Application of Chromatographic Techniques for the Determination of Active Pharmaceutical Compounds

A special issue of Separations (ISSN 2297-8739). This special issue belongs to the section "Analysis of Natural Products and Pharmaceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 February 2027 | Viewed by 1034

Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Science Road, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: metabolomics; drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics; analysis of traditional Chinese medicine components; methods development and validation; liquid chromatography; liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chromatography remains the cornerstone of modern analytical chemistry for drug analysis. Its unparalleled separation power, coupled with a vast array of detection methods, makes it indispensable in fields ranging from pharmaceutical development and clinical toxicology to forensic science and environmental monitoring. However, the increasing complexity of analytical challenges—such as the need for high-throughput screening, the analysis of trace-level contaminants, the characterization of complex biologics, and the emergence of new synthetic drugs—demands continuous innovation in chromatographic methodologies. Chromatographic techniques, particularly when coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS, GC-MS), have emerged as the undisputed gold standard in this field.

This Special Issue, "Application of Chromatographic Techniques for the Determination of Active Pharmaceutical Compounds", aims to showcase cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that highlight the evolution and application of chromatographic techniques in drug analysis. We seek to collate contributions that demonstrate significant advancements in separation science, including novel stationary phases, miniaturized systems, hyphenated techniques, and sophisticated data analysis workflows. The focus will be on applications that address real-world challenges, such as overcoming matrix effects, enhancing sensitivity and selectivity, and achieving green analytical chemistry principles.

We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and short communications that address contemporary challenges and present novel solutions. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Novel chromatographic method development for drug identification and quantification. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and its application in traditional Chinese medicine, untargeted metabolomics, and metabolite profiling.
  • Development and application of monolithic columns, superficially porous particles (SPPs), hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), chiral stationary phases, and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for drug separation.
  • Advanced applications of GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS, LC-HRMS (high-resolution mass spectrometry), and comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography (GC×GC, LC×LC) for unambiguous identification and quantification of drugs and their metabolites.
  • Innovations in ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), capillary LC, and nano-LC coupled with automated sample preparation for rapid and efficient drug screening in clinical and forensic settings.
  • Application of chromatographic methods to determine pharmaceuticals of emerging concern, new psychoactive substances (NPSs), antibiotic residues, and biotherapeutics (peptides, oligonucleotides, and antibodies).
  • Application of advanced software tools, multivariate data analysis, and artificial intelligence for processing complex chromatographic data to extract maximum information.

Dr. Juan Li
Dr. Xingchu Gong
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • drug analysis
  • method development
  • chromatography
  • liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry
  • bioanalysis
  • method validation
  • pharmacokinetics
  • structural characterization

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 764 KB  
Article
Y-Site Compatibility of Doxapram Hydrochloride with Commonly Used Drugs in the NICU
by Mao Maekawa, Masamitsu Maekawa, Yu Sato, Shimpei Watanabe, Masatoshi Saito and Nariyasu Mano
Separations 2026, 13(7), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations13070207 - 18 Jul 2026
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Abstract
In neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), limited vascular access often necessitates the co-administration of multiple intravenous medications through a single line, increasing the risk of physicochemical incompatibility. Doxapram hydrochloride (DOP), a respiratory stimulant used when caffeine therapy is insufficient, is continuously infused and [...] Read more.
In neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), limited vascular access often necessitates the co-administration of multiple intravenous medications through a single line, increasing the risk of physicochemical incompatibility. Doxapram hydrochloride (DOP), a respiratory stimulant used when caffeine therapy is insufficient, is continuously infused and frequently requires Y-site administration with other drugs. This study systematically evaluated the compatibility of seven commonly used NICU medications—midazolam (MDZ), dalteparin sodium (DLT), cefazolin, cefepime (CFPM), vancomycin, fosfluconazole, and famotidine—under conditions simulating co-administration through the side port of a continuous DOP infusion. Visual inspection, UV absorbance, pH measurement, and HPLC/UV analysis were performed at 0 and 3 h, with extended evaluation to 24 h for only MDZ and DLT. All mixtures showed acceptable physicochemical compatibility within 3 h, and MDZ and DLT remained stable for 24 h, indicating feasibility for co-infusion in the same syringe. In HPLC/UV analysis, the CFPM–DOP mixture exhibited a marked artifactual increase in DOP peak area, likely due to pH-dependent chromatographic behavior changing rather than true incompatibility. These findings provide practical compatibility data for NICU drug administration and offer a methodological framework for evaluating untested drug combinations, contributing to safer and more efficient intravenous therapy in preterm infants. Full article
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11 pages, 862 KB  
Article
UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS for Rapid Characterization of the Chemical Constituents of Atractylodis lancea and Atractylodis macrocephalae
by Haibo Wang, Duo Chen, Linglang Meng, Haobin Li, Yanbing Lin, Aowei Liu, Xia Huang and Juan Li
Separations 2026, 13(6), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations13060164 - 29 May 2026
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Abstract
Atractylodis lancea (Cangzhu) and Atractylodes macrocephala (Baizhu) are two traditional Chinese medicines with complex chemical compositions. However, a comprehensive comparative analysis of their constituents remains lacking. In this work, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS) method was developed [...] Read more.
Atractylodis lancea (Cangzhu) and Atractylodes macrocephala (Baizhu) are two traditional Chinese medicines with complex chemical compositions. However, a comprehensive comparative analysis of their constituents remains lacking. In this work, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS) method was developed for the rapid characterization and differentiation of chemical components in Cangzhu and Baizhu. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column with gradient elution, and compounds were detected using electrospray ionization in both positive and negative modes. By analyzing characteristic fragmentation patterns and neutral losses, a total of 111 compounds were tentatively identified, including 14 common components (present in both species) and 97 differential components (unique to one species). This study presents the first comprehensive comparative chemical profiling of the two Atractylodes species, offering valuable references for pharmacodynamic material basis studies and quality control. Full article
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