Development of a high-performance-liquid-chromatographic method for the determination of biapigenin in biorelevant media.

A new precise, rapid and selective high-performance-liquid-chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed to quantify biapigenin in St. John's Wort (SJW) preparations and to investigate its release characteristics in the dissolution test using both compendial and biorelevant media. Experiments were carried out on a LiChroCart 125-4, RP-18 (5 microm) column, using gradient elution at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. The binary mobile phase consisted of solvent A (acetic acid, 5:100, w:w) and B (a mixture of acetonitrile and methanol (3:1, v:v)). Detection was performed at a wavelength of 270 nm using a photodiodearray detector. The limit of detection was 0.05 microg/ml, the injection volume 20 microl. Five SJW preparations were chosen to determine the amount of biapigenin in the dosage form and to investigate their release characteristics. Best results in terms of release as well as discriminating the tested products were obtained, using fed state simulated intestinal fluid (FeSSIF), where over 80% of biapigenin was dissolved after 20 min comparing to 70% using simulated gastric fluid sine pepsin (SGF(sp)) as compendial medium. Experiments in fasted state simulated intestinal fluid (FaSSIF) show 80% release of biapigenin within 80 min.