title: Determination of ephedrine and related compounds in pharmaceutical preparations by ion chromatography with direct conductivity detection.
abstract: An ion chromatographic method with conductivity detection for the simultaneous determination of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and norephedrine was developed. A mixture of 2.0 mmol/L HNO3 and 2% (v/v) acetonitrile was used as eluent. The three ephedrine-like compounds were separated and determined within 20 min. The linear ranges were 0.08-50 microg/mL for ephedrine, 0.08-40 microg/mL for pseudoephedrine and 0.06-40 microg/mL for norephedrine. The detection limits were 0.03 microg/mL for ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, and 0.02 microg/mL for norephedrine. The method has been applied successfully to the determination of these sympathomimetics in pharmaceutical preparations and in Ephedra herbs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Xiaoyin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Willy R G
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Baeyens
authors.forename: Joris R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Delanghe
mesh_terms: D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange / Q000379:methods*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D029789:Ephedra / Q000737:chemistry; D004809:Ephedrine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017942:Nitric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*; D010665:Phenylpropanolamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010665:Phenylpropanolamine; D017942:Nitric Acid; D004809:Ephedrine