Spectrometric methods in pharmaceutical analysis of glycosaminoglycans: the state-of-the-art

Glycosaminoglycans are important complex carbohydrates that are used in a number of pharmaceutical products. Because glycosaminoglycans are obtained by isolation from biological materials, their pharmaceutical analysis before therapeutic use is of paramount importance. Due to their versatility, wide applicability, non-destructiveness, and in particular the possibility of obtaining a "fingerprint" clearly proving the given chemical specie, spectrometric methods are one of the essential methods used for these analyzes. This review is focused on significant spectrometric methods used in the pharmaceutical analysis of glycosaminoglycans. The advantages and prospects of individual methods (NMR spectrometry, infrared and Raman spectrometry, UV/Vis spectrometry, spectrofluorimetry, chemiluminescence, and circular dichroism) used and methodological aspects of the analysis are discussed. The possibilities of further development and application of spectral methods in the discussed area are outlined. [GRAPHICS] .