Analysis of digoxin at therapeutic concentrations using high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure has been developed for the analysis of digoxin in plasma at therapeutic concentrations. The assay method provides resolution of digoxin from its metabolites using a 15 cm X 4.6 mm HPLC column containing 3-micron octadecylsilane-bonded stationary phase. The effluent of the column is passed through a post-column reactor in which a fluorescent derivative is formed by the co-addition of hydrochloric acid and dehydroascorbic acid. Detection of the derivative is accomplished in a fluorometer with excitation at 336 nm and emission at 425 nm. The extraction efficiency for recovery of digoxin from plasma samples was 70% using chloroform-isopropanol (9:1) following a pre-wash with isooctane to remove endogenous substances. The calibration curve was linear (r = 0.9999) over the range 0.5-4 ng/ml digoxin in plasma using digitoxigenin as internal standard. The minimum detectable quantity of digoxin in plasma was 0.5 ng/ml at a signal-to-noise ratio of 4:1. Split-samples of digoxin control sera were assayed by the HPLC procedure and by the prescribed radioimmunoassay procedure. Excellent correlation was observed between the two methods (r = 0.999). No interference was noted when a selection of commonly co-prescribed drugs were evaluated for chromatographic co-elution or interference in detection with that of digoxin or the internal standard.     

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.     

Determination of imipenem (N-formimidoyl thienamycin) in human plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography, comparison with microbiological methodology and stability

High-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods using ultraviolet (UV) detection have been developed for the assay of the antibiotic imipenem (N-formimidoyl thienamycin) in human plasma and urine. A reversed-phase analytical column is employed in the plasma assay method and a cation-exchange column is used in the urine assay method. Both methods use borate buffer in the mobile phase. The method of preparation of human fluid samples for HPLC injection has been optimized with respect to the stability of imipenem in aqueous buffers, in morpholine buffer--ethylene glycol stabilizer, and in urine and plasma. Preparation of the samples before injection into the HPLC systems involves deproteination/filtration of the plasma/urine samples. The open lactam metabolite and the coadministered dehydropeptidase inhibitor, cilastatin sodium, do not interfere with the 313-nm detection of imipenem in either the plasma or the urine assay. Thienamycin, the precursor of imipenem and an impurity in imipenem formulations, is separated from the drug using both of these methods. Concentrations generated from the HPLC analysis of plasma and urine samples from two healthy volunteers compare favorably with results using a microbiological assay method. Correlation of the two methods gives r greater than or equal to 0.990 for both fluids.     

Determination of a potential antiasthmatic compound, tibenelast, and its application to phase I clinical trials

A sensitive and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay was developed for the determination of tibenelast, 5,6-diethoxybenzo[b]thiophene-2- carboxylic acid, in plasma and urine. The plasma assay involves protein precipitation with 4% trichloroacetic acid, while the urine assay is an automated solid-phase extraction procedure that utilizes the Waters Millilab workstation. The analysis was achieved by reversed-phase HPLC with ultraviolet detection at 313 nm. The quantitation limit of the assay was 50 ng/ml in plasma and 100 ng/ml in urine. The intra-day coefficient of variation for the plasma analysis was between 2.2 and 8.4%, while the overall inter-day coefficient of variation was 5.5 and 6.0% for the high and low calibration curves, respectively. The intra-day coefficient of variation for the urine analysis was between 0.3 and 3.0%, while the inter-day coefficient of variation was 2.1% for both the low and high validation samples. The assay methodology has been used in the evaluation of samples from pharmacokinetic and clinical safety studies.     

Assay for N tau-methylimidazoleacetic acid, a major metabolite of histamine, in urine and plasma using capillary column gas chromatography-negative ion mass spectrometry

A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric assay has been developed for the measurement of N tau-methylimidazoleacetic acid in urine and plasma. The method uses the isopropyul ester 3,5-bistrifluoromethylbenzoyl derivative of N tau-methylimidazoleacetic acid and electron capture negative ion chemical ionisation mass spectrometry. The derivative has very good chromatographic properties and a negative ion mass spectrum which contains only a molecular ion at m/z 422. When this ion is specifically monitored, an amount of derivative equivalent to 1 pg of parent compound can be detected. A deuterated analogue of N tau-methylimidazoleacetic acid was synthesised for use as an internal standard and this allowed the development of an assay for N tau-methylimidazoleacetic acid, in urine with a precision of 2.9% and in plasma with a precision of 1.5%.     

Simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the measurement of amiloride in body fluids

A simplified rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure has been developed for the measurement of amiloride in plasma or urine. Solid-phase extraction columns provide quick, clean and simple sample preparation, allowing ten samples to be processed in less than 5 min. The HPLC system uses a standard reversed-phase (C18) column with detection by ultraviolet absorption at 365 nm. The assay has been used to define plasma amiloride concentration-time profiles and to quantitate urine amiloride recovery in healthy men after repeated administration at two doses.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay of sulbactam using pre-column reaction with 1,2,4-triazole

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the determination of sulbactam in human and rat plasma and urine has been developed. Sulbactam was reacted with 1,2,4-triazole to yield a product having an ultraviolet absorption maximum at 326 nm. The product was separated using reversed-phase HPLC from the regular components of plasma and urine with an ion-pair buffer at 50 degrees C and detected at the ultraviolet maximum. The limits of accurate determination were 0.2 and 1.0 micrograms/ml in plasma and urine, respectively. The coefficients of variation of inter- and intra-assays in human plasma spiked at 4.0 micrograms/ml (n = 5) were 1.02 and 3.05%, respectively. Coexisting cefoperazone, penicillins, or the alkaline degradation product(s) of sulbactam did not interfere in the sulbactam assay. The pharmacokinetic behaviour of sulbactam and cefoperazone coadministered to rats was estimated by moment analysis.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of BRB-I-28, a novel antiarrhythmic agent, in dog plasma and urine.

A sensitive reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) technique with ultraviolet detection has been developed to determine the concentration of BRB-I-28 (I), a novel antiarrhythmic agent, in dog plasma and urine. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-methanol-37.5 mM phosphate buffer, pH 6.8-triethylamine (50:50:75:0.1, v/v). The compound was extracted from dog plasma and urine with chloroform after alkalinization with sodium hydroxide. The extraction recovery was 83% from plasma and 84% from urine. Good linearity (r > 0.996) was observed throughout the ranges 0.1-12.0 micrograms/ml (plasma) and 0.1-8.0 micrograms/ml (urine). Intra- and inter-assay variabilities were less than 4%. The lower limit of quantitation was 0.08 microgram/ml in either plasma or urine. HPLC analysis of plasma and urine samples from a dog treated with I has demonstrated that the method was accurate and reproducible.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of finasteride in human plasma at therapeutic doses.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with ultraviolet detection for the determination of a novel 4-aza-steroidal inhibitor of 5 alpha-reductase in human plasma has been developed. The assay is based on a single solid-phase extraction and an efficient HPLC separation on two analytical columns in series. The assay has been fully validated and used to support Phase II and III clinical pharmacokinetic studies. The lowest limit of quantification was found to be at 1 ng/ml and allowed pharmacokinetic evaluation of the drug at doses down to 5 mg.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of 9-(4-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethylbut-1-yl)guanine (BRL-39123) in human plasma and urine

A rapid, sensitive and reliable reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with UV detection has been developed for the assay of a novel anti-herpes agent, 9-(4-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethylbut-1-yl)guanine (BRL-39123), in human plasma and urine. The drug and the internal standard, the structural analogue BRL-42377, were extracted from the biological matrix by adsorption on a cation-exchange column and were subsequently eluted under alkaline conditions prior to HPLC. The method is reproducible, with coefficients of variation of ca. 5%, and linear from 0.1 to at least 30 micrograms ml-1 in plasma and from 50 to at least 2000 micrograms ml-1 in urine. The method has been used extensively to measure BRL-39123 in plasma and urine samples generated during clinical studies and is adequate for defining pharmacokinetics at projected therapeutic doses.     

Development and validation of a HPLC method for simultaneous quantitation of gatifloxacin, sparfloxacin and moxifloxacin using levofloxacin as internal standard in human plasma: application to a clinical pharmacokinetic study

A highly selective, sensitive and accurate HPLC method has been developed and validated for the estimation of three fluoroquinolones (FQs) viz., gatifloxacin (GFC), sparfloxacin (SFC) and moxifloxacin (MFC) with 500 microL human plasma using levofloxacin (LFC) as an internal standard (IS). The sample preparation involved simple liquid-liquid extraction of GFC, SFC, MFC and IS from human plasma with ethyl acetate. The resolution of peaks was achieved with phosphate buffer (pH 2.5)-acetonitrile (80:20, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min on a Kromasil C(18) column. The total chromatographic run time was 18.0 min and the simultaneous elution of GFC, SFC, MFC and IS occurred at approximately 10.8, 12.8, 17.0 and 6.0 min, respectively. The method proved to be accurate and precise at linearity range of 100-10,000 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient (r) of > or =0.999. The limit of quantitation for each of the FQs studied was 100 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy values found to be within the assay variability limits as per the FDA guidelines. The developed assay method was applied to a pharmacokinetic study in human volunteers following oral administration of 400 mg GFC tablet.     

Determination of 3-(5-tetrazolyl) thioxanthone 10,10-dioxide in human plasma, urine and faeces.

A gas chromatographic method is described for assay of 3-(5-tetrazolyl) thioxanthone 10,10-dioxide (BW 59C) in human plasma, urine and faeces. After extraction into 1,2-dichloroethane from alkaline medium the compound is converted to the heptafluorobutyrate derivative which is injected into a gas chromatograph and measured using a 63Ni electron capture detector. The assay produces a linear calibration curve over the range 0-30 mug/ml when the internal standard method is used. Reproducibility is good and sensitivity down to 1 ng injected on column is possible. The method has been used to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of BW 59C in man and has been semi-automated by the use of an autosampler and dedicated computer.     

Sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic assay using 9-fluorenylmethylchloroformate for monitoring controlled-release lidocaine in plasma

A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay using fluorescence detection for quantifying lidocaine levels in plasma (in the ng/ml range) was developed. This novel HPLC assay has made possible the simultaneous monitoring of lidocaine levels in coronary and peripheral plasma obtained after myocardial controlled-release matrix administration (0.92 mg/kg during 4 h) in the arrhythmic dog. The method employed extracts the drug from plasma using 1-chlorobutane and a subsequent derivatization with 9-fluorenylmethylchloroformate in acetonitrile at 110 degrees C. The derivative was chromatographed on a C18 reversed-phase column and measured with fluorescence detection (excitation 254 nm, emission 313 nm). N-Methylephedrine was found to be suitable as an internal standard, post-derivatization. The derivatization product of lidocaine was identified and characterized by mass spectral analysis. It was found to have a unique and reproducible dicarbamate structure, which was stable for at least three days at room temperature. The method was tested with human plasma as well as on dog plasma. Analytical recoveries were 88.6 +/- 3.6 and 77.4 +/- 3.0% (mean +/- S.E.), respectively, at levels ranging from 25 to 200 ng/ml. The lower detection limit was 1 ng/ml lidocaine. In conclusion, this rapid and convenient analysis was found to be suitable for the bioavailability pharmacokinetic assessment of lidocaine following low-dose regional drug administration.     

Determination of Arteether in Plasma Using a Simple and Rapid High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Assay

Abstract

A simple and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay for the determination of the antimalarial drug arteether in plasma was developed and validated in this report. Perchloric acid was used in this method as a plasma protein precipitant and to attain an acidic medium suitable for the decomposition of arteether to a derivative possessing UV absorption. This derivative and the internal standard (progesterone) were separated from the plasma on a 10 μm μ-Bondapack C₁₈ reversed-phase column at ambient temperature with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile:water (60:40 v/v) and at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min. The effluent was monitored at 254 nm with a UV detector. Linear relation between drug concentrations and peak height ratios of arteether derivative to the internal standard was achieved in the range of 0.25-10 μg/ml arteether with a detection limit of 50 ng/ml arteether in plasma. The within-day and between-days precisions were evaluated using 3 different concentrations of arteether. The values of the coefficients of variation were 1.35-1.68% and 1.65-2.82% for within-day and between-day, respectively. This method was applied to determine some pharmacokinetic parameters of arteether after intramuscular injection of 50 mg/kg arteether oily solution to rabbits.     

A high-pressure liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of ethambutol in human plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and alveolar cells

A technique is presented for the specific and sensitive determination of ethambutol concentrations in plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and alveolar cells (AC) using a high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC)-tandem mass spectrometric (MS-MS) method. The preparation of samples requires a deproteinization step with acetonitrile. The retention times for ethambutol, neostigmine bromide, and propranolol are 2.0, 1.4, and 1.1 min, respectively, with a total run time of 2.8 min. The detection limits for ethambutol are 0.05 microg/mL for plasma and 0.005 microg/mL for the BAL supernatants and AC suspensions. The assay has excellent performance characteristics and has been used to support a study of the intrapulmonary pharmacokinetics of ethambutol in human subjects.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic procedures for the quantitative analysis of 15 tetracycline derivatives in small blood samples

Published high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods for the determination of tetracyclines are modified to determine low levels of each of 15 tetracycline derivatives in small blood samples. The rapid and accurate methods are applicable to pharmacokinetic studies in small experimental animals. The chromatographic procedures allow run times ranging from 2.1-7.3 min using different reversed-phase materials as supports and eluents based on acetonitrile or isopropanol-diethanolamine-EDTA. Detection limits are estimated at 10-500 ng/mL according to the derivative analyzed. The extraction from plasma is based on acidic precipitation of the plasma proteins using trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). The recovery of 13 derivatives from spiked plasma samples (100 micrograms/mL) reached 85-94% (n = 5). The precision data, expressed as coefficient of variation, ranged between 2.1 to 9.1% within run (n = 10) and 4.3 to 11.0% between day (n = 8) respectively.     

Determination of the antifungal agent, ketoconazole, in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay for the quantitative determination of ketoconazole, an orally active antifungal agent, in human plasma is described. After extraction of the drug from plasma, the compound is separated by HPLC using a reversed-phase column and detected by UV light at 205 nm. Quantitation is accomplished by external standardization and the determination of peak areas is performed with the aid of an integrating computer. The average recovery of ketoconazole over a concentration range of 0.1-20.0 microgram/ml was 88.2 +/- 4.07% S.D. The maximum sensitivity of the assay is less than 0.1 microgram/ml. The assay is suitable for use in pharmacokinetic studies following the administration of therapeutic doses of ketoconazole to humans.     

Determination of pyrimethamine in human plasma after administration of fansidar of fansidar-mefloquine by means of high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A sensitive, rapid and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed to measure plasma levels of pyrimethamine in human subjects dosed with the antimalarials Fansidar or Fansidar and mefloquine. The drug was extracted from plasma at basic pH with n-butyl chloride-dichloromethane (96:4, v/v) and quantified on a normal-phase HPLC column with fluorescence detection (excitation 290 nm, emission 345 nm). Pyrimethamine was almost quantitatively extracted from plasma in the concentration range 20-200 ng/ml. The sensitivity limit was about 10 ng/ml of plasma, using a 0.5-ml specimen. The method was shown to be specific with respect to the other two components in the antimalarial combinations, namely sulfadoxine and mefloquine, and their metabolites. The assay was applied to pharmacokinetic studies of pyrimethamine in man following the oral administration of Fansidar of Fansidar and mefloquine.     

High Pressure Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Isoniazid and Acetylisoniazid in Human Plasma

Abstract

A quantitative high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay has been developed for the determination of isoniazid (INH) and acetylisoniazid (ACINH) in human plasma. Plasma samples were taken from a patient after oral administration of INH (with proven tuberculosis infection). A C₁₈ reversed phase radial compression column was used to separate INH and ACINH from other plasma components. The analysis takes 10 minutes per sample and the lower limit of detection for each compound is 0.10 ug/ml plasma.     

Determination of the antifungal agent voriconazole in human plasma using a simple column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A simple column-switching high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method that does not require any complicated pretreatment has been developed to determine voriconazole in human plasma samples. An internal standard (IS) and borate buffer (pH 9.0) were added to plasma samples, which were then injected directly into the column-switching HPLC system using MAYI-ODS as a pre-column. The calibration curve for voriconazole showed good linearity in the range of 0.2-10 mug/ml in human plasma. The mean RSD (%) value of intra-day (n=6) and inter-day (n=5) precision were less than 5.4% and 8.2%, respectively. This system could make more than three hundred successive, accurate measurements when a washing step with ammonium acetate solution was added. This method was successfully applied to measure the therapeutic voriconazole level in patients' plasma, and was used in a study of voriconazole pharmacokinetics after oral administration.