Investigation on the enantiomeric impurity of epinephrine hydrochloride injections.

Epinephrine enantiomers were derived into diastereoisomers with the chiral reagent 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosylisothiocyanate. The resolution was carried out on a C18 column. The Rs between (-)-R- and (+)-S-isomers was 2.3. The retention time could be changed by adding a proper amount of acetoinitrile into the mobile phase. The results showed that (+)-S-isomer in the epinephrine hydrochloride injections increased during the period of storage.