Stereoselective analysis of metoprolol and its metabolites in rat plasma with application to oxidative metabolism

We investigated the stereoselective kinetic disposition and metabolism of metoprolol (MET) in rats. The racemic MET (15 mg/kg) was given by oral gavage and blood samples were collected from 0 to 10h (n=6 at each time point). The enantiomeric concentrations of MET and its metabolites alpha-hydroxymetoprolol (alpha-OHM) and O-demethylmetoprolol (ODM) were determined by HPLC using a Chiralpak AD chiral column and fluorescence detection. The pharmacokinetic parameters of unchanged MET and the formation of ODM did not show to be stereoselective. In contrast, the AUC (ng h/mL) of alpha-hydroxymetoprolol isomers were higher to I'R [638.2(525.2-706.2) for 1'R2R and 659.6(580.4-698.1) for 1'R,2S, mean, (95%CI)] than to I'S products [58.3(47.4-66.1) for 1'S,2R and 57.1(44.7-67.9) for 1'S,2S, mean, (95%CI)]. We conclude that the kinetic disposition of unchanged MET and the formation of ODM are not enantioselective in rats but the metabolism of alpha-OHM yields predominantly the 1'R-product.     

Separation of Nadolol Stereoisomers by Chiral Liquid Chromatography at Analytical and Preparative Scales

The separation of the four nadolol stereoisomers on Chiralpak® AD by chiral liquid chromatography was carried out at both analytical and preparative scales. A screening of possible mobile‐phase compositions was performed using different alcohol–hydrocarbon mixtures. The results obtained confirm the use of 20:80:0.3 ethanol‐hexane‐diethylamine reported by McCarthy (1994) but introduce other possibilities for the complete resolution of the four nadolol stereoisomers at analytical scale, namely, the mixtures 30–40:70–60:0.3 ethanol‐heptane‐diethylamine. Additionally, this work describes how retention and resolution depend on the ethanol content in hexane and heptane mixtures. The separation of nadolol stereoisomers is also carried out at preparative scale and different alcohol–hydrocarbon compositions are proposed, depending on the target component to be obtained. Particularly, this work presents the experimental separation of the more retained nadolol stereoisomer (RSR‐nadolol) by simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography using an 80:20:0.3 ethanol‐heptane‐diethylamine mobile phase. For a 2 g/l feed concentration, RSR‐nadolol is 100% recovered at the extract outlet stream, 100% pure, and with a system productivity of 0.65 g_{RSR‐nadolol}/(l_bed^.h) and a solvent consumption of 9.6 l_solvent/g_{RSR‐nadolol}. Chirality 25:197–205, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Application of antibody-mediated extraction for the stereoselective determination of the active metabolite of loxoprofen in human and rat plasma.

Antibody-mediated extraction followed by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to stereoselective determination in human and rat plasma of the active metabolite [(2S,1'R,2'S)-trans-alcohol] with three chiral centers of Loxoprofen, a 2-arylpropionic acid antiinflammatory agent after oral administration. Antiserum against the (1'R,2'S)-cyclopentanol moiety was obtained from a rabbit immunized with bovine serum albumin conjugate linked to the propionic acid moiety, in which another chiral center is located. Then, the immunoglobulin G purified by a protein A column was coupled to BrCN-activated Sepharose 4B. Plasma samples were applied to the immobilized antibody column. After washing the column to remove unrequired stereoisomers, a mixture of two diastereomers whose configurations were 1'R,2'S in the cyclopentanol moiety was extracted with 95% methanol. The solvent was evaporated and the residue was derivatized with (+)-(R)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine as a chiral reagent to separate the diastereomers by HPLC. This combined analytical method showed the stereoselective metabolism of Loxoprofen in human, that is, 64% of the total amount of four trans-alcohol stereoisomers was in the 2S,1'R,2'S form, which is the active metabolite. This phenomenon was also observed in rats given Loxoprofen and its (2S)- and (2R)-isomers, and is explained by stereoselective ketone reduction of Loxoprofen to the (1'R,2'S)-trans-alcohol and inversion from 2R to 2S in the propionic acid moiety. Antibody-mediated extraction should be a selective and simple clean-up method for determining haptens with complicated structures, combined with an appropriate analytical method.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the anti-tumor agent SCH 66336 in cynomolgus monkey plasma and evaluation of its chiral inversion in animals

SCH 66336 is a novel non-cytotoxic anti-tumor agent that is in phase I/II clinical trials for the treatment of solid tumors. This compound is a single enantiomer with one chiral center. Prior to evaluation of this drug candidate in man, it was necessary to evaluate its pharmacokinetics and possible chiral inversion in animals. Thus, high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods have been developed for its determination in cynomolgus monkey plasma and for the evaluation of its chiral inversion in rats and cynomolgus monkeys. The achiral HPLC analysis involved extraction with 30% methylene chloride in hexane followed by separation on a CN column and quantitation by UV absorbance at 280 nm. The method was linear over a concentration range of 0.1 to 20 μg/ml in monkey plasma. The chiral HPLC analysis involved the use of a Chiralpak AD column set at 39°C with a mobile phase of hexane–ethanol–diethylamine mixture and a UV detector set at 280 nm. Plasma samples were subjected to solid-phase extraction on a C₂ cartridge prior to HPLC analysis. The method was linear over a concentration range of 0.25 to 10 μg/ml in rat and cynomolgus monkey plasma for both enantiomers. Both methods showed good linearity (r²>0.99), accuracy (bias<13%) and precision (CV<12%). Chiral HPLC analysis indicated that SCH 66336 was not subjected to chiral inversion in rats and cynomolgus monkeys     

Determination of metyrapone and the enantiomers of its chiral metabolite metyrapol in human plasma and urine using coupled achiral-chiral liquid chromatography

A coupled achiral-chiral liquid chromatographic assay has been developed to determine the concentrations of metyrapone and the enantiomers of its chiral metabolite metyrapol in plasma and urine. The chromatographic system consisted of a silica precolumn (75 × 4.6 mm I.D.) coupled in-line to a 250 × 4.6 mm I.D. column containing cellulose tris(4-methylbenzoate) coated on silica gel (Chiralcel OJ-CSP). When plasma samples were analyzed, the mobile phase was hexane-ethanol (92:8, v/v) modified with 0.1% diethylamine and when urine samples were analyzed the mobile phase was hexane-ethanol (94:6, v/v) modified with 0.2% diethylamine. Under these chromatographic conditions the chromatographic retentions [expressed as capacity factors (k′)] for metyrapone were k′ = 2.35 (plasma) and 2.52 (urine); for (−)-metyrapol k′ = 4.22 (plasma) and 4.62 (urine); for (+)-metyrapone k′ = 5.16 (plasma) and 5.86 (urine); enantioselectivities (α) were 1.09 (plasma) and 1.13 (urine). The assay has been validated for use in metabolic studies. The analyses of plasma and urine samples from one subject following oral administration of 750 mg of metyrapone indicated that the enzymatic reduction of myterapone by aldo-keto reductase was enantiospecific.     

Stereospecific determination of mefloquine in biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography

A sensitive stereoselective HPLC method was developed for determination of mefloquine (MFQ) enantiomers in plasma, urine and whole blood. The assay involved liquid-liquid extraction of MFQ from biological fluids with a mixture of hexane and isopropanol in the presence of sodium hydroxide and derivatization of the residue by (+)-(S)-naphthylethylisocyanate (NEIC) as chiral derivatizing reagent. Separation of the resulting diastereomers was performed on a silica normal-phase column using chloroform-hexane-methanol (25:74:1) as the mobile phase with a flow-rate of 1 ml/min. Using 200 μl of plasma or whole blood, the limit of determination was 0.2 μg/ml with UV detection for both enantiomers. The limit of determination in 500 μl of urine was 0.08 μg/ml with UV detection.     

Enantioselective and highly sensitive determination of carvedilol in human plasma and whole blood after administration of the racemate using normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A highly sensitive HPLC method for enantioselective determination of carvedilol in human whole blood and plasma was developed. Carvedilol and S-carazolol as an internal standard extracted from whole blood or plasma were separated using an enantioselective separation column (Chiralpak AD column; 2.0 diameter x 250 mm) without any chiral derivatizations. The mobile phase was hexane:isopropanol:diethylamine (78:22:1, v/v). The excitation and emission wavelengths were set at 284 and 343 nm, respectively. The limits of quantification for the S(-)- and R(+)-carvedilol enantiomers in plasma and blood were both 0.5 ng/ml. Intra- and inter-day variations were less than 5.9%. As an application of the assay, concentrations of carvedilol enantiomer in plasma and blood samples from 15 patients treated with carvedilol for congestive heart failure were determined.     

Enantioselective analysis of disopyramide and mono-N-dealkyldisopyramide in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography on an amylose-derived chiral stationary phase

An enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed for the simultaneous determination of disopyramide (DP) and mono-N-dealkyldisopyramide (MND) enantiomers in plasma and urine. The drugs were extracted from plasma samples by liquid–liquid extraction with dichloromethane after protein precipitation with trichloroacetic acid; the urine samples were processed by liquid–liquid extraction with dichloromethane. The enantiomers were resolved on a Chiralpak AD column using hexane–ethanol (91:9, v/v) plus 0.1% diethylamine as the mobile phase and monitored at 270 nm. Under these conditions the enantiomeric fractions of the drug and of its metabolite were analyzed within 20 min. The extraction procedure was efficient in removing endogenous interferents and low values for the relative standard deviations were demonstrated for both within-day and between-day assays. The method described in this paper allows the determination of DP and MND enantiomers at plasma levels as low as 12.5 ng/ml and can be used in clinical pharmacokinetic studies.     

Simple and efficient method for enantioselective determination of omeprazole in human plasma

A practical and selective HPLC method for the separation and quantification of omeprazole enantiomers in human plasma is presented. C18 solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges were used to extract the enantiomers from plasma samples and the chiral separation was carried out on a Chiralpak AD column protected with a CN guard column, using ethanol:hexane (70:30) as the mobile phase, at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min. The detection was carried out at 302 nm. The method proved to be linear in the range of 10-1000 ng/ml for each enantiomer, with a quantification limit of 5 ng/ml. Precision and accuracy, demonstrated by within-day and between-day assays, were lower than 10%.     

Influence of input rate on the stereospecific and nonstereospecific first pass metabolism and pharmacokinetics of metoprolol extended release formulations

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of input rate on the stereoselective and nonstereoselective pharmacokinetics of metoprolol, alpha-hydroxymetoprolol, and its acid metabolite. Extended release formulations (100 mg) of metoprolol with varying release rates (e.g., slow (S), moderate (M), and fast (F)) and an oral solution (OS, 50 mg) were administered to normal, healthy extensive metabolizers. Serial blood samples were collected over 48 h, plasma was obtained, and subsequently analyzed by a validated HPLC method with fluorescence detection. The mean T(max) of metoprolol after the S, M, F (4.43, 4.00, 3.14 h, respectively) was found to be different ( P < 0.05) as compared to the OS (2.07 h). The ratio of alpha-hydroxymetoprolol/metoprolol was higher for the OS (1.26) vs. the S, M, and F (1.02, 0.96, 0.99). The S/R enantiomer ratios of the concentration for metoprolol, ACMB, and alpha-hydroxmetoprolol were calculated at each time point and showed a significant difference ( P < 0.05) in the absorption phase (1-4 h) vs. terminal phase (8-16 h) for fast input (solution and fast extended release formulations). Based on these results, it would appear that input rate influences the pharmacokinetics of metoprolol, its metabolites, and their enantiomers.     

Sensitive chiral high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for labetalol in biological fluids

The four stereoisomers of the combined α- and β-adrenoceptor antagonist labetalol were separated and quantified at therapeutic concentrations by normal-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography using a chiral stationary phase and fluorescence detection. Drug in plasma or urine was recovered by solid-phase extraction with 83±5% efficiency. Limits of detection from biological samples (3 ml) were between 1.5–1.8 ng ml⁻¹. Intra-day and inter-day variation at 25 ng ml⁻¹ were ≤2.7% and ≤5.80% respectively for all stereoisomers. The assay was applied to an examination of the disposition of labetalol stereoisomers after a single oral dose of racemate to a human volunteer. Labetalol appears to undergo enantioselective metabolism leading to relatively low plasma concentrations of the pharmacologically active enantiomers.     

Reversed-phase chiral liquid chromatography on polysaccharide-based stationary phase coupled with tandem mass spectrometry for simultaneous determination of four stereoisomers of MK-0974 in human plasma

MK-0974 (1a), N-[(3R,6S)-6-(2,3-difluorophenyl)-2-oxo-1-(2,2,2-trifuoroethyl)azepan-3-yl]-4-(2-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-imidazo-[4,5-B] pyridine-1-yl)piperidine-1-carboxamide, is a novel calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist with two chiral centers. Direct separation of its four stereoisomers (1a-d) was achieved using a cellulose chiral stationary phase, a Chiralcel OJ-RH column (150 mm x 4.6 mm), under reversed-phase condition, following the extraction of 0.2 mL plasma on Oasis muElution HLB 96-well solid-phase-extraction (SPE) plate. The tandem mass spectrometric detection was conducted in the positive-ion mode with a turbo-ion-spray (TIS) interface using multiple-reaction-monitoring on a Sciex API3000. Addition of ammonium trifluoroacetate to low-organic mobile phase improved detection sensitivity by more than 30-fold. The simultaneous quantification of the four stereoisomers in human plasma was validated over the ranges of 0.5-5000 nM for 1a and 0.5-500 nM for its three isomers (1b-d). Intraday validation, conducted with five lots of human control plasma, resulted in <12.4% (% coefficient of variation, CV) precision and 96.3-105.4% accuracy for all four stereoisomers. Further evaluation indicated that the assay was specific, the samples were stable after three freeze/thaw cycles, the recovery was reasonable (above 65%) and no matrix effect was observed for all four isomers. Investigation on the chiral integrity of 1a indicated that the diastereomer 1c, inversion at azepinone-3 carbon, was the only isomer observed in the post-dose clinical samples and accounted for 2.4-5.2% of MK-0974 exposure in the circulatory system. The possibility of inversion during blood collection, plasma storage and sample preparation was ruled out, while inversion was observed in the clinical formulation accounting for approximately 0.12% of 1a in a 100-mg capsule.     

Validated LC-MS/MS methods for the determination of risperidone and the enantiomers of 9-hydroxyrisperidone in human plasma and urine

Two liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods are described, one for the quantitative determination of risperidone and the enantiomers of its active metabolite 9-hydroxyrisperidone (paliperidone) in human plasma and the other for the determination of the enantiomers of 9-hydroxyrisperidone in human urine. The plasma method is based on solid-phase extraction of 200 microl of sample on a mixed-mode sorbent, followed by separation on a cellulose-based LC column with a 13.5-min mobile phase gradient of hexane, isopropanol and ethanol. After post-column addition of 10 mM ammonium acetate in ethanol/water, detection takes place by ion-spray tandem mass spectrometry in the positive ion mode. Method validation results show that the method is sufficiently selective towards the enantiomers of 7-hydroxyrisperidone and capable of quantifying the analytes with good precision and accuracy in the concentration range of 0.2-100 ng/ml. An accelerated (run time of 4.3 min) and equally valid method for the enantiomers of 9-hydroxyrisperidone alone in plasma is obtained by increasing the mobile phase flow-rate from 1.0 to 2.0 ml/min and slightly adapting the gradient conditions. The urine method is based on the same solid-phase extraction and chromatographic approach as the accelerated plasma method. Using 100 microl of sample, (+)- and (-)-9-hydroxyrisperidone can be quantified in the concentration range 1-2000 ng/ml. The accelerated method for plasma and the method for urine can be used only when paliperidone is administered instead of risperidone, as there is insufficient separation of the 9-hydroxy enantiomers from the 7-hydroxy enantiomers, the latter ones being present only after risperidone administration.     

Chiral liquid chromatography resolution and stereoselective pharmacokinetic study of the enantiomers of a novel anticonvulsant, N-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(4-pyridyl)ethylamine, in rats

A selective chiral high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed and validated to separate and quantify the enantiomers of a novel anticonvulsant agent, N-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(4-pyridyl)ethylamine (AAP-Cl), in rat plasma. After extraction of the plasma samples with ethyl acetate, the separation was accomplished by an HPLC system consisting of a Chirex chiral column (250 mm x 4.6 mm i.d.) and a mobile phase of hexane:ethanol:tetrahydrofuran (280:20:40 (v/v)) containing trifluroacetic acid (0.3% (v/v)) and triethylamine (0.018% (v/v)) at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min with UV detection. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given (+)-AAP-Cl (10 and 20 mg/kg), (-)-AAP-Cl (10 mg/kg) or the racemic mixture (20 mg/kg) by i.v. bolus injection and serial blood samples were collected at different times after drug administration. (+)-AAP-Cl and (-)-AAP-Cl were separated with a resolution factor, Rs, of at least 1.4, and a separation factor, alpha, greater than 1.09. Linear calibration curves were obtained over the concentration range of 0.5-30 microg/ml in plasma for both (+)-AAP-Cl and (-)-AAP-Cl (R2 > or = 0.996) with a limit of quantitation of 100 ng/ml and the recovery was greater than 80% for both enantiomers. The accuracy and precision for both enantiomers ranged from 96 to 102% (+/-0.2-7%) at upper and lower concentrations. The plasma concentration-time profiles of the enantiomers of AAP-Cl were best described by a two-compartment open model with a mean terminal half-life of about 5h, volume of distribution at steady state of 3 l/kg and clearance of about 0.6l/(hkg) in rats. There was no significant difference between the pharmacokinetic parameters of (+)-AAP-Cl and (-)-AAP-Cl, suggesting that the disposition of AAP-Cl in rats is not enantioselective. In addition, no chiral inversion of (+)-AAP-Cl to (-)-AAP-Cl or vice versa was observed. The results of this investigation have shed some light on the mechanism of action and disposition of AAP-Cl in rats.     

Enantioseparation and molecular modeling study of five β‐adrenergic blockers on Chiralpak IC column

A new high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the enantiomeric resolution of five β‐adrenergic blockers on a Chiralpak IC column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5.0 μm particle size) in normal phase mode. The mobile phase used was n‐hexane‐ethanol‐diethylamine in different proportions at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min with the column temperature of 25°C using a UV detector at 230 nm. The influences of base additives and alcohol modifiers were evaluated and optimized. The maximum resolution values for bevantolol, propranolol carteolol, esmolol, and metoprolol were 4.80, 2.77, 2.09, 2.30, and 1.11, respectively. To gain a better understanding of the interaction between chiral stationary phase and analyte enantiomers, the molecular docking of chiral stationary phase with five pairs of enantiomer was carried out using AutoDock molecular docking technique. By simulation studies, the mechanism of chiral recognition was determined. According to the results, hydrogen bond interactions and π‐π interactions were the chief interactions for the chiral recognition.     

Enantioselective determination of metoprolol acidic metabolite in plasma and urine using liquid chromatography chiral columns: applications to pharmacokinetics

Enantioselective separations on chiral stationary phases with or without derivatization were developed and compared for the HPLC analysis of (+)-(R)- and (-)-(S)-metoprolol acidic metabolite in human plasma and urine. The enantiomers were analysed in plasma and urine without derivatization on a Chiralcel OD-R column, and in urine after derivatization using methanol in acidic medium on a Chiralcel OD-H column. The quantitation limits were 17 ng of each enantiomer/ml plasma and 0.5 microgram of each enantiomer/ml urine using both methods. The confident limits show that the methods are compatible with pharmacokinetic investigations of the enantioselective metabolism of metoprolol. The methods were employed in a metabolism study of racemic metoprolol administered to a patient phenotyped as an extensive metabolizer of debrisoquine. The enantiomeric ratio (+)-(R)/(-)-(S)-acid metabolite was 1.1 for plasma and 1.2 for urine. Clearances were 0.41 and 0.25 l/h/kg, respectively, for the (+)-(R)- and (-)-(S)-enantiomers. The correlation coefficients between the urine concentrations of the acid metabolite enantiomers obtained by the two methods were >0.99. The two methods demonstrated interchangeable application to pharmacokinetics.     

Stereoselective Determination of Metoprolol and its Metabolite α‐Hydroxymetoprolol in Plasma by LC‐MS/MS: Application to Pharmacokinetics during Pregnancy

Metoprolol is available for clinical use as a racemic mixture. The S‐(?)‐metoprolol enantiomer is the one expressing higher activity in the blockade of the β₁‐adrenergic receptor. The α‐hydroxymetoprolol metabolite also has activity in the blockade of the β₁‐adrenergic receptor. The present study describes the development and validation of a stereoselective method for sequential analysis of metoprolol and of α‐hydroxymetoprolol in plasma using high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). 1‐ml aliquots of plasma were extracted with dichloromethane : diisopropyl ether (1:1, v/v). Metoprolol enantiomers and α‐hydroxymetoprolol isomers were separated on a Chiralpak AD column (Daicel Chemical Industries, New York, NY, USA) and quantitated by LC‐MS/MS. The limit of quantitation obtained was 0.2 ng of each metoprolol enantiomer/ml plasma and 0.1 ng/ml of each α‐hydroxymetoprolol isomer/ml plasma. The method was applied to the study of kinetic disposition of metoprolol in plasma samples collected up to 24 h after the administration of a single oral dose of 100‐mg metoprolol tartrate to a hypertensive parturient with a gestational age of 42 weeks. The clinical study showed that the metoprolol pharmakokinetics is enantioselective, with the observation of higher area under the curve (AUC)^0?∞ values for S‐(?)‐metoprolol (AUC_S‐(?)/AUC_R‐(+) = 1.81) and the favoring of the formation of the new chiral center 1′R of α‐hydroxymetoprolol (AUC^0?∞_1′R/1′S = 2.78). Chirality, 25:1–7, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Enantioselective HPLC determination of E-6087, a new COX-2 inhibitor, in human plasma: Validation and pharmacokinetic application

E-6087 is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory compound that selectively inhibits cyclooxygenase-2. Because E-6087 has a chiral center, this compound is a racemic mixture of two stereoisomers, (+)-(R)-E-6087 (E-6231) and (-)-(S)-E-6087 (E-6232). A normal-phase liquid-chromatographic method for the enantioselective determination of E-6087 in human plasma was developed and validated. The samples were extracted using solid-phase extraction cartridges containing C(18) sorbent, and the extracts were redissolved in absolute ethanol and injected into the chromatographic system. The enantiomeric separation was achieved on a chiral stationary-phase column of derivatized amylose, and the enantiomers were quantified by fluorescence detection. The method was validated for drug concentrations ranging from 5 to 400 ng/ml for both enantiomers. No peaks interfering with the quantification of enantiomers were observed. The limit of quantification was 5 ng/ml, with precision expressed as a coefficient of variation lower than 10.6% and accuracy expressed as relative error lower than 12.2%. The utility of this method was demonstrated by analysis of plasma samples from healthy volunteers given an oral dose of rac-E-6087. Peak plasma levels of E-6231 were higher than levels obtained for E-6232. Results were consistent with those obtained with a conventional reversed-phase method used for determination of the racemic compound.     

Enantioselectivity in the steady‐state pharmacokinetics of metoprolol in hypertensive patients

In the present study we investigated the enantioselectivity in the pharmacokinetics of metoprolol administered in a multiple‐dose regimen as the racemate. The study was conducted on 10 patients of both sexes with mild to severe essential hypertension, aged 28 to 76 years, with normal hepatic and renal function and phenotyped as extensive metabolizers of debrisoquine (urine debrisoquine to 4‐hydroxydebrisoquine ratios of 0.28 to 6.56). The patients were treated with racemic metoprolol (two 100 mg tablets every 24 h) for 7 days. Serial blood samples were collected at times zero, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 22, and 24 h and urine at each 6 h period until 24 h after metoprolol administration. The plasma concentrations of the (−)‐(S)‐ and (+)‐(R)‐metoprolol enantiomers were determined by HPLC using a chiral stationary phase (Chiralpak AD, 4.6 × 250 mm) and fluorescence detection. The enantiomeric ratios differing from one were evaluated by the paired t test and the results are reported as means (95% CI). No differences were observed between metoprolol enantiomers in half‐lives and absorption, distribution and elimination rate constants. However, the following differences (p < 0.05) were observed between the (−)‐(S) and (+)‐(R) enantiomers: maximum plasma concentration, C_max, 179.99 (123.33–236.64) versus 151.30 (95.04–207.57) ng/mL; area under the plasma concentration versus time curve, AUC, 929.85 (458.02–1401.70) versus 782.11 (329.80–1234.40) ng h/mL; apparent total clearance, Cl_T/f, 1.70 (0.79–2.61) versus 2.21 (1.06–3.36) L/h/kg, apparent distribution volume, Vd/f, 10.51 (6.35–14.68) versus 13.80 (6.93–20.68) L/kg, and renal clearance, Cl_R, 0.06 (0.05–0.08) versus 0.07 (0.05–0.09) L/kg. The enantiomeric ratios AUC_(−)‐(S)/AUC_(+)‐(R) ranged from 1.14 to 1.44, with a mean of 1.29. The data obtained demonstrate enantioselectivity in the kinetic disposition of metoprolol, with plasma accumulation of the pharmacologically more active (−)‐(S)‐metoprolol enantiomer in hypertensive patients phenotyped as extensive metabolizers of debrisoquine. Chirality 11:591–597, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Stereospecific high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of tramadol and its O-demethylated (M1) and N,O-demethylated (M5) metabolites in human plasma

A stereospecific method for simultaneous quantitation of the enantiomers of tramadol (T) and its active metabolites O-demethyl tramadol (M1) and O-demethyl-N-demethyl tramadol (M5) in human plasma is reported. After the addition of penbutolol (IS), plasma (0.5 ml) samples were extracted into methyl tert-butyl ether, followed by back extraction into an acidic solution. The separation was achieved using a Chiralpak AD column with a mobile phase of hexanes:ethanol:diethylamine (94:6:0.2) and a flow rate of 1 ml/min. The fluorescence of analytes was then detected at excitation and emission wavelengths of 275 and 300 nm, respectively. All the six enantiomeric peaks of interest plus three unknown metabolite peaks and IS peak (a total of 10 peaks) eluted within 23 min, free from endogenous interference. The assay was validated in the plasma concentration range of 2.5-250 ng/ml, with a lower limit of quantitation of 2.5 ng/ml, for all the six analytes. The extraction efficiency (n=5) was close to 100% for both T and M1 enantiomers and 85% for M5 and IS enantiomers. The application of the assay was demonstrated by simultaneous measurement of plasma concentrations of T, M1, and M5 enantiomers in a healthy volunteer after the administration of 50 mg oral doses of racemic T.