A liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure ionization tandem mass spectrometry quantitation method for nevirapine and its two oxidative metabolites, 2-hydroxynevirapine and nevirapine 4-carboxylic acid, and pharmacokinetics in baboons

A rapid highly sensitive and specific electrospray ionization (ESI) liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for quantification of nevirapine (NVP) and its two metabolites, 2-hydroxynevirapine (2-OHNVP) and nevirapine 4-carboxylic acid (4-CANVP), in baboon serum was developed and validated. Nevirapine, 2-OHNVP, 4-CANVP, and the internal standard, hesperetin, were extracted from baboon serum with ethyl acetate. Components in the extract were separated on a 50 x 2.1 mm Aquasil C(18) 5 microm stainless steel column by isocratic elution with 40% acetonitrile/0.1% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. The liquid flow was passed through a pre-source splitter and 5% of the eluant was introduced into the atmospheric pressure ionization (API) source. The components were analyzed in the multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode as the precursor/product ion pair of m/z 267.2/226.2 for NVP, 283.0/161.2 for 2-OHNVP, 297.2/279.2 for 4-CANVP, and 303.2/177.2 for hesperetin. Linear calibration curves were obtained in the range of 1-1000 ng/mL for NVP and 2-OHNVP and 5-1000 ng/mL for 4-CANVP, using 0.2 mL baboon serum, respectively. The within-day and between-day precisions were <10% for NVP and 2-OHNVP, and <11.5% for 4-CANVP. Due to the similar structures and fragmentation patterns of 2-OHNVP and 3-OHNVP, it is not expected that the LC/MS/MS can differentiate 2-OHNVP and 3-OHNVP and they were assayed as a composite. The method was applied to a single-dose escalation study of NVP in non-pregnant baboons (Papio anubis) to characterize the pharmacokinetics of NVP, 2-OHNVP plus 3-OHNVP, and 4-CANVP, and to determine the appropriate dose necessary to achieve comparable peak serum concentration of NVP as reported in healthy human adults.     

Rapid determination of losartan and losartan acid in human plasma by multiplexed LC–MS/MS

A rapid LC–MS/MS method has been developed and validated for the determination of losartan (LOS) and its metabolite losartan acid (LA) (EXP‐3174) in human plasma using multiplexing technique (two HPLC units connected to one MS/MS). LOS and LA were extracted from human plasma by SPE technique using Oasis HLB® cartridge without evaporation and reconstitution steps. Hydroflumethiazide (HFTZ) was used as an internal standard (IS). The analytes were separated on Zorbax SB C‐18 column. The mass transition [M–H] ions used for detection were m/z 421.0 → 127.0 for LOS, m/z 435.0 → 157.0 for LA, and m/z 330.0 → 239.0 for HFTZ. The proposed method was validated over the concentration range of 2.5–2000 ng/mL for LOS and 5.0–3000 ng/mL for LA with correlation coefficient ?0.9993. The overall recoveries for LOS, LA, and IS were 96.53, 99.86, and 94.16%, respectively. Total MS run time was 2.0 min/sample. The validated method has been successfully used to analyze human plasma samples for applications in 100 mg fasted and fed pharmacokinetic studies.     

Pharmacokinetics of salvianolic acid B,rosmarinic acid and Danshensu in rat after pulmonary administration of Salvia miltiorrhiza polyphenolic acid solution

A sensitive and accurate LC–MS/MS method was established for quantifying salvianolic acid B (Sal B), rosmarinic acid (Ros A) and Danshensu (DA) in rat plasma. Salvia miltiorrhiza polyphenolic acid (SMPA), active water‐soluble ingredients isolated and purified from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge included Sal B, Ros A and DA. The pharmacokinetic analysis of Sal B, Ros A and DA after pulmonary administration of SMPA solution to rat was performed by LC–MS/MS. Results from the pharmacokinetic studies showed that the peak concentration of DA was 21.85 ± 6.43 and 65.39 ± 3.83 ng/mL after pulmonary and intravenous administration, respectively. DA was not detected at 2 h after administration. The absolute bioavailabilities of Sal B and Ros A were respectively 50.37 ± 27.04 and 89.63 ± 12.16% after pulmonary administration of 10 mg/kg SMPA solution in rats. The absolute bioavailability of Sal B increased at least 10‐fold after pulmonary administration, compared with oral administration. It was concluded that the newly established LC–MS/MS method was suitable for describing the pharmacokinetic characteristics of Sal B, Ros A and DA in rat after pulmonary administration of SMPA solution. The data from this study will provide a preclinical insight into the feasibility of pulmonary administration of SMPA.     

Determination of amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in urine by online solid-phase extraction and ion-pairing liquid chromatography with detection by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A method using an online solid-phase extraction (SPE) and ion-pairing liquid chromatography with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ES-MS/MS) was developed for determination of amphetamine (Amp), methamphetamine (mAmp), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA), and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in urine samples. A SPE cartridge column with both hydrophilic and lipophilic functions was utilized for online extraction. A reversed-phase C18 LC column was employed for LC separation and MS/MS was used for detection. Trifluoroacetic acid was added to the mobile phase as an ion-pairing reagent. This method was fully automated and the extraction and analysis procedures were controlled by a six-port switch valve. Recoveries ranging from 85-101% were measured. Good linear ranges (10-500 ng/mL) for Amp and mAmp were determined. For MDA, MDMA and MDEA, dual linear ranges were obtained from 5-100 and 100-500 ng/mL, respectively. The detection limit of each analytical compound, based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, ranged from 1-3 ng/mL. The applicability of this newly developed method was examined by analyzing several urine samples from drug users. Good agreement was obtained between the results from this method and a literature GC/MS method.     

An LC–MS/MS method for quantification of HR011303, a novel highly selective urate transporter 1 inhibitor in beagle dogs and the application to a pharmacokinetic study

HR011303 is a novel and highly selective urate transporter 1 (URAT1) inhibitor. In this study, a sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method was developed and validated for quantification of HR011303 in beagle dog plasma. Plasma samples were pretreated with protein‐precipitation extraction by acetonitrile and added with a trifluoromethyl substituted analog of HR011303 as internal standard. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Shiseido C₁₈ column (100 × 4.6 mm, i.d., 5 μm) by mobile phases consisting of 5 mm ammonium–formic acid (100:0.1) and acetonitrile–formic acid (100:0.1) solutions in gradient elution. The MS detection was conducted in electrospray positive ionization with multiple reactions monitoring at m/z 338 → 240 for HR011303 and m/z 328 → 230 for the internal standard using 25 eV argon gas collision induced dissociation. The established LC–MS/MS method showed good selectivity, sensitivity, precision and accuracy. The plasma pharmacokinetics of HR011303 in beagle dogs following both oral and intravenous administration were then successfully evaluated using this LC–MS/MS method.     

Development of a sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of apomorphine in canine plasma

A sensitive, rapid and specific quantitative liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of apomorphine (APO) in canine plasma. The analytes were prepared using one-step liquid-liquid extraction, and analyzed on a Waters Symmetry C(18) column interfaced with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer. A mixture of methanol/0.1% formic acid in water (70: 30, v/v) was employed as the isocratic mobile phase. Positive electrospray ionization was utilized as the ionization source. The analyte and clenbuterol (internal standard) were both detected using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The limit of detection (LOD) obtained was 0.03 ng/mL. The assay was linear over the concentration range of 0.1-100 ng/mL, and provided good precision (RSD) and good accuracy (RE). The analyte was stable by using antioxidants throughout the whole study. The experimental results show that LC/MS/MS is a rapid and sensitive method to analyze APO in plasma. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of APO after intranasal administration of 0.5 mg apomorphine to 10 healthy beagle dogs.     

Quantitative determination of folic acid in multivitamin/multielement tablets using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Two different isotope-dilution liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) methods for the quantitative determination of folic acid (FA) in multivitamin/multielement tablets are reported. These methods represent distinct improvements in terms of speed and specificity over most existing microbiological and chromatographic methods for the determination of FA in dietary supplements. The first method utilizes an aqueous/organic-based extraction solvent combined with positive-ion mode LC/MS/MS detection of protonated [M + H]+ FA molecules and the second method utilizes a pure aqueous-based extraction solvent combined with negative-ion mode LC/MS/MS detection of deprotonated [M - H]- FA molecules. The LC/MS/MS methods exhibit comparable linear dynamic ranges (> or =3 orders of magnitude), limits of detection (0.02 ng on-column) and limits of quantification (0.06 ng on-column) for FA. Two methods employing different extraction and different MS detection modes were developed to allow method cross-validation. Successful validation of each measurement procedure supports the use of either method for the certification of FA levels in dietary supplements. The accuracy and precision of each measurement procedure were evaluated by applying each method to the quantitative determination of FA in a NIST standard reference material (NIST SRM 3280 multivitamin/multielement tablets). The FA measurement accuracy for both methods was > or =95% (based on the manufacturer's assessment of the FA level in SRM 3280) with corresponding measurement precision values (% RSD) of approximately 1%.     

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for topotecan determination in beagle dog plasma and its application in a bioequivalence study

Topotecan (TPT) is an important anti‐cancer drug that inhibits topoisomerase I. A sensitive and robust liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method that potentially determines TPT in beagle dog plasma is needed for a bioequivalence study of TPT formulations. We developed and validated LC‐MS/MS to evaluate TPT in beagle dog plasma in terms of specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, stability, extraction recovery and matrix effect. Plasma samples were treated with an Ostro^TM sorbent plate (a robust and effective tool) to eliminate phospholipids and proteins before analysis. TPT and camptothecin (internal standard) were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column (1.7 µm, 2.1 × 50 mm) with 0.1% formic acid and methanol as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. TPT was analyzed using positive ion electrospray ionization in multiple‐reaction monitoring mode. The obtained lower limit of quantitation was 1 ng/mL (signal‐to‐noise ratio > 10). The standard calibration curve for TPT was linear (correlation coefficient > 0.99) at the concentration range of 1–400 ng/mL. The intra‐day and inter‐day precision, accuracy, stability, extraction recovery and matrix effect of TPT were within the acceptable limits. The validated method was successfully applied in a bioequivalence study of TPT in healthy beagle dogs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analytical validation and clinical application of urinary vanillylmandelic acid and homovanillic acid by LC–MS/MS for diagnosis of neuroblastoma

Vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) are clinical biomarkers for diagnosis of neuroblastoma (NB), which commonly occurs in the childhood. Development and application of a robust LC–MS/MS method for fast determination of these biomarkers for optimal laboratory testing of NB is essential in clinical laboratories. In present study, we developed and validated a simple liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for quick clinical testing of VMA and HVA for diagnosis of NB. The method was validated according to the current CLSI C62‐A and FDA guidelines. The age‐adjusted pediatric reference intervals and diagnostic performance were evaluated in both 24 h urine and random urine. Injection‐to‐injection time was 3.5 min. Inter‐ and intra‐assay coefficients of variation (CVs) were ≤3.88%. The lower limit of quantification and the limit of detection were 0.50 and 0.25 μmol/L for both VMA and HVA. Recoveries of VMA and HVA were in the ranges of 85–109% and 86–100% with CVs ≤5.76%. This method was free from significant matrix effect, carryover and interference. The establishment of age‐adjusted pediatric reference intervals by this LC–MS/MS method was favorable for the improvement in diagnostic performance, which was crucial for correct interpretation of test results from children in both 24 h and random urine.     

Characterization of the chemical composition of a block copolymer by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and electrospray ionization

Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in the positive and negative ion modes was used for the characterization of a block copolymer consisting of methoxy poly(ethylene oxide) (mPEO), an epsilon-caprolactone (CL) segment and linoleic acid (LA), used as surfactant in water-based latex paints. Chromatographic separation was obtained based on the number of CL units in the polymer species and the presence of an mPEO and/or LA tail. Different ionization methods were found to be complementary and only their combination allowed the qualitative profiling of the chemical composition. The LC/MS method has proven valuable for following the reaction in time, as well as for comparison of different polymeric surfactants.     

Development and validation of a simple,sensitive and accurate LC‐MS/MS method for the determination of guanfacine,a selective α2A‐adrenergicreceptor agonist,in plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A simple, practical, accurate and sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method was developed and fully validated for the quantitation of guanfacine in beagle dog plasma. After protein precipitation by acetonitrile, the analytes were separated on a C₁₈ chromatographic column by methanol and water containing 0.1% (v/v) formic acid with a gradient elution. The subsequent detection utilized a mass spectrometry under positive ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring of guanfacine and enalaprilat (internal standard) at m/z 246.2 → 159.0 and m/z 349.2 → 205.9, respectively. Good linearity was obtained over the concentration range of 0.1–20 ng/mL for guanfacine in dog plasma and the lower limit of quantification of this method was 0.1 ng/mL. The intra‐ and inter‐day precisions were <10.8% relative standard deviation with an accuracy of 92.9–108.4%. The matrix effects ranged from 89.4 to 100.7% and extraction recoveries were >90%. Stability studies showed that both analytes were stable during sample preparation and analysis. The established method was successfully applied to an in vivo pharmacokinetic study in beagle dogs after a single oral dose of 4 mg guanfacine extended‐release tablets. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sensitive and convenient method for the quantification of clonidine in serum of pediatric patients using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

An improved and easy to use liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method in human serum was developed for the quantification of clonidine (CLD), an alpha2-/alpha1-adrenoceptor agonist, used for analgo-sedation and the therapy of opioid withdrawal in pediatric patients. Sample preparation consisted of precipitation of serum proteins by adding acetonitrile and centrifugation of the sample subsequently. [(2)H4]Clonidine (CLD4) served as internal standard. Chromatographic separation of the supernatant was achieved using a 100mmx3mm, 5microm Thermo Electron BetaBasic C4 column with isocratic flow and elution consisting of 0.1% formic acid/acetonitrile (85/15, v/v) and a flow-rate of 350microl/min resulting in a column pressure of 280-420kPa. LC/MS/MS detection was performed by using a triple-stage quadrupole mass spectrometer (TSQ Quantum, Thermo Electron) working in selected reaction monitoring mode with positive electrospray ionization. The analyte was quantified in a single run within 5min. Linearity was demonstrated over the expected concentration range 0.15-50microg/l CLD. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) and the limit of detection were 0.1microg/l and 0.01microg/l, respectively. None of the drugs used concomitantly during analgesic therapy interfered in the assay in vitro. Intra-day precision expressed as RSD was 9.6% or less for CLD, while inter-day result was 10.0% or less for CLD. Intra-day and inter-day accuracy was within +/-4.9% and +/-1.8%, respectively. The method was validated according to the international guidelines of the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) and the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). The described method is suitable to analyse serum samples with very small volumes and sets the stage for pharmacokinetic studies in pediatric studies.     

Development and validation of a rapid and high‐sensitivity liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry assay for the determination of neostigmine in small‐volume beagle dog plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A simple, rapid and high sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method for the determination of neostigmine in small‐volume beagle dog plasma was developed to assess the plasma pharmacokinetics of neostigmine. After protein precipitation in a Sirocco 96‐well filtration plate, the filtrate was directly injected into the LC‐MS/MS system. The analytes were separated on a Hanbon Hedera CN column (100 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with a mobile phase composed of methanol–water (60:40, v/v) and the water containing 0.01% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.6mL/min, with a split ratio of 1:1 flowing 300 μL into the mass spectrometer. The run time was 3 min. Detection was accomplished by electrospray ionization source in multiple reactions monitoring mode with the precursor‐to‐product ion transitions m/z 223.0 → 72.0 and 306.0 → 140.0 for neostigmine and anisodamine (internal standard), respectively. The method was sensitive with a lower limit of quantitation of 0.1 ng/mL, and good linearity in the range 0.1–100ng/mL for neostigmine (r ≥ 0.998). All the validation data, such as accuracy, intra‐run and inter‐run precision, were within the required limits. The method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic study of neostigmine methylsulfate injection in beagle dogs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for pharmacokinetic studies of 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3 in dog

A sensitive and specific liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method was developed for the investigation of the pharmacokinetics of 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3 in dog. The plasma samples were pretreated by liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed using LC/MS/MS with an electrospray ionization interface. Dioscin was used as the internal standard. The method had a lower limit of quantitation of 0.5 ng/mL for Rg3 in 200 microL of plasma or 2 ng/mL in 100 microL of plasma, which offered a satisfactory sensitivity for the determination of Rg3 in plasma. The intra- and inter-day precisions were measured to be below 8% and accuracy between -1.5 and 1.4% for all quality control samples. This quantitation method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies of Rg3 after both an oral and an intravenous administration to beagle dogs. No Rh2 and protopanaxadiol were detected in plasma.     

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry determination of (4S,2RS)-2,5,5-trimethylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, a stable adduct formed between D-(-)-penicillamine and acetaldehyde (main biological metabolite of ethanol), in plasma, liver and brain rat tissues

Acetaldehyde, the main biological metabolite of ethanol, is nowadays considered to mediate some ethanol-induced effects. Previous studies on alcohol effect attenuation have shown that D-(-)-penicillamine (3-mercapto-D-valine), a thiol amino acid, acts as an effective agent for the inactivation of acetaldehyde. In the study reported here, laboratory rats were treated with ethanol and D-(-)-penicillamine at different doses looking for the interaction (in vivo) of D-(-)-penicillamine with metabolically formed acetaldehyde following a condensation reaction to form the stable adduct (4S,2RS)-2,5,5-trimethylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (TMTCA). A novel and rapid procedure based on liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) was developed for quantification and reliable identification of TMTCA in different rat tissues, including plasma, liver and brain. Firstly, plasma was obtained from whole blood. Then, proteins were precipitated from plasma, brain and liver extracts with acetonitrile and the clarified extracts diluted 10-fold. A 20 microL aliquot of the final extracts was then analyzed using an Atlantis C18 5 microm, 100x2 mm column which was connected to the electrospray source of a LC/triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The analyte was detected in positive ion mode acquiring four MS/MS transitions in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode.The method has been validated and it has proved to be fast, reliable and sensitive. The accuracy and precision were evaluated by means of recovery experiments from plasma, liver and brain samples fortified at two concentration levels obtaining satisfactory recoveries in all cases: 95 and 105% in plasma (at 10 and 100 ng/mL, respectively), 79 and 89% in brain (100 and 1000 ng/g), 85 and 99% in liver (100 and 1000 ng/g). Precision, expressed as repeatability, was in all tissues analyzed lower than 17% at the two concentrations tested. The estimated detection limits were 1 ng/mL in plasma, 4 ng/g in brain and 5 ng/g in liver. The limit of quantitation objective (the lowest concentration that was validated with acceptable results) was set up at 10 ng/mL for plasma and 100 ng/g for brain and liver tissue.The reliable identification of the analyte was ensured by the acquisition of four transitions and by their ion abundance ratio measurement. Due to its excellent selectivity and sensitivity, the method developed in this work provides an excellent tool for the specific determination of this cyclic amino acid in biological samples.     

Development of a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry methodology to separate, detect, characterize and quantify PEG-resveratrol prodrugs and the conjugation reaction precursors and intermediates

A simple and reliable liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method to monitor pegylation of resveratrol is described. The developed LC/MS method can separate and quantify unmodified MeO-PEG-OH, carboxylic acid terminated PEG, resveratrol and PEG-resveratrol prodrugs. This methodology was able to monitor and determine the extent of conversion of MeO-PEG-OH into respective acidic functional derivatives such as MeO-PEG succinylester acid (MeO-PEGO-SuccOH), which was found to be complete. The developed method was also utilised to determine the extent of conjugation of resveratrol to carboxylic acid terminated PEG. The conversion of carboxylic acid terminated PEG into a PEG-resveratrol conjugate was found to be 100% and 73%, respectively, for MeO-PEG succinylamide resveratrol (MeO-PEGN-Succ-RSV) and MeO-PEG succinylester resveratrol (MeO-PEGO-Succ-RSV). The 100% conjugation of MeO-PEGN-Succ-RSV is consistent with the result obtained from a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study. The average molecular weights determined by LC/MS for MeO-PEG-OH, MeO-PEGO-SuccOH and MeO-PEGO-Succ-RSV were found to be 2108, 2321 and 2423 Da, respectively. These data correlate well with the theoretical values. This methodology proved to be simple and effective in determining the extent of functionalisation of PEG and its conjugation to resveratrol. Overall our LC/MS method coupled with NMR permitted complete characterisation of the polymeric prodrug pegylated-resveratrol and the reaction precursors.     

High turbulence liquid chromatography online extraction and tandem mass spectrometry for the simultaneous determination of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid and its two metabolites in human serum

A reliable and sensitive method incorporating high turbulence liquid chromatography (HTLC) online extraction with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), for simultaneous determination of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) and its two metabolites, SAHA-glucuronide (M1) and 4-anilino-4-oxobutanoic acid (M2), in human serum, has been developed to support clinical studies. The HTLC technology significantly reduces the time required for sample clean-up since sample extraction and analysis are performed online. Clinical samples, internal standards (IS) and buffer are transferred into 96-well plates using a robotic liquid handling system. A 20 microL aliquot of prepared sample is directly injected into the HTLC/LC-MS/MS system where the matrix is rapidly washed away to waste and the analytes are retained on the narrow-bore extraction column (0.5 x 50 mm), using an aqueous mobile phase at 1.5 mL/min. Analytes are then eluted from the extraction column and transferred to the analytical column using a gradient mobile phase prior to detection by MS/MS. Interference with determination of SAHA from in-source dissociation of M1 is eliminated by the chromatographic separation. The resolution of SAHA and M1 did not change for more than 1500 serum sample injections by applying an acid wash (15% acetic acid) on the extraction column. The linear calibration ranges for SAHA, M1, and M2 are 2-500, 5-2000, and 10-2000 ng/mL, respectively. Assay intraday validation was conducted using five calibration curves prepared in five lots of human control serum. The precision expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) is less than 6.8% and accuracy is 94.6-102.9% of nominal values for all three analytes. Assay specificity, freeze/thaw stability, storage stability, and matrix effects were also assessed.     

Amnesic shellfish poisoning toxins in shellfish: estimation of uncertainty of measurement for a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method

A liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method for amnesic shellfish poisoning toxins in shellfish was developed and validated. Tissue homogenate (4 g) was extracted with 16 mL methanol-water (1 + 1, v/v). Dilution into acetonitrile-water (1 + 9, v/v) was followed by C18 solid-phase extraction cleanup. Domoic acid (DA) and epi-domoic acid were determined by LC/MS/MS with electrospray ionization and multiple reaction monitoring. External calibration was performed with dilutions of a certified reference standard. Advantages of this method include speed, lower detection limits, and a very high degree of specificity. The LC/MS response was highly linear, and there were no significant interferences to the determination of DA. Formal method validation was performed on 4 shellfish species. Fortification studies gave recoveries (mean +/- SD; n = 24) of 93 +/- 14% at 1 mg/kg, and 93.3 +/- 7.6% at 20 mg/kg over all the species. Analysis of a mussel certified reference material showed the bias as < 5%. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.15 and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively. Routine application of the method over 4 months gave a recovery for the QC sample (1 mg/kg fortified blank mussel homogenate) run with each batch of 88.9 +/- 5.5% (mean +/- SD; n = 37). The total uncertainty of measurement results were estimated as 0.12 (12%) at 0.25-5 mg/kg and 0.079 (7.9%) at 5-50 mg/kg. The major contribution to the uncertainty was the repeatability of the LC/MS determination, probably arising from subtle matrix effects.     

Determination and confirmation of the amnesic shellfish poisoning toxin, domoic acid, in shellfish from Scotland by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry

During 1998 and early 1999, shellfish samples from sites in Scotland were found to contain the amnesic shellfish poisoning toxin, domoic acid (DA). Two different techniques, liquid chromatography (LC) with UV diode-array detection and LC with mass spectrometric (MS) detection, were used to detect and confirm DA in shellfish extracts. The LC/UV method was validated for routine monitoring by recovery experiments on spiked mussel and scallop tissues with a certified mussel tissue used as reference material. Crude extracts of selected samples as well as extracts cleaned with strong anion exchange (SAX) were analyzed by both LC/UV and LC/MS. Good correlation (linear regression r2 = 0.996, slope = 0.93) between the 2 methods was found for cleaned extracts. Analyses of crude extracts by LC/UV produced false-positive results in 2 crab samples, whereas LC/MS analyses gave accurate results. It was concluded that LC/UV is a valid approach for routine monitoring of DA in shellfish when cleanup is performed with a SAX cartridge to prevent false positives. A variety of shellfish species were surveyed for DA content, including Pecten maximus (king scallops), Chlamys opercularis (queen scallop), Mytilus edulis (blue mussels), Cancer pugaris (crab), and Ensis ensis (razor fish). The highest concentration of DA was 105 microg/g in Pecten maximus.     

A validated LC–MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of simvastatin and simvastatin acid in beagle plasma: Application to an absolute bioavailability study

A highly sensitive LC–MS/MS method for simultaneous detection of both simvastatin (SV) and simvastatin acid (SVA) in beagle plasma was developed and successfully applied to an absolute bioavailability study. Lovastatin (LV) was used as internal standard (IS). The analysis was performed using electrospray ionization and selective reaction monitoring in positive mode at m/z 441.0 → 325.0 for SV, 459.0 → 343.0 for SVA and 427.0 → 325.0 for the IS, respectively. The assay procedure involved a simple liquid–liquid extraction of SV, SVA and LV from beagle plasma into methyl tert-butyl ether. Separation of SV, SVA and the IS was achieved on a Shim-pack VP-ODS column (150 × 2.0 mm, 5 μm) with a binary gradient solvent system of 0.1% formic acid in water and methanol (15:85, v/v) as the mobile phase. The method was validated over the range of 0.25–500 ng/ml for SV (r² ≥ 0.9923) and 0.24–481.23 ng/ml for SVA (r² ≥ 0.9987). The results of method validation for accuracy, precision, extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability were within the acceptance criteria. The values of absolute bioavailability of SV and SVA in beagles were 2.97 and 25.40%, respectively. It is the first study developed for the measurement of absolute bioavailability of SV and SVA acid in beagles.