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Citalopram (CIT) is a highly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) frequently used in the treatment of major depressive disorders. It has a chiral centre in its structure and is used in therapy both as a racemic mixture (R,S‐CIT) and a pure enantiomer (S‐CIT). The differences between the pharmacokinetic and pharmacological profiles of the two enantiomers are well established. Consequently, the development of new efficient chiral analysis methods for their enantiomeric separation is a topic of great actuality. CIT metabolism is stereoselective as it is metabolized in chiral active metabolites, which retain considerable SSRI activity and contribute to the pharmacological effect. Chiral analytical methods are employed for the determination of enantiomeric ratio in pharmaceutical preparations and for monitoring the enantiomer levels in biological samples for therapeutic and toxicologic purposes. The current study reviews the published literature for the chiral analysis of CIT and its metabolites based on chromatographic and electrophoretic methods coupled with UV, fluorescence and mass spectrometry detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives.—The fundamental reason that the migraine phenotype is experienced by sufferers and not by the more fortunate populace is not known. We believe a common biochemical pathway is involved, and are attempting to reveal this by using an objective and broad survey of molecular composition, rather than the conventional hypothesis-driven approaches that are narrowly focused and subjective. Methods.—This article discusses the application of CSF bioanalysis in a clinical sample and summarizes preliminary findings, which are described more fully in papers currently in press. Results.—In migraineurs during a migraine attack, compared with a migraine-free period, changes have been documented in the concentrations of specific proteins, lipids, small molecules, and elements in the CSF. The degree to which these changes are specific to migraine remains to be determined. Conclusions.—As the CSF profiles for proteins, lipids, small molecules, and elements become better delineated in both healthy individuals and in disease states such as migraine, measurement of changes in CSF composition will provide the potential for improving diagnosis, correlating molecular events with symptoms, developing new therapeutic strategies, and enhancing the ability to monitor the results of therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]