical industry. This article gives a short introduction to Raman spectroscopy and presents several applications in the pharmaceutical field.

Applications of Raman spectroscopy in pharmaceutical analysis

Application of an alkyl-diol silica precolumn in a column-switching system for the determination of meloxicam in plasma.

A newly developed Pirkle-type straight chiral stationary phase (CSP), based on the 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl derivative of 1,2 diphenylethylene-diamine and known as ULMO, has been successfully applied to the direct resolution of the enantiomers of several diuretics by liquid chromatography. In this study, the effect of changes in the mobile phase and the intrinsic stereoselective properties of this CSP towards a specific racemate are determined experimentally. A mobile phase consisting of n-hexane and 2-propanol appears most appropriate for the chiral separation of the tested diuretics on the ULMO-column. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Enantiomeric separation of diuretics on a novel pirkle-type chiral stationary phase

The group of LiChrospher alkyl-diol silica (ADS) phases that make part of the unique family of restricted-access materials, have been developed as special packings used in the liquid chromatographic integrated sample processing of biofluids. The advantage of these phases lies in the possibility of direct injection of untreated plasma. An on-line elimination of the protein matrix is achieved with a quantitative recovery together with an on-column enrichment. The present method describes a hand-operated on-line switching high-performance liquid chromatographic system for the determination of meloxicam. Spiked plasma samples were introduced on the ADS precolumn using a 0.05 M phosphate buffer, pH 6.0. After washing with the buffer the ADS column was backflushed with the mobile phase 0.05 M phosphate buffer-30% (v/v) acetonitrile (ACN)-25 mM t-butylamine (TBA) at a pH of 7.0, thus transferring the analyte to the analytical column LiChrocart 125-4 LiChrospher RP-8. The eluent was monitored by a UV-detector set at 364 nm. The developed column-switching method is fully applicable to plasma injections.

Ann Vercauteren

Papers

Applications of Raman spectroscopy in pharmaceutical analysis

Application of an alkyl-diol silica precolumn in a column-switching system for the determination of meloxicam in plasma.

Enantiomeric separation of diuretics on a novel pirkle-type chiral stationary phase

Application of an alkyl-diol silica precolumn in a column-switching system for the determination of meloxicam in horse plasma