Application of planar chromatographic descriptors to the prediction of physicochemical properties and biological activity of compounds

ABSTRACTA review of applications of thin layer chromatography (TLC) in drug discovery is given. TLC is presented as a tool to determine the solutes physicochemical properties (lipophilicity, dissociation constant, water solubility) and to predict the interactions of drugs with biomembranes, blood-brain barrier permeability, plasma protein binding, volume of distribution, gastric and skin absorption. Results of modeling based on thin layer chromatographic descriptors are correlated with those obtained by other in vitro techniques used to study drug bioavailability (caco-2 cells, Madin-Darby canine kidney cells, liposome partition). Modified stationary phases used to study receptor-drug interactions are also discussed. Some new trends and ideas in TLC chromatography and its applications in the drug discovery process are presented.