A tica nal eu yt c ic a a m A r a c Suresh, Pharm Anal Acta 2016, 7:11 t h a P Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta DOI: 10.4172/2153-2435.1000521 ISSN: 2153-2435 Review Article Open Access Review of HPLC and LC-MS/MS Methods for Determination of ZT-1 and Its Active Metabolite, Huperzine A in Various Biological Matrices Suresh PS* Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Jubilant Biosys, Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore, India Abstract Huperzine A is an alkaloid isolated from Huperzia serrata. It belongs to anticholinesterase class and used for neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Huperzine A is the metabolite of ZT-1, which is also used for the treatment of memory disorders and inhibits the effect of enzyme and brings back sufficient levels of acetylcholine. This review provides an overview of various HPLC, LC-MS and LC-MS/MS methods for quantitation of Huperzine A alone or along with ZT-1 in different biological fluids (plasma, serum and blood). In addition, this review provides complete details on sample preparation, extraction recoveries, matrix effect, internal standard selection, selectivity optimization, chromatographic separations, mass spectrometric spectrometry and other detection techniques etc. Keywords: Huperzine A; ZT-1; HPLC; LC-MS/MS; Bioanalytical applicable conclusions; (b) Discussed details about sample preparation, methods; Spectrometry internal standard selection, matrix effect, chromatography and various detection systems. Tables 1 and 2 lists the complete information Introduction about the published methods on HPLC, LC-MS and LC-MS/MS on Huperzine A is a novel sesquiterpene alkaloid isolated from Huperzia Huperzine A and ZT-1. serrata [1,2] and it is also derived from other Huperzia species including Bioanalytical related discussion H. elmeri, H. carinat and H. aqualupian [3]. Huperzine A (CAS No.: 102518-79-6; Figure 1), chemically [(5R,9R,11E)-5-amino-1-ethyldiene- A bioanalytical method is useful tool for the quantification of 5,6,9,10-tetrahydro-7-methyl-5,9-methanocloocta-[B]-pyri-din-2(1H)- the drugs from the biological matrices (plasma, serum and blood). one] is a potent, selective and slow reversible Acetylcholinesterase Extraction methods play a crucial role for the estimation of drugs from (AChE) inhibitor [4,5], which has a mechanism of action similar to these matrices. A good bioanalytical method defined as it is free from donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine. Huperzine A readily crosses other interference substances such as salts, proteins and phospholipids blood brain barrier and shows high specificity for AChE. By using X-ray except our analyte of interest. A proper bioanalytical method should be crystallography it was confirmed that the complexity of huperzine A free from endogenous substances like salts, proteins and phospholipids etc. with AChE Crystal Structure of AChE complexed with huperzine A Sample preparation confirm the specificity of inhibitor [6]. The outcome of clinical trials showed that huperzine A capsule shows is efficient and safe to treat To eliminate endogenous components from the matrix, a better mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease and also enhance the memory sample cleaning process is required. To obtain a better sensitivity and learning performance of adolescence students [7]. Huperzine A and reproducibility the biological matrix should be extracted with an has been approved in China for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease organic solvent(s). For the extraction of huperzine A alone or along (in the form of immediate release tablets and capsules) and vascular with ZT-1 from the biological matrix most of the researchers have used dementia without any notable side effects [8-12]. It is being marketed as ethyl acetate alone [15-17,18-22] or mixture of other solvent(s) like a dietary supplement in USA [12]. Huperzine A is administered orally n-hexane:DCM:2-propanol and CHCl3:IPA combination [19,20,23-25] at a dose range of 0.2-0.4 mg/day for Alzheimer’s disease and 0.06-0.4 or ethyl acetate with isopropanol [20]. Apart from these methodologies mg/day (intramuscularly) for dementia. Following oral administration Pan et al. have adopted on-line column clean-up process to remove of 0.4 mg huperzine A tablets to healthy human volunteers peak plasma the endogenous components present in the biological sample(s), thus concentrations (Cmax: 2.59 ng/mL ± 0.37 ng/mL) achieved at around 1 h providing the interference free samples for analysis for the quantification (Tmax). The mean α and β half-life was is 21.13 min ± 7.28 min and 716 [16,17]. Li et al. have used single step liquid-liquid extraction of rat min ± 130 min, respectively [13]. blood samples with ethyl acetate and isopropanol mixture (containing internal standard) and vortex mixed, centrifuged, evaporated and ZT-1, N-[2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-5-chlorobenzilidene] huperzine A is a novel AChE inhibitor, which rapidly transformed non-enzymatically into its active metabolite huperzine A. The dual mode of action of ZT-1 as an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist and an AChE *Corresponding author: Suresh PS, Sr. Research Scientist, Drug Metabolism inhibitor, positions it as a third generation anti-Alzheimer’s product by and Pharmacokinetics, Jubilant Biosys, Industrial Suburb, Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore-560022, India, Tel: 080666 28400; E-mail: [email protected] improving the general condition and cognitive functions of affected patients as well as having the potential of being a neuroprotectant [14]. Received October 27, 2016; Accepted November 18, 2016; Published November 21, 2016 Scope Citation: Suresh PS (2016) Review of HPLC and LC-MS/MS Methods for Determi- nation of ZT-1 and Its Active Metabolite, Huperzine A in Various Biological Matrices. The aim of this review is to provide: (a) A brief compilation of Pharm Anal Acta 7: 521. doi: 10.4172/2153-2435.1000521 various analytical methodologies on HPLC, LC-MS and LC-MS/MS for the analysis of huperzine A and ZT-1 in plasma and other biological Copyright: © 2016 Suresh PS. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted fluids, which we have captured in a tabular format. It contains sample use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and processing, chromatographic conditions, validation parameters and source are credited. Pharm Anal Acta, an open access journal ISSN: 2153-2435 Volume 7 • Issue 11 • 1000521 Citation: Suresh PS (2016) Review of HPLC and LC-MS/MS Methods for Determination of ZT-1 and Its Active Metabolite, Huperzine A in Various Biological Matrices. Pharm Anal Acta 7: 521. doi: 10.4172/2153-2435.1000521 Page 2 of 8 Analyte(s) Samples processing details Chromatographic conditions Validation parameters Applicable conclusions Reference Regression type: linear fit with weighing factor (1/x). Calibration range: 0.01-4.0 ng/mL. System: LC-ESI-MS/MS by MRM in Recovery: 85.2, 81.8, 85.7 and 89.2% positive mode. at LLOQC, LQC, MQC and HQC, respectively. Column: Zorbax SB-C18 (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 3.5 µm) maintained at 25oC. Matrix: 1 mL of human plasma. Selectivity: no endogenous interference at retention time of analyte and IS Extraction: To an aliquot of plasma, 20 µL Mobile phase: isocratic mixture evaluated from six different sources of of IS solution and 100 µL of 100 mM NaOH comprising 10 mM ammonium human blank plasma samples. The validated method were and vortexed briefly. To this 5 mL of acetate: MeOH: 0.1% formic acid successfully applied to PK ethyl acetate was added, vortex mixed for (18:82:0.1, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 0.2 Matrix effect: no significant matrix study to estimate plasma 3 min and centrifuged for 10 min at 4000 mL/min. Huperzine A effect was observed after analyzing five concentrations of huperzine [15] rpm. The supernatant was evaporated to different lots of human plasma. The % A in human volunteers (n=20) dryness under stream of nitrogen at 50oC. Injection volume: 20 µL. matrix effect was found to be 101.1- following oral administration The residue was reconstituted with 100 µL 110.6. of 0.1 mg tablet of mobile phase. Mass spectrometric detection: huperzine A: m/z 243.1 → 210.1 and Accuracy and precision: within- and Internal standard: Trimetazidine (0.1 µg/mL IS: m/z 267.2 → 166.0. between-day accuracy (% RE) ranged in MeOH) from -13.0 to 0.4 and -10.2-8.2%, Retention time: ~2.0 ± 0.2 min for respectively; whereas the within- and huperzine A and IS. between-day precision (% RSD) ranged from 3.78-9.22 and 7.35-11.57%, Total run time: ~3.0 min respectively. Stability: Stable under a battery of tests viz., room temperature (8 h), three F/T cycles and long term stability for 28 days at -20oC Regression type: linear fit with weighing factor (1/x). System: LC-ESI-MS/MS by positive Calibration range: 0.0508-5.08 ng/mL (r: mode. 0.9998). Recovery: 83.6 ± 2.5, 73.6 ± 1.0 and Column: Lichrospher C18 (150 mm × Matrix: 1 mL of human plasma. 4.6 mm, 5 µm) maintained at 25oC. 82.3 ± 3.9% at LQC, MQC and HQC, respectively. Extraction: To an aliquot of plasma, 20 µL Mobile phase: isocratic elution of IS solution and 100 µL of 0.1 mM NaOH Selectivity: No endogenous interference consists of MeOH:0.2% formic acid A sensitive method were added and vortexed briefly. To this at the retention time of analyte and IS. (85:15, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.7 mL/ was developed for the 5 mL of ethyl acetate was added, vortex min.