Development and validation of an HPLC-UV method for analysis of methylphenidate hydrochloride and loxapine succinate in an activated carbon disposal system

Unused medications have the possibility of being abused, causing serious harm to individuals who were not prescribed the drug. The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) recommends the proper disposal of unused prescribed medications to maintain safety and prevent environmental hazards. However, many of the current disposal techniques do not properly address safety. A drug disposal pouch containing granular activated carbon offers a unique disposal method to deactivate residual or expired medication in a convenient, effective, and safe manner. A robust and validated method for methylphenidate hydrochloride and loxapine succinate was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and the deactivation efficiency of the disposal system was tested. Methylphenidate hydrochloride was analyzed on a C18 analytical column(250 mm ?4.60 mm, 100?) using acetonitrile-water(0.05%(v/v) trifluoroacetic acid) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of1.0 mL/min with a run time of 15 min and retention time of 7.8 min. Loxapine succinate was separated on a C8100?(250 mm ? 4.6 mm, 5 mm) column maintained at 25 °C using a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The run time was 10 min and the retention time of the drug was around 4.6 min. Mobile phase was composed of acetonitrile and water(0.3% triethylamine) at pH 3.0 as 40:60(v/v). Reference standard solutions(100 mg/mL) for both drugs were prepared by dissolving in mobile phases. These methods provide good linearity(R2? 0.999) over the range of 5–100 mg/mL for methylphenidate hydrochloride and 0.1–100 mg/mL for loxapine succinate. The assay methods were successfully applied to study the deactivation of these drugs.

Pharmacotherapy in autism spectrum disorders,including promising older drugs warranting trials

Available pharmacotherapies for autism spectrum disorders(ASD)are reviewed based on clinical and research experience,highlighting some older drugs with emerging evidence.Several medications show efficacy in ASD,though controlled studies in ASD are largely lacking.Only risperidone and aripiprazole have Federal Drug Administration approval in the United States.Methylphenidate(MPH)studies showed lower efficacy and tolerability for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)than in the typically developing(TD)population;atomoxetine demonstrated lower efficacy but comparable tolerability to TD outcomes.Guanfacine improved hyperactivity in ASD comparably to TD.Dextroamphetamine promises greater efficacy than MPH in ASD.ADHD medications reduce impulsive aggression in youth,and may also be key for this in adults.Controlled trials of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors citalopram and fluoxetine demonstrated poor tolerability and lack of efficacy for repetitive behaviors.Trials of antiseizure medications in ASD remain inconclusive,however clinical trials may be warranted in severely disabled individuals showing bizarre behaviors.No identified drugs treat ASD core symptoms;oxytocin lacked efficacy.Amitriptyline and loxapine however,show promise.Loxapine at 5-10 mg daily resembled an atypical antipsychotic in positron emission tomography studies,but may be weight-sparing.Amitriptyline at approximately 1 mg/kg/day used cautiously,shows efficacy for sleep,anxiety,impulsivity and ADHD,repetitive behaviors,and enuresis.Both drugs have promising neurotrophic properties.