Determination of bromazepam in plasma and of its main metabolites in urine by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of bromazepam in plasma and of its main metabolites in urine is described. The unchanged drug is extracted from plasma with dichloromethane, using Extrelut 1 extraction tubes. The residue from this extract is subsequently analysed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (230 nm). The limit of detection is 6 ng/ml of plasma, using a 1-ml specimen. For the determination of the metabolites, the urine samples are incubated to effect enzymatic deconjugation and are then extracted with dichloromethane. Following two clean-up steps (back extractions), the final residue is analysed on the same reversed-phase system as the plasma samples. The limit of detection for the two metabolites is 200 ng/ml.     

Determination of the GABAergic antidepressant drug fengabine and some of its metabolites in plasma by capillary gas chromatography with electron-capture detection

A sensitive capillary gas chromatographic method was developed for the determination of fengabine (a GABAergic antidepressant drug) and some of its metabolites in plasma samples. The method involves a single and rapid liquid-liquid extraction of the parent drug and metabolites from plasma buffered at pH 5, evaporation of the organic phase under nitrogen, derivatization to tert.-butyldimethylsilyl ethers and esters and automatic gas chromatography on a fused-silica, silicone-bonded capillary column coupled to an electron-capture detector. The detection limit for fengabine and other compounds is lower than 1 ng/ml in plasma; the method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic and drug monitoring clinical studies and tested on more than 2000 biological samples and was found not to suffer from endogenous or exogenous interferences.     

Determination of nitrazepam and its main metabolites in urine by thin-layer chromatography and direct densitometry

A method for the direct quantitative densitometry of nitrazepam and its main metabolites (7-aminonitrazepam, 7-acetamidonitrazepam and 2-amino-5-nitrobenzophenone) in urine was developed. The unchanged drug and its metabolites were extracted with benzene-dichloromethane (4:1), subjected to thin-layer chromatography, and determined by direct ultraviolet densitometry. Recovery experiments showed that the method was quantitative. The limit of detection was 5 ng/ml for 2-amino-5-nitrobenzophenone and 10 ng/ml for other compounds. The method was applied to the determination of nitrazepam and its metabolites excreted in human urine after administration of 10 mg of the drug.     

Separation and identification of zaleplon metabolites in human urine using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A capillary electrophoresis (CE) method using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection for the determination of the hypnotic drug zaleplon and its metabolites in human urine could be developed using carboxymethyl-beta-cyclodextrin as a charged carrier. By the help of a complementary HPLC method coupled to mass spectrometry, three metabolites present in human urine could be identified as 5-oxozaleplon, 5-oxo-N-deethylzaleplon and 5-oxozaleplon glucuronide. N-Deethylzaleplon, a previously described zaleplon metabolite, as well as zaleplon itself could not be detected in human urine by the CE-LIF assay. The results were confirmed by spiking with reference compounds of the phase I metabolites. The metabolites differed very much concerning their fluorescence intensities, thus the 5-oxo metabolites present as lactam tautomer fluoresced tenfold lower than the unchanged drug zaleplon and its N-deethylated metabolite. The glucuronide of the 5-oxozaleplon, however, showed high fluorescence due to its lactim structure. Limits of quantification yielded by the CE-LIF assay including a ten-fold preconcentration step by solid-phase extraction were 10 ng/ml for zaleplon and N-deethylzaleplon and 100 ng/ml for 5-oxozaleplon and 5-oxo-N-deethylzaleplon.     

Improved high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of caffeine and its N-demethylated metabolites in plasma using solid-phase extraction

An improved high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of caffeine and its N-demethylated metabolites in plasma is described. Excellent resolution of all components is provided by reversed-phase chromatography using a mobile phase consisting of 1% acetic acid-methanol (83:17) at a flow-rate of 2.7 ml/min, in conjunction with a Waters Assoc. Nova-Pak C18 column which was protected by a Waters Assoc. Guard-Pak precolumn module containing a Guard-Pak CN cartridge. Rapid extraction of caffeine and the dimethylxanthines from plasma was achieved using reversed-phase octadecylsilane bonded-silica columns (Bond-Elut C18). With only 100 microliters of sample, plasma levels in the region of 50 ng/ml for the dimethylxanthines and 100 ng/ml for caffeine can be determined using ultraviolet detection at 273 nm. The method has been used for measuring umbilical cord plasma samples to provide information regarding foetal exposure to caffeine and its metabolites and is also suitable for therapeutic drug monitoring of caffeine and theophylline levels in the treatment of neonatal apnoea.     

Bioanalysis of the neuropeptide des-enkephalin-gamma-endorphin by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line sample pretreatment using gel permeation and solid-phase isolation.

A bioanalytical method is described that allows the determination of a number of beta-endorphin-related peptides. The method is based on the application of fluorescence detection after high-performance liquid chromatography followed by post-column derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde. Concentrations exceeding 10-25 ng/ml could be determined by using conventional fluorescence detection, whereas lower concentrations demand the use of laser-induced fluorescence detection. The sample pretreatment includes the use of on-line gel permeation, on-line solid-phase isolation and heart cutting of a peak from reversed-phase gradient elution. The sample pretreatment procedure does not discriminate between the dodecapeptide des-enkaphalin-gamma-endorphin (DE gamma E) and its metabolites in order to obtain similar recoveries for all components. The final chromatographic phase system is based on ion-pair formation, which permits the separation of DE gamma E from its metabolites and degradation products. The optimized procedure allows the determination of these peptides in plasma at concentration levels down to about 1 ng/ml, demanding a sample volume of 1 ml.     

Improved automated simultaneous determination of isosorbide dinitrate and its metabolites in plasma by capillary column gas chromatography

An automated specific and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of isosorbide dinitrate and its metabolites isosorbide-2-mononitrate, isosorbide-5-mononitrate, isomannide mononitrate, and isoidide mononitrate at concentrations down to 0.5, 1, 3, 2, and 2 ng/ml, respectively, in human plasma is described. The procedure involves the extraction of the drug and its metabolites together with their internal standards isomannide dinitrate and o-nitrobenzyl alcohol from plasma with dicholromethane. The analysis is carried out by fused silica capillary gas chromatography using a ⁶³Ni-electron capture detector. The method is applied to the pharmacokinetics of isosorbide dinitrate in humans.     

Gas chromatographic method for determination of a piperazine derivative (Trelibet) and its metabolites in human plasma and urine

A sensitive gas chromatographic method was developed for the determination of Trelibet, 1-benzyl-4-(2'-pyridinecarbonyl)piperazine, and of its major metabolites in biological fluids. The compounds were extracted as bases into dichloromethane, and the extracts were analysed by a dimethylsilicone capillary column with a nitrogen-phosphorus flame-ionization detector. The lower limit of detection was 1 ng/ml for Trelibet and 5 ng/ml for the metabolites. Peak-area ratios of the compounds and internal standard were linearly correlated to their plasma concentrations between 1 and 1000 ng/ml. The method was used for quantification of Trelibet and two of its metabolites in depressed patients after oral administration of a single dose of 200 mg of Trelibet. Concentration data measured in plasma and urine showed that the method is sensitive enough to monitor concentrations both for pharmacokinetic studies and for plasma steady-state levels daily.     

Determination of clomipramine and its hydroxylated and demethylated metabolites in plasma and urine by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A procedure for the determination of clomipramine and its 8-hydroxy, demethyl, 8-hydroxydemethyl and didemethyl metabolites in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection is described. A 1-ml plasma or urine sample is made alkaline with a carbonate buffer (pH 9.8) and extracted with 20% ethyl acetate in n-heptane. After back-extraction into an acid phosphate buffer (pH 2.4), an aliquot is injected into a 5-microns ion-paired reversed-phase column and eluted with a mobile phase containing a phosphate buffer with tetramethylammonium chloride-acetonitrile (57:43). The detection is coulometric with a first cell at +0.40 V, a second at +0.73 V and a guard cell set at 0.75 V for oxidation of the mobile phase. The method provides recoveries in the general range of 80-110% and a day-to-day precision of 3.7-8.8%, depending on the compound. The minimum quantifiable level for all compounds was 0.2 ng/ml with a 20-microliters injection. Steady-state plasma concentration data and urinary levels are reported for 24 depressed patients receiving daily either 75-150 mg orally or 50-75 mg by infusion.     

Solid phase extraction of oxcarbazepine and its metabolites from plasma for analysis by high performance liquid chromatography.

A rapid, sensitive and simple-to-operate high performance liquid chromatographic method for the simulataneous determination of oxcarbazepine, 10-hydroxycarbazepine and 10,11-dihydro-10,11-trans-dihydroxy-carbamazepine in plasma is described. The drug and its metabolites were extracted from plasma using commercially available reversed phase octadecylsilane bonded-silica columns (Bond Elut C18, 1 mL capacity). Chromatographic separation of oxcarbazepine and its metabolites was achieved using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile/methanol/water (13:25:62 by volume) at a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min in conjunction with a Waters Associates Nova-Pak C18 column. The analytical column, in Radial-Pak cartridge form, was used in combination with a LiChrospher 5 microns C18 guard column. By measuring the UV absorbance at 214 nm, plasma levels in the region of 50-100 ng/mL for the drug and its metabolites can be detected with only 100 microL of plasma. The method has been applied to pharmacokinetic studies of oxcarbazepine and its metabolites in children with epilepsy; preliminary pharmacokinetic findings in two patients at steady-state are presented.     

Direct determination of mitoxantrone and its mono- and dicarboxylic metabolites in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography

The simultaneous isolation and determination of mitoxantrone (Novantrone) and its two known metabolites (the mono- and dicarboxylic metabolites) were carried out using a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) system equipped with an automatic pre-column-switching system that permits drug analysis by direct injection of biological samples. Plasma or urine samples were injected directly on to an enrichment pre-column flushed with methanol-water (5:95, v/v) as the mobile phase. The maximum amount of endogenous water-soluble components was removed from biological samples within 9 min. Drugs specifically adsorbed on the pre-column were back-flushed on to an analytical column (Nucleosil C18, 250 X 4.6 mm I.D.) with 1.6 M ammonium formate buffer (pH 4.0) (2.5% formic acid) containing 20% acetonitrile. Detection was effected at 655 nm. Chromatographic analysis was performed within 12 min. The detection limit of the method was about 4 ng/ml for urine and 10 ng/ml for plasma samples. The precision ranged from 3 to 11% depending on the amount of compound studied. This technique was applied to the monitoring of mitoxantrone in plasma and to the quantification of the unchanged compound and its two metabolites in urine from patients receiving 14 mg/m2 of mitoxantrone by intravenous infusion for 10 min.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay for dilevalol in human plasma and urine using a PRP-1 column and fluorimetric detection

A single high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay for the quantitative determination of dilevalol, the R,R isomer of labetalol, was developed for both plasma and urine. A significantly improved limit of detection for dilevalol in plasma was accomplished by extensive modification of an HPLC assay originally developed in our laboratory for labetalol. This simplified method is readily adaptable to urine and represents the first reported HPLC assay for the quantitative determination of dilevalol in this biofluid. Drug was recovered from plasma or urine by partition into diethyl ether under mildly alkaline conditions and back-extraction into dilute acid. Reversed-phase separation of dilevalol and the internal standard was accomplished on a 150 X 4.1 mm column commercially packed with a spherical (5 micron) macroporous copolymer (PRP-1). No interferences were observed in extracts obtained from drug-free plasma or urine. Selectivity for dilevalol in the presence of other beta-blockers was established. This method demonstrated a linear detector response to concentrations of unchanged drug typically observed in urine and plasma following once-a-day treatment with dilevalol hydrochloride (100-800 mg). The lowest limit of reliable quantitation was established at 1 ng/ml in plasma. The intra-assay precision (coefficient of variation) remained less than 6% at all concentrations evaluated from 1 to 800 ng/ml. In urine, the lowest limit of quantitation was validated to 20 ng/ml where the intra-assay precision (coefficient of variation) for unchanged drug was less than 4% at all concentrations evaluated up to 400 ng/ml. This method is suitable for routine quantitation of unchanged drug in human plasma and urine following the administration of therapeutically effective doses of dilevalol hydrochloride.     

Determination of the new fluoroquinolone fleroxacin and its N-demethyl and N-oxide metabolites in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of the new fluoroquinolone fleroxacin and its metabolites in plasma and urine. Plasma samples are deproteinized with acetonitrile, and, after evaporation and reconstitution of the supernatant, samples are analysed on a reversed-phase column. The limit of quantification is 10-20 ng/ml for the parent drug and 10 ng/ml for the metabolites, using a 0.2-ml sample. Urine samples are diluted with the mobile phase. An aliquot is then injected directly onto the column. The limits of quantification are 1 micrograms/ml for the parent drug and 0.5 micrograms/ml for the metabolites, using a 0.1-ml sample. The method has been successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies of human volunteers and patients.     

Solid-Phase Extraction of Carbamazepine and Two Major Metabolites from Plasma for Analysis by HPLC

Abstract

A rapid, sensitive and simple to operate HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of carbamazepine, carbamazepine 10,11-epoxide and 10,11-dihydro-10,11-trans-dihydroxycarbamazepine in plasma is described. The drug and its metabolites are extracted from plasma using commercially available reversed-phase octadecylsilane bonded-silica columns (Bond Elut C₁₈, 2.8 ml capacity). Separation was achieved by reversed-phase chromatography, using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile - methanol - water (19:37:44) at a flow-rate of 1.8 ml/min in conjunction with a Waters Assoc. Nova-Pak C₁₈ column. The analytical column, in Radial-Pak cartridge form, was used in combination with a Waters Assoc. Z-module RCSS and protected by a Waters Assoc. Guard-Pak precolumn module containing a Guard-Pak μBondapak C₁₈ insert. Using ultraviolet detection at 214 nm, levels in the region of 50–100 ng/ml for CBZ and its metabolites can be measured with only 250 μl of plasma. The method has been used to determine steady-state concentrations of the drug and its metabolites in paediatric patients.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of dimethylxanthine metabolites of caffeine in human plasma

A normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic assay of caffeine and its metabolites, theophylline, theobromine and paraxanthine, in human plasma is described. The two internal standards ethyltheophylline and 1,3,7-trimethyluric acid are used simultaneously and cover the range of different polarities from caffeine to the three dimethylxanthines. Plasma (0.5 ml) in the presence of ammonium sulphate is extracted with chloroform--isopropanol (1:1, v/v). The extract is chromatographed with a LiChrosorb Si 60 5-micron column and a mobile phase of dichloromethane containing 2.5% of a formate buffer in methanol. Calibration is performed with six different calibration mixtures which take into account the large plasma concentration differences between caffeine and its metabolites in man. The method is suitable for the simultaneous determination of caffeine and its dimethylxanthine metabolites in plasma of healthy and diseased persons.     

Reversed-phase liquid chromatographic determination of plasma levels of adriamycin and adriamycinol

A method is given for the determination of adriamycin and its main metabolite, adriamycinol in plasma from cancer patients after administration of adriamycin as the free drug or as a complex with DNA. Adriamycin and adriamycinol are extracted in a column from 1 ml of plasma (pH 8.6) using a mixture of chloroform--1-heptanol (8:2). After re-extraction into phosphate buffer pH 2.2, the separation is performed as reversed-phase liquid chromatography on a LiChrosorb RP-2 (5 micron) column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-water, acidified with phosphoric acid. The precision by quantitation with photometric detection was better than 5% within the range 50-300 ng/ml. Plasma levels of adriamycin and adriamycinol in a cancer patient are presented in this paper.     

Ion-pair extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of tianeptine and its metabolites in human plasma, urine and tissues

An isocratic reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatographic method for the determination of tianeptine and its two main metabolites in plasma, urine and tissues, using an internal standard, is reported. The influence of two stationary phases on the retention of the drugs was studied. The drugs were extracted as ion pairs, using a heptane-octanol-tetraheptylammonium bromide mixture (98:2:0.5, v/v/w) as extraction solvent. This extraction procedure yielded plasma drug recoveries of greater than 60% and allowed UV detection at 220 nm without interference from endogenous components of plasma, urine or tissues. Linear standard curves up to 1.00 micrograms/ml and drug determination down to 0.01 microgram/ml were observed. This method has been successfully applied to the analysis of human plasma and urine samples and of encephales from tianeptine-dosed rats.     

Simultaneous determination of nitroglycerin and its dinitrate metabolites by capillary gas chromatography with electron-capture detection

A sensitive gas chromatographic-electron-capture detection method for the simultaneous determination of the antianginal drug nitroglycerin (GTN) and its dinitrate metabolites (1,2-GDN and 1,3-GDN) was developed. Human plasma samples (1 ml) spiked with 2,6-dinitrotoluene as the internal standard were extracted once with 10 ml of a methylene chloride-pentane mixture (3:7, v/v). Using this solvent system, less contaminants are extracted into the organic phase from plasma, resulting in cleaner chromatograms and prolonged column life. A break point was observed on the standard curves of GTN and GDNs. The two linear regions for the detectable concentrations of GTN are 0.025-0.3 and 0.3-3 ng/ml and for 1,2-GDN and 1,3-GDN they are 0.1-1 and 1-10 ng/ml. The limits of detection by this method for GTN, 1,2-GDN and 1,3-GDN in plasma are 0.025, 0.1 and 0.1 ng/ml, respectively.     

Simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of a new phytochemical drug, fellavine, and its metabolites in human and rat plasma and urine.

The use of a small precolumn instead of an injection loop for the determination of a new phytochemical drug, fellavine, and its metabolites is described. The method combines the direct injection of plasma and urine into the reversed-phase precolumn with separation on a Spheri-5 RP-18 analytical column. Different sorbents in the precolumn were compared. A recovery of fellavine and its metabolites from biological fluids except rat plasma of almost 100% was achieved on Chrompack RP (30-40 microns) and LiChrosorb RP-18 (7 microns). For rat plasma only the last sorbent gave 80% fellavine recovery. The influence of the protein binding on the fellavine recovery was examined. The limit of detection was equal to 0.05 micrograms/ml fellavine for plasma and 0.02 micrograms/ml for urine. To enhance the limit of detection longer precolumns were perferred.     

High-performance liquid-chromatographic determination of 5-aminosalicylic acid and its metabolites in blood plasma

Mesalazine (5-aminosalicylic acid, 5-ASA), an anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, is metabolized in organism to the principal biotransformation product, N-acetyl-5-ASA. Some other phase II metabolites (N-formyl-5-ASA, N-butyryl-5-ASA, N-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-5-ASA) have also been described. 5-ASA is a polar compound and besides it exhibits amphoteric properties. The extraction of this compound from biomatrices and its chromatographic analysis is complicated. In order to improve the reliability of the determination of parent 5-ASA, a derivatization of 5-ASA together with 4-ASA (added to samples as a precursor of I.S.-2) was involved into the method. More lipophilic N-propionyl-5-ASA and N-propionyl-4-ASA (I.S.-2) were obtained using propionic anhydride. These derivatives were well extractable together with N-acyl-5-ASAs (metabolites) and N-acetyl-4-ASA (I.S.-1). As the first internal standard (I.S.-1) was used for the evaluation of extracted N-acyl-metabolites, the second internal standard (I.S.-2) served for the evaluation of both derivatization and extraction steps of parent drug 5-ASA. Based on these reasonings, new HPLC bioanalytical method for the determination of 5-ASA and its metabolites in blood plasma was developed and validated. The sample preparation step consists of the deproteination of plasma by HClO(4) and the above-mentioned derivatization of ASAs followed by liquid-liquid extraction of all N-acyl-ASA-derivatives. Chromatographic analyses were performed on a 250-4 mm column containing Purospher RP-18 e, 5 microm (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) with a precolumn (4-4 mm). The column effluent was monitored using both UV photodiode-array (lambda = 313 nm) and fluorescence detectors (lambda(exc.) = 300 nm/lambda(emiss.) = 406 nm) in tandem. The identity of individual N-acyl-ASAs in the extracts from biomatrices was verified by characteristic UV-spectra and by HPLC/MS experiments. The whole analysis lasted 23 min at the flow rate of 1 ml min(-1). LLOQ (LOD) was estimated 126 (20) pmol ml(-1) of plasma for N-acetyl-5-ASA and 318 (50) pmol ml(-1) of plasma for N-propionyl-5-ASA. The validated HPLC method was applied to pharmacokinetic studies of mesalazine in humans and animals.