[A new HPLC method for determination of main constituents of the streptothricin complex. Analysis of nourseothricin, grisin and kormogrisin].
A simple and reliable HPLC method for quantitative analysis of complex antibiotics consisting of a mixture of streptothricins F, E, D and C in a biological matrix was developed. The method is based on ion-pair separation of streptothricins on the reversed-phase C18 analytical column with UV detector (210 nm). Aqueous solution of acetonitrile containing trifluoroacetic acid and octane-1-sulfonic acid sodium salt was used as eluent. Retention times of streptothricins became longer as the molecular weight increased, i.e. the component F was eluted first, then followed components E, D and C. The total time of the analysis was ca. 22 min. Composition of the standard samples of nourseothricin and grisin, as well as the streptothricin content of the commercial grisin-based kormogrisin were determined. Components F and D were found to be dominant in the streptothricin complex comprising totally 70-90%, with streptothricin F prevailing in nourseothricin (56%) and streptothricin D being the major constituent in grisin (51%), while in the kormogrisin the concentrations of components D and F were approximately the same. The portion of E varied from 5 to 20% and the concentration of streptothricin C changed within the range of 3-11%. The peaks of the admixtures present in kormogrisin did not interfere with determination of the streptothricin components. It is suggested that the method described can be applied to determination of the streptothricins in biological objects without a complex preliminary sample preparation.