IR spectroscopy in drug research

The use of IR spectroscopy in the R&D of natural drugs and pharmaceutical products has been reviewed, highlighting the advantages and limitations of the technique. Daniel Cozzolino from the University of Adelaide described the different aspects involved in the process in Drug Development Research, covering the relevant sampling and sample preparation techniques, instrumentation, and the use of chemometrics in interpreting the acquired spectra.

IR spectroscopy has been applied to natural product composition analysis, product quality assessment and production control, and has recently played a role in "omic" studies. Its disadvantages include the difficulty in quantification and interpreting the data, although recently developed instrumentation and computer algorithms have made this a lot easier. In addition, the lack of formal education in IR spectroscopy and chemometrics presents problems in this area of research. The main benefits are the speed and ease of use compared with traditional chemical and chromatographic methods, backed up by its non-destructive nature.