Determination of fluvoxamine in rat plasma by HPLC with pre-column derivatization and fluorescence detection using 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole

A sensitive, simple and reliable method using high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay of fluvoxamine (FLU), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), in rat plasma after pre-column derivatization with 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-F) was developed in this study. Extracted plasma samples were mixed with NBD-F at 60 degrees C for 5 min and injected into HPLC. Retention times of FLU and an internal standard (propafenone) derivative were 15.5 and 13.5 min, respectively. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.015-1.5 microg/mL (r2 = 0.9985) and the lower limits of detection and quantification of FLU were 0.008 and 0.015 microg/mL, respectively, in 100 microL of plasma. The derivative sample was stable at 4 degrees C for 1 day. The coefficients of variation for intra-day and inter-day assay of FLU were less than 8.3 and 9.6%, respectively. Other SSRIs and centrally acting drugs did not interfere with the peak of the FLU derivative. The method was applied for analysis of the plasma samples from rats treated with FLU. These results indicate that the method presented is useful to determine the FLU levels in rat plasma of volumes as small as 100 microL and can be applied to pharmacokinetic studies.