title: Determination of anthracycline purity in patient samples and identification of in vitro chemical reduction products by application of a multi-diode array high-speed spectrophotometric detector.
abstract: We describe the application of a high-speed spectrophotometric detector and high-performance liquid chromatography to the determination of anthracycline purity in extracted patient specimens and to the identification of chemical reduction products. Blood contained pure anthracyclines whilst in urine, tissue and tumour there was evidence of co-eluting endogenous peaks and complexation. Aerobic reduction yielded two main products: a C13 alcohol and a fully reduced, non-fluorescent, yellow hydroquinone. Anaerobic reduction in the presence of DNA yielded a 7-deoxyaglycone metabolite end product instead of the fully reduced hydroquinone. Eight other separate chromatographic species were identified, all of which showed unique absorbance characteristics, having a visible lambda max at 530 nm and being coloured purple/blue.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Willmott
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D009279:Naphthacenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D009279:Naphthacenes; D004317:Doxorubicin; D004247:DNA; C030851:esorubicin; D015255:Idarubicin; D003630:Daunorubicin