Determination of the enantiomers of ketamine and norketamine in human plasma by enantioselective liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A sensitive enantioselective liquid chromatographic assay with mass spectrometric detection has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of plasma concentrations of (R)- and (S)-ketamine, and (R)- and (S)-norketamine. The compounds were extracted from human plasma using solid-phase extraction and then directly injected into the LC-MS system for detection and quantification. Enantioselective separations were achieved on a liquid chromatographic chiral stationary phase based upon immobilized alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (the Chiral AGP column). The separations were achieved using a mobile phase composed of 2-propanol-ammonium acetate buffer (10 mM, pH 7.6) (6:94, v/v), a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min and a temperature of 25 degrees C. Under these conditions, the analysis time was 20 min. Detection of the ketamine, norketamine and bromoketamine (internal standard) enantiomers was achieved using selected ion monitoring at m/z 238.1, 224.1 and 284.0, respectively. Extracted calibration curves were linear from 1 to 125 ng/ml per enantiomer for each analyte with correlation coefficients better than 0.9993 and intra- and inter-day RSDs of less than 8.0%. The method was applied to samples from a clinical study of ketamine in pain management.     

Determination of ketamine and norketamine enantiomers in plasma by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for determination of sub-anaesthetic concentrations of the enantiomers of ketamine and its metabolite norketamine in plasma. The samples are purified by reversed-phase solid-phase extraction. The enantiomers are separated on a Chiral AGP column with a mobile phase containing 16% methanol and a 10 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.0, and measured by UV-detection at a wavelength of 220 nm. Linear calibration curves with correlation coefficients better than 0.995 have been obtained in the range 10–320 ng/ml. Minimum detectable concentrations were about 2 ng/ml.     

Gas chromatography-isotope dilution mass spectrometry preceded by liquid-liquid extraction and chemical derivatization for the determination of ketamine and norketamine in urine

An analytical scheme using gas chromatography (GC)-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (MS) assisted by precedent liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and chemical derivatization (ChD) is described for the simultaneous determination of ketamine (KT) and its major metabolite, norketamine (NK), in urine. The simultaneous ChD of the two analytes, one primary amine and one secondary amine, with pentafluorobenzoyl chloride (PFBC) has not only enhanced their instrumental responses and mass-spectrum uniqueness but also afforded more proper yet easier selection of qualifier and quantifier ions and hence achieved more evidential identification and quantitation. Thus, the regression calibration curves for KT and NK in urine are linear within 100-5000 ng/ml, with correlation coefficients typically exceeding 0.99 and NK curves exclusively showing larger slopes than KT curves. The method limits of detection (LODs) determined by two definitions for KT and NK range from 3 to 75 ng/ml, and limits of quantitation (LOQs) from 9 to 100 ng/ml. The mean recoveries (N = 3) calculated for the LLE/ChD of KT and NK from 50 and 100 microl, respectively, of a 100 microg/ml urinary spike vary from 71.0 to 97.8%, with NK consistently giving better recoveries than KT. The precisions (N = 3) calculated for the total analyses of four real-case samples are typically below 12.3%. GC-MS operated in the positive ion chemical ionization (PCI) mode can offer both qualitative and quantitative information complementary to those given by the EI mode. The proposed scheme is simple, effective, reliable, and robust. It may serve as a confirmatory protocol for forensic urine drug testing.     

Synthesis of deuterium labeled ketamine metabolite dehydronorketamine-d₄

A convenient synthesis of ketamine metabolite dehydronorketamine-d(4), starting from commercially available deuterium labeled bromochlorobenzene, was achieved. Key steps include Grignard reaction, regioselective hydroxybromination, Staudinger reduction, and dehydrohalogenation.     

氯胺酮在体内的分布与代谢

目前,氯胺酮(ketamine,俗称K粉)的滥用现象日益严重,并有愈演愈烈之势,特别流行于舞厅等娱乐场所,对社会治安和经济建设造成极大危害。滥用毒品倾向呈现年轻化、男女平均化且女性滥用者的比例上升和用药多元化的趋势,由滥用鸦片类药物发展到多种药物的滥用。调查发现,毒品滥用中K粉比例达20%以上,短期可使语言迷糊,引起幻觉,长期可使人记忆力衰退及认知能力障碍,导致心功能损害。因吸食氯胺酮或服用含有氯胺酮的摇头丸、迷奸药而中毒死亡的案件逐年上升。本文综述了对氯胺酮在体内各个部分的分布与代谢,更多、更快、更好的为氯胺酮相关案件的检材选取,分析检测及体内过程的评价提供科学依据。