Ultra Fast Analysis of Combination Cold Remedy Using LCMS-2020

Significance of the Topic

Rapid and reliable quantitation of multiple active ingredients in over-the-counter combination pharmaceuticals is essential for quality control and regulatory compliance. Ultra-fast liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) can resolve sharp chromatographic peaks in minimal time, enabling high-throughput screening while maintaining analytical accuracy.

Objectives and Study Overview

This study demonstrates an ultra-fast LC-MS method for simultaneous analysis of seven active compounds in a commercial cold remedy tablet. The primary goals were to reduce total run time below two minutes, apply rapid positive/negative ion switching, and verify detection sensitivity and peak integrity for each analyte.

Experimental Methodology

An aliquot of powdered tablet was dissolved in water, filtered, and injected (1 µL) onto a short reversed-phase column (3.0 × 50 mm, 2.7 µm C18) heated to 60 °C. A binary gradient (5 mM ammonium formate/formic acid in water vs. acetonitrile) ramped from 7 % to 45 % organic in one minute, then re-equilibrated. The flow rate was 1.8 mL/min, delivering the entire effluent directly to the mass spectrometer.

Instrumentation Used

• Ultra-fast UHPLC system with high-resolution capability
• LCMS-2020 single-quadrupole mass spectrometer
• Electrospray ionization source with 15 msec positive/negative switching
• Scan range m/z 100–700 at 15,000 u/sec (60 msec per scan)

Main Results and Discussion

The combined total ion chromatogram was acquired in 1.5 minutes, clearly resolving tranexamic acid, acetaminophen, methylephedrine, caffeine, hesperidin, chlorpheniramine, and dextromethorphan. All compounds yielded strong [M+H]+ signals in positive mode; acetaminophen also produced a [M–H]– ion. High sampling rate ensured at least 15 data points across narrow peaks, preserving spectral quality and identification confidence.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The rapid LC-MS workflow significantly reduces analysis time and solvent consumption while maintaining robust sensitivity. This approach suits high-throughput QC environments, stability testing of combination drugs, and routine batch verification.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Advances in ultra-fast chromatography and high-speed mass analyzers will further shorten cycle times and enhance multiplexed compound screening. Integration with automated sample preparation and data processing software will boost laboratory throughput. Emerging ion-mobility interfaces could add orthogonal separation for even more complex mixtures.

Conclusion

The described ultra-fast LC-MS method delivers comprehensive multi-analyte profiling of a cold remedy in under two minutes, combining high throughput with reliable identification. This streamlined protocol supports efficient quality control and can be extended to other combination pharmaceutical formulations.