Determination of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone in horse plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with UV detection and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A rapid method for the quantification of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone in animal plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with UV detection (HPLC-UV) is presented. The sample preparation includes a simple deproteinisation step with acetonitrile. In addition, a sensitive method for the quantification of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone in horse plasma and urine using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) is described. The sample preparation includes a solid-phase extraction (SPE) with a SCX column. Tamoxifen is used as an internal standard for both chromatographic methods. Chromatographic separation is achieved on an ODS Hypersil column using isocratic elution with 0.01% diethylamine and acetonitrile as mobile phase for the HPLC-UV method and with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile as mobile phase for the LC-MS/MS method. For the HPLC-UV method, good linearity was observed in the range 0-5 microg ml(-1), and in the range 0-1 microg ml(-1) for the LC-MS/MS method. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was set at 50 and 5 ng ml(-1) for the HPLC-UV method and the LC-MS/MS method, respectively. For the UV method, the limit of detection (LOD) was 15 and 10 ng ml(-1) for amiodarone and desethylamiodarone, respectively. The LODs of the LC-MS/MS method in plasma were much lower, i.e. 0.10 and 0.04 ng ml(-1) for amiodarone and desethylamiodarone, respectively. The LODs obtained for the urine samples were 0.16 and 0.09 ng ml(-1) for amiodarone and desethylamiodarone, respectively. The methods were shown to be of use in horses. The rapid HPLC-UV method was used for therapeutic drug monitoring after amiodarone treatment, while the LC-MS/MS method showed its applicability for single dose pharmacokinetic studies.     

Determination of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry with an ion trap detector

A sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS-MS) method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone in human plasma. After the addition of the internal standard tamoxifen, plasma samples were extracted using Oasis MCX solid-phase extraction cartridges. The compounds were separated on a 5 microm Symmetry C18 (Waters) column (150 x 3.0 mm, internal diameter) with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.1% forrmic acid (46:54, v/v) at a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min. The overall extraction efficiency was more than 89% for both compounds. The assay was sensitive down to 1 microg/l for amiodarone and down to 0.5 microg/l for desethylamiodarone. Within-run accuracies for quality-control samples were between 95 and 108% of the target concentration, with coefficients of variation <8%. The proposed method enables the unambiguous identification and quantitation of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone in both clinical and forensic specimens.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of naproxen, ibuprofen and diclofenac in plasma and synovial fluid in man

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay procedures have been developed for naproxen, ibuprofen and diclofenac in human plasma and synovial fluid samples. A single liquid—liquid extraction procedure was used to isolate each compound from acidified biological matrix prior to the quantitative analysis. A Spherisorb ODS column (12.5 cm × 4.6 mm I.D.) was used for all the chromatography. Naproxen was eluted with a mobile phase of methanol—Sörensen's buffer at pH 7 (37:63, v/v). Ibuprofen and diclofenac were eluted using mobile phases of methanol—water at pH 3.3 (65:35, v/v and 63:37, v/v, respectively). Diphenylacetic acid was used as the internal standard for the assay of naproxen and flurbiprofen was used in the analysis of ibuprofen and diclofenac. Inter- and intra-day coefficients of variation were less than 7%. The assays were used in clinical studies of the three drugs in osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis patients.     

Determination of picotamide in human plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of picotamide in human plasma and urine is described. After addition of an internal standard (bamifylline), the plasma and urine samples were subjected to liquid—liquid extraction and clean-up procedures. The final extracts were evaporated to dryness and the resulting residues were reconstituted in 100 μl of methanol—water (50:50, v/v) and chromatographed on a LiChrosorb RP-SELECT B reversed-phase column coupled to an ultraviolet detector monitored at 230 nm. Chromatographic analysis takes about 10 min per sample. The assay was linear over a wide range and has a limit of detection of 0.005 and 0.1 μg/ml in plasma and urine, respectively. It was selective for picotamide, accurate and robust and thus suitable for routine assays after therapeutic doses of picotamide.     

Determination of the class III antiarrhythmic drugs dronedarone and amiodarone,and their principal metabolites in plasma and myocardium by high-performance liquid chromatography and UV-detection

Dronedarone, a noniodinated benzofuran derivative of amiodarone, is believed to have a better side effect profile, and is currently undergoing phase III clinical trials. A novel method was developed for the determination of dronedarone and its principal metabolite debutyldronedarone in both plasma and myocardial tissue by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with UV-detection. The assay was also validated for determination of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone. Samples were obtained from healthy humans (plasma) and goats (plasma and myocardium). Sample preparation included deproteinization with acetonitrile and extraction with a mixture of heptane and dichloromethane (50/50, v/v). Chromatographic separation was performed on a Pathfinder PS polymeric C18 column (50 mm × 4.6 mm, 2.5 μm) with a mobile phase of acetonitrile, isopropanol, water and ammonia (80/10/10/0.025, v/v/v/v) at a flow-rate of 1 ml/min. Calibration curves of all analytes were linear in the range of 0.01–5 μg/ml for plasma samples, with a lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 0.04 μg/ml. For myocardial tissue samples, linear curves of all analytes were observed in the range of 0.02–500 μg/g, with a LLOQ of 0.08 μg/g. Within- and between-day precision was <18%, and within- and between-day accuracy ranged from 97.5 to 109.7%, with a recovery of 67.6–79.9%. The present method enables sensitive and specific detection of dronedarone, amiodarone and principal metabolites in plasma as well as myocardial tissue.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of cefpodoxime levels in plasma and sinus mucosa

A selective HPLC method is described for the determination of cefpodoxime levels in plasma and sinus mucosa. Sample preparation included solid-phase extraction with a C₈ cartridge. Cefpodoxime and cefaclor (internal standard) were eluted with methanol and analyzed on an optimised system consisting of a C₁₈ stationary phase and a ternary mobile phase (0.05 M acetate buffer pH 3.8—methanol—acetonitrile, 87:10:3, v/v) monitored at 235 nm. Linearity and both between- and within-day reproducibility were assessed for plasma and sinus mucosa samples. Inter-assay coefficients of variation were lower than 13.6% (n = 10) for plasma (0.2 μg/ml) and lower than 12.4% (n = 5) for sinus mucosa (0.25 μg/g). The quantification limit was 0.05 μg/ml for plasma and 0.13 μg/g for tissue. The method was used to study the diffusion of cefpodoxime in sinus mucosa.     

Determination of azosemide and its metabolite in plasma, blood, urine and tissue homogenates by high-performance liquid chromatography

High-performance liquid chromatographic methods were developed for the determination of azosemide and its metabolite, M1, in human plasma and urine and rabbit blood and tissue homogenates. The methods involved deproteinization of the biological samples: 2.5 volumes of acetonitrile were used for the determination of azosemide and 1 volume of saturated Ba(OH)₂ and ZnSO₄ for that of M1. A 50-μl aliquot of the supernatant was injected onto a C₁₈ reversed-phase column in each instance. The mobile phases employed were 0.03 M phosphoric acid—acetonitrile (50:40, v/v) for azosemide and 0.03 M phosphoric acid/0.2 M acetic acid—acetonitrile (83:17, v/v) for M1. The flow-rate was 1.5 ml/min in both instances. The column effluent was monitored by ultraviolet detection at 240 and 236 nm for azosemide and M1, respectively. The retention times for azosemide and M1 were 6.0 and 8.3 min, respectively. The detection limits for both azosemide and M1 in both human plasma and urine were 50 ng/ml. The coefficients of variation of the assay were generally low (below 11.0%) for plasma, urine, blood and tissue homogenates. No interferences from endogenous substances or other diuretics tested were observed.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay for a new fasciolicide agent, αBIOF10, in biological fluids

This paper describes a high-performance liquid chromatographic method with ultraviolet absorbance detection at 304 nm for the determination of 6-chloro-5-(1-naphthyloxy)-2-methylthio benzimidazole (αBIOF10) — a new fasciolicide agent — and its sulphoxide (SOαBIOF10), in plasma and urine. It requires 2 ml of biological fluid, an extraction using Sep-Pak cartridges, and methanol for drug elution. Analysis is performed on a μBondapak C₁₈ (10 μm) column, using methanol–acetonitrile–water (40:30:30, v/v) as the mobile phase. Results showed that the assay is sensitive: 12 ng/ml for αBIOF10 and SOαBIOF10 in plasma and 3.6 ng/ml for both compounds in urine. The response was linear between 0.195 and 12.5 μg/ml. Maximum intra-day coefficient of variation was 5.3%. Recovery obtained was 97.8% for both αBIOF10 and SOαBIOF10. In urine, recovery was 99.6% and 93.1% for αBIOF10 and SOαBIOF10 respectively. The method was used to perform a preliminary pharmacokinetic study in two sheep and was found to be satisfactory.     

Analysis of oxazepam in urine using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection by post-column derivatization

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for oxazepam in human urine samples has been developed. The sample preparation consists of an enzymatic hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase, followed by a solid-phase extraction process using Bond-Elut C₂ cartridges. The mobile phase used was a methanol—water (60:40, v/v) mixture at a flow-rate of 0.50 ml/min. The column was a 3.5 cm × 4.6 mm I.D. C₁₈ reversed-phase column. The detection system was based on a fluorescence post-column derivatization of oxazepam in mixtures of methanol and acetic acid. A linear range from 0.01 to 1 μg/ml of urine and a limit of detection of 4 ng/ml of urine were attained. Within-day recoveries and reproducibilities from urine samples spiked with 0.2 and 0.02 μg/ml oxazepam were 97.9 and 95.0 and 2.1 and 9.4%, respectively.     

Determination of cetirizine in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of the histamine H₁-receptor antagonist cetirizine in human urine was developed. Cetirizine and the internal standard are extracted from acidified (pH 5) urine (0.5 ml) into chloroform and the organic layer is evaporated to dryness. The residue is chromatographed on a Spherisorb 5ODS-2 column using Pic A (5 mM aqueous tetrabutylammonium phosphate)—methanol—tetrahydrofuran (33:65:2, v/v) as the mobile phase with ultraviolet detection (230 nm). The calibration graph is linear from 0.1 to 10 μg/ml and using 0.5 ml of urine the detection limit is 20 ng/ml. The within-run relative standard deviation is <6% and the accuracy is within 10% of the theoretical value at concentrations between 0.1 and 10 μg/ml in urine. There is a good correlation (r = 0.99606) with a previously described capillary gas chromatographic assay.     

Determination of temazepam and temazepam glucuronide by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid and sensitive method for extracting temazepam from human serum and urine is presented. Free temazepam is extracted from plasma and urine samples using n-butyl chloride with nitrazepam as the internal standard. Temazepam glucuronide is analyzed as free temazepam after incubating extracts with β-glucuronidase. Separation is achieved using a C₈ reversed-phase column with a methanol—water—phosphate buffer mobile phase. An ultraviolet detector operated at 230 nm is used and a linear response is observed from 20 ng/ml to 10 μg/ml. The limit of detection is 15.5 ng/ml and the limit of quantitation is 46.5 ng/ml. Coefficients of variation are less than 10% for concentrations greater than 50 ng/ml. Application of the methodology is demonstrated in a pharmacokinetic study using eight healthy male subjects.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for quantitating plasma levels of amiloride and its analogues

An assay for amiloride was devised for efficient use with the wide variety of analogues available. Amiloride was extracted from 1-ml plasma samples by elution from a C₈ preparative column with 6% acetonitrile—45% methanol—5.4% acetic acid, adjusted to pH 4.0 with trimethylamine. Samples were lyophilized, resuspended in 50% methanol, filtered through 0.22-μm Spin-X cartridges, applied to a reversed-phase C₁₈ column, and eluted in a 0–50% acetonitrile gradient in 0.4% acetic acid, pH 4.5 (1.2 ml/min). Detection by ultraviolet absorbance at 360 nm was linear from 1 to 1000 ng. Versatility of the method was demonstrated with the analogues benzamil, 6-hydro-, 6-iodo-, 5-hexamethylene-, and 5-chlorobenzyl-2',4'-dimethylbenzylamiloride.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of butorphanol, hydroxybutorphanol, and norbutorphanol in human urine using fluorescence detection

A sensitive, quantitative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been established for the simultaneous determination of butorphanol, a synthetic opioid, and its metabolites, hydroxybutorphanol and norbutorphanol, in human urine samples. The method involved extraction of butorphanol, hydroxybutorphanol, and norbutorphanol from urine (1.0 ml), buffered with 0.1 ml of 1.0 M ammonium acetate (pH 6.0), onto 1-ml Cyano Bond Elut columns. The eluent was evaporated under nitrogen and low heat, and reconstituted with the HPLC mobile phase, acetonitrile—methanol—water (20:10:70, v/v/v), containing 10 mM ammonium acetate and 10 mM TMAH (pH 5.0). The samples were chromatographed on a reversed-phase octyl 5-μm column. The analysis was accomplished by detection of the fluorescence of the three analytes, at excitation and emission wavelengths of 200 nm and 325 nm, respectively. The retention times for hydroxybutorphanol, norbutorphanol, the internal standard, and butorphanol were 5.5, 9.0, 13.0, and 23.4 min respectively. The validated quantitation range of the method was 1–100 ng/ml for butorphanol and hydroxybutorphanol, and 2–200 ng/ml for norbutorphanol in urine. The observed recoveries for butorphanol, hydroxybutorphanol, and norbutorphanol were 93%, 72%, and 50%, respectively. Standard curve correlation coefficients of 0.995 or greater were obtained during validation experiments and analysis of study samples. The method was applied on study samples from a clinical study of butorphanol, providing a pharmacokinetic profiling of butorphanol.     

Simple and sensitive assay of zonisamide in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography using a solid-phase extraction technique

A rapid and sensitive method for the assay of zonisamide in serum was developed using a solid-phase extraction technique followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. A 20-μl volume of human serum was first purified with a Bond-Elut cartridge column. Then, the methanol eluate was injected onto a reversed-phase HPLC column with a UV detector. The mobile phase was acetonitrile—methanol—distilled water (17:20:63, v/v) and the detection wavelength was 246 nm. The detection limit was 0.1 μg/ml in serum. The coefficients of variation were 4.2–5.6% and 5.1–9.1% for the within-day and between-day assays, respectively. This method can be used for clinical pharmacokinetic studies of zonisamide in serum even in infant patients with epilepsy.     

Measurement of bumetanide in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography and application to bumetanide disposition

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the measurement of bumetamide in plasma and urine is described. Following precipitation of proteins with acetonitrile, bumetanide was extracted from plasma or urine on a 1-ml bonded-phase C₁₈ column and eluted with acetonitrile. Piretanide dissolved in methanol was used as the internal standard. A C₁₈ Radial Pak column and fluorescence detection (excitation wavelength 228 nm; emission wavelength 418 nm) were used. The mobile phase consisted of methanol—water—glacial acetic acid (66:34:1, v/v) delivered isocratically at a flow-rate of 1.2 ml/min. The lower limit of detection for this method was 5 ng/ml using 0.2 ml of plasma or urine. Nafcillin, but not other semi-synthetic penicillins, was the only commonly used drug that interfered with this assay. No interference from endogenous compounds was detected. For plasma, the inter-assay coefficients of variation of the method were 7.6 and 4.4% for samples containing 10 and 250 ng/ml bumetanide, respectively. The inter-assay coefficients of variation for urine samples containing 10 and 2000 ng/ml were 8.1 and 5.7%, respectively. The calibration curve was linear over the range 5–2000 ng/ml.     

Simultaneous determination of a novel angiotensin II receptor blocking agent, losartan, and its metabolite in human plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography

A sensitive and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of a new angiotensin II receptor blocking agent, losartan (DuP 753, MK-954, I), and its active metabolite, EXP3174 (II), in human plasma or urine is described. The two analytes and internal standard are extracted from plasma and urine at pH 2.5 by liquid—liquid extraction and analyzed on a cyano column with ultraviolet detection at 254 nm. The mobile phase is composed of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer at pH 2.5. The limit of quantification for both compounds in plasma is 5 ng/ml. The limit in urine is 20 and 10 ng/ml for I and II, respectively. The assay described has been successfully applied to samples from pharmacokinetic studies.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of vanillin and vanillic acid in human plasma, red blood cells and urine

A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of vanillin and its vanillic acid metabolite in human plasma, red blood cells and urine. The mobile phase consisted of aqueous acetic acid (1%, v/v)–acetonitrile (85:15, v/v), pH 2.9 and was used with an octadecylsilane analytical column and ultraviolet absorbance detection. The plasma method demonstrated linearity from 2 to 100 μg/ml and the urine method was linear from 2 to 40 μg/ml. The method had a detection limit of 1 μg/ml for vanillin and vanillic acid using 5 μl of prepared plasma, red blood cells or urine. The method was utilized in a study evaluating the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of vanillin in patients undergoing treatment for sickle cell anemia.     

Simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of PGT/1A, a new immunostimulating drug, in biological fluids

This paper describes a simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of PGT/1A (3- -pyroglutamyl- -thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid), a new immunostimulating drug, in plasma and urine. The column was packed with LiChrospher-NH₂ (5 μm), the mobile phase was 0.02 M monobasic potassium phosphate (pH 3.2 with concentrated phosphoric acid)—acetonitrile (25:75, v/v), the flow-rate was 1.2 ml/min, the detection wavelength was 210 nm and the apparatus was a Varian Model 5000. Plasma (1 ml) was added to 1.2 ml of acetonitrile and the supernatant injected; the urine was diluted 1:5. The retention time of PGT/1A was 9.4 min in plasma and 9.9 min in urine. The method was validated for recovery, accuracy and reproducibility. The results after intravenous injection in twelve volunteers are also given.     

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy assay for quercetin and conjugated quercetin metabolites in human plasma and urine

A sensitive and specific method was developed and validated for the quantitation of quercetin in human plasma and urine. The application of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) with a TurboIonspray (TIS) interface in negative mode under multiple reactions monitoring was investigated. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C12 column using a mobile phase of acetonitrile/water with 0.2% formic acid (pH 2.4) (40/60, v/v). The detection limit was 100 pg/ml and the lower limit of quantification was 500 pg/ml for plasma samples; the detection limit was 500 pg/ml and the lower limit of quantification was 1 ng/ml for urine samples. The calibration curve was linear from 1 to 800 ng/ml for plasma samples and was linear from 1 to 200 and 50 to 2000 ng/ml for urine samples. All the intra- and inter-day coefficients of variation were less than 11% and intra- and inter-day accuracies were within +/-15% of the known concentrations. This represents a LC/MS/MS assay with the sensitivity and specificity necessary to determine quercetin in human plasma and urine. This assay was used to determine both parent quercetin and the quercetin after enzymatic hydrolysis with beta-glucuronidase/sulfatase in human plasma and urine samples following the ingestion of quercetin 500 mg capsules.     

Determination of diclofenac in plasma using a fully automated analytical system combining liquid—solid extraction with liquid chromatography

A fully automated analytical system based on liquid—solid extraction combined with column liquid chromatography is described for the determination of diclofenac in plasma. After addition of pH 5 buffer and the internal standard solution to the plasma sample, both sample preparation via a C₁₈ disposable extraction column and injection were performed by a Gilson ASPEC system. Diclofenac and the internal standard were separated on a reversed-phase column, using methanol—pH 7.2 phosphate buffer (56:44, v/v) as mobile phase at a flow-rate of 0.4 ml/min. The reproducibility and accuracy of the method were acceptable over the concentration range 31–3140 nmol/l in plasma.