Chiral HPLC in biomedical and pharmaceutical analysis: Method development challenges and application-oriented strategies.

Abstract

Chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) remains one of the most important analytical techniques for investigating the stereochemical behavior of bioactive compounds. Although many commercial chiral stationary phases are available and new selector chemistries are continually introduced, successful enantioseparation alone does not ensure analytical applicability. In pharmaceutical and biomedical practice, chromatographic methods must perform reliably with complex sample matrices, low analyte concentrations, stringent validation requirements, and increasingly frequent coupling with mass spectrometric (MS) detection. Although achieving adequate enantioseparation remains a major challenge for many structurally complex analytes, increasing attention is being devoted to developing robust, validated, and application-oriented analytical methods suitable for pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis. Instead of presenting another catalog of chiral stationary phases or reported enantioseparations, this review examines chiral HPLC from a method development perspective. It discusses how chromatographic selectivity, sample preparation, matrix effects, detection strategy, elution order assignment, stereochemical stability, and validation requirements interact throughout the analytical workflow. Special emphasis is given to the transition from initial column screening to validated methods suitable for pharmaceutical quality control, stereoselective pharmacokinetic studies, drug-protein binding investigations, forensic toxicology, and chiral metabolomics. By integrating selector chemistry with practical analytical requirements, the review provides a framework for application-driven method development and highlights current trends shaping the future of chiral HPLC in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences.