New trend in the LC separation analysis of pharmaceuticals--high performance separation by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with core-shell particle C18 columns--.

This article presents a mini-review of the recent results in the ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) separation of pharmaceuticals by our group. High performance UHPLC separation employing core-shell particle C18 columns was demonstrated. High performance (high theoretical plate number of approximately 20000/10 cm, low theoretical plate height of 5 μm) was obtained without any specific devices in the conventional HPLC apparatus, only through changing detector sampling times and the inner diameter of the connecting tube. High theoretical plate numbers with low column back pressure obtained by the core-shell particle columns enabled fast separation of the analytes. Methanol, which gives high column pressure drops in the reversed-phase mode HPLC compared with acetonitrile, can be used without any trouble. One analysis of the purity testing of diltiazem hydrochloride was performed within 100 s. One analysis in the photostability testing of mecobalamin (vitamin B12 analogue) was successful within 180 s.