• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.168-180
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• 2022

Ephedra is a genus of the Ephedraceae family and is found in temperate regions, such as Central Asia and Europe. Among the various ephedra species, Ma Huang (Ephedra herb) is derived from the aerial parts of Ephedra sinica S tapf, Ephedra equisetina Bunge, and Ephedra intermedia Schrenk & C.A. Mey. Ma Huang contains various ephedra alkaloids, including (-)-ephedrine, (+)-pseudoephedrine, (-)-norephedrine, (+)-norpseudoephedrine, (-)-methylephedrine, and (+)-methylpseudoephedrine, which are found naturally as single enantiomers, although they can be prepared as racemates. Although the use of Ma Huang in foods is prohibited in Korea, products containing Ma Huang can be imported, and so it is necessary to develop a suitable analytical technique for the detection of Ma Huang in foods. Herein, we report the development of analytical methods for the detection of ephedra alkaloids in products containing Ma Huang. Following sample purification by solid phase extraction, quantitative analysis was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Additionally, the enantiomers were successfully separated using HPLC-DAD. We successfully analyzed various food samples, where the ephedra alkaloids were qualitatively and quantitatively determined, and the enantiomers were separated. It is expected that these methods may contribute toward preventing the distribution of illegal products containing Ma Huang.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.305-311
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• 1997

Sustained release-microspheres and immediate release-pellets were prepared to develop a controlled release multiparticulate system containing both water soluble and insoluble dr ug. Pseudoephedrin.HCl (EPD) and terfenadine (TRF) were used as model drugs, respectively. Sustained release-EPD microspheres were prepared by solvent evaporation method using Eudragit RL or RS as a matrix combined with pH-insensitive film coating. Smaller EPD microspheres were obtained when smaller amount of Eudragit as a matrix material or larger amount of magnesium stearate as a dispersing agent was used. However the obtained microspheres did not show syfficient sustained release characteristics. About 97% of EPD was released after 1 hr irrespective of matrix material used. Subsequent coating of the microspheres with pH-insensitive polymer such as Eudragit RS or ethylcelulose (EC) resulted good sustained in 37.5, 73.3 and 92.0% release of encapsulated EPD in distilled water after 1, 3 abd 7 hr, respectively. It corresponds to mean dissolution time (MDT) of 2.3 hr, which is much larger than that of un-coated EPD microspheres (0.0048 hr). Immediate release TRF pellets were prepared by spherically agglomerated crystallization using Eudragit E as an inert matrix and methylene chloride as a liquid binder. Using Eudragit E alone as a matrix resulted in satisfactory physical properties of the pellets such as sphericity, surface texture and flowability, but led to slower release of TRF from pellets than un-modified TRF powder (MDT of 1.70 vs 1.43 hr in pH 1.2 dissolution medium). Introducing propylene glycol or sodium lauryl sulfate as an emulsifier brought about faster release of TRF from pellets (MDT of 1.14 and 0.95 hr, respectively). In conclusion, microencapsulation by solvent evaporation combined with film coating and spherically agglomerated crystallization were successfully utilized to prepare controlled release multiparticulate system composed of sustained release EPD-microspheres and immediate release TRF pellets.