Development and validation of SPMMTE HPLC method for analysis of profens from human plasma

A fast, selective and reproducible solid‐phase membrane microtip extraction (SPMMTE) HPLC method has been developed and validated for the analyses of ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and flurbiprofen from human plasma. The analysis was carried out on a C₁₈ (150 × 4.6 mm; 5 μm) column. The mobile phase used was water–acetonitrile (55:45, v/v) adjusted to pH 3.0 using trifluoroacetic acid, at a flow rate 0.5 mL/min with a detection wavelength of 225 nm. The values for the capacity factors for the profen samples ranged from 0.47 to 1.50. The values for the selectivity factor (α) for ketoprofen–flurbiprofen, flurbiprofen–ibuprofen and ibuprofen–ketoprofen combinations from human plasma samples were 1.99, 1.00 and 2.10, respectively. The resolution factors (Rs) for ketoprofen–flurbiprofen, flurbiprofen–ibuprofen and ibuprofen–ketoprofen from plasma samples were 3.00, 1.50 and 4.10, respectively. The percentage recoveries of ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and flurbiprofen from human plasma were 75–85%. All of the profens were separated within 7.0 min, indicating a relatively fast method. During the development of the SPMMTE procedure the parameters of pH, contact time, desorption and types of solvents were optimized. The final method was also found to be efficient, effective and inexpensive. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enantiospecific analysis of ibuprofen by high performance liquid chromatography: Determination of free and total drug enantiomer concentrations in serum and urine

Summary A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay, based on the indirect approach to enantiomeric analysis, for the determination of ibuprofen in human serum and urine has been developed. Following the addition of (R,S)-flurbiprofen, as internal standard, the enantiomers of ibuprofen were isolated from plasma and urine samples by liquid-liquid extraction at acidic pH. The enantiomers of flurbiprofen and ibuprofen were derivatized with (R)-1-(naphthen-1-yl)ethylamine, using 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole as coupling reagents, to yield the corresponding diastereoisomeric amides. Chromatographic resolution of the derivatives was achieved using a C₁₈ column (Waters Resolve C₁₈; 5 μm, 150×3.9 mm) using a mobile phase of phosphate buffer (pH 3.5, 0.01 M): acetonitrile (50∶50 v/v) at a flow rate of 1.5 mL min⁻¹ at ambient temperature. Quantification was carried out using a spectrofluorometer with excitation and emission wavelengths of 290 and 330 nm respectively. The use of a semimicrobore column (150×2.1 mm) containing the same stationary phase facilitated the analysis of the free drug enantiomer concentrations following equilibrium dialysis. The derivatization procedure was carried out as described above but with a reduction in the quantities of the reagents used in order to reduce the background noise in the chromatographic analysis. The HPLC methodology for the determination of free drug enantiomer concentrations was validated against a previously reported method employing the radiolabelled drug.     

Enantioselective analysis of ibuprofen in human plasma by anionic cyclodextrin-modified electrokinetic chromatography

This paper reports the development of a rapid method for the enantioselective analysis of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen in human plasma by capillary electrophoresis employing the anionic cyclodextrin-modified electrokinetic chromatography mode. Sample cleanup was carried out by acidification with HCl followed by liquid-liquid extraction with hexane:isopropanol (99:1 v/v). The complete enantioselective analysis was performed within 10 min, using 100 mmol L(-1) phosphoric acid/triethanolamine buffer, pH 2.6, containing 2.0% w/v sulfated beta-cyclodextrin as chiral selector; fenoprofen, another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was used as internal standard. The calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.25-125.0 microg mL(-1) for each enantiomer of ibuprofen. The mean recoveries for ibuprofen enantiomers were up to 85%. The enantiomers studied could be quantified at three different concentrations (0.5, 5.0 and 50.0 microg mL(-1)) with a coefficient of variation and relative error not higher than 15%. The quantitation limit was 0.2 microg mL(-1) for (+)-(S)- and (-)-(R)-ibuprofen using 1 mL of human plasma. The plasma endogenous compounds and other drugs did not interfere with the present assay. The analysis of real plasma samples obtained from a healthy volunteer after administration of 600 mg of racemic ibuprofen showed a maximum plasma level of 29.6 and 39.9 microg mL(-1) of (-)-(R)- and (+)-(S)-ibuprofen, respectively, and the area under plasma concentration-time curve AUC(0-infinity) (+)-(S)/AUC(0-infinity) (-)-(R) ratio was 1.87.     

纤维素-三（4-甲基苯甲酸酯）手性固定相拆分5种芳基丙酸类药物对映体及其制剂的含量测定

采用纤维素-三（4-甲基苯甲酸酯）（CTMB）手性固定相,利用反相色谱法研究了氟比洛芬、普拉洛芬、布洛芬、萘普生、洛索洛芬5种芳基丙酸类手性药物的色谱拆分行为。考察了流动相组成、酸碱添加剂及柱温对上述5种药物对映体分离的影响,并通过热力学研究及对映体结构分析对CTMB固定相的手性拆分机理进行了探讨。结果表明,除萘普生采用乙腈-0.1%（v/v）甲酸溶液外,以甲醇-0.1%（v/v）甲酸水溶液为流动相可使普拉洛芬、洛索洛芬、氟比洛芬和布洛芬的对映体间的分离度均大于1.5,CTMB固定相对这5种芳基丙酸类药物的手性拆分能力依次为普拉洛芬>洛索洛芬>氟比洛芬>布洛芬>萘普生。在各自的优化色谱条件下,将方法应用于上述5种药物制剂的含量测定,结果令人满意。     

Enantioseparation of organic acids of pharmaceutical interest using eremomycin as a chiral selector

Strong adsorption of eremomycin on the fused-silica capillary wall was used for separation of enantiomers by CE. The capillary with adsorbed chiral selector was shown to be easily prepared and has reproducible properties. The effect of the chiral selector concentration, pH and composition of the BGE, and applied voltage on enantioseparation of acidic compounds, such as profens and aromatic carboxylic acids, was investigated. Two native α-amino acids, aspartic acid and glutamic acid, were enantioseparated. Fourteen tested compounds (including amino acids) were baseline resolved. Good selectivity of separation (α>1.09) was achieved. The migration order of ibuprofen and ketoprofen enantiomers was determined. The procedures were proposed for the analysis of flurbiprofen and warfarin in pharmaceuticals. Linearity was achieved in the concentration range of 4.0×10(-5)-2.0×10(-3) M for flurbiprofen and 3.2×10(-6)-4.9×10(-6) M for warfarin. The detection limits were found to be about 1×10(-5) M for flurbiprofen and 1×10(-6) M for warfarin.     

Simple and Sensitive High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Method for Determination of Transdermally Applied Flurbiprofen in Rat Plasma and Excised Skin Samples

A simple reversed-phase HPLC method has been developed for determination of flurbiprofen in rat plasma, excised skin extract, and transdermal patch formulations. The mobile phase was methanol–1% (v/v) phosphoric acid in water, 80:20 (v/v), at a flow rate of 0.5 mL min^-1; ibuprofen was used as internal standard. Flurbiprofen and ibuprofen was detected by UV absorption at 254 nm and 220 nm, respectively. The limit of quantitation was 0.1 µg mL^-1. The response was linearly dependent on concentration in the range 0.1–10 µg mL^-1, and accuracy and reproducibility were good. At these concentrations intraday and interday assay variability were below 8%. Recovery of flurbiprofen was greater than 94% over the linear range of calibration plot.     

Gas chromatographic separation of optically active anti-inflammatory 2-arylpropionic acids using (+)- or (-)-amphetamine as derivatizing reagent

A method is described for the derivatization of several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory arylalkanoic acids (ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, fenoprofen, flurbiprofen, pirprofen, cicloprofen, tiaprofenic acid, etodolic acid) with optically active amphetamine. The usefulness of this reagent compared to alpha-methylbenzylamine is described. The enantiomers are separated as diastereoisomers using capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. The procedure is readily applied to the quantification of the enantiomers in urine and plasma samples.     

Determination of the enantiomeric composition of ibuprofen in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

A normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method, using a hexane-ethyl acetate solvent system, for the determination of the enantiomeric composition of ibuprofen in human plasma is described. The method is based on the resolution of the diastereoisomeric amides formed on reaction of the ibuprofen enantiomers with S-1-(naphthen-1-yl)ethylamine using p-chlorophenoxy-acetic acid as internal standard. The application of the method for the determination of the enantiomeric composition of ibuprofen in human plasma following the repeated oral administration of the drug to two volunteers is reported. The plasma concentrations of the S-(+) enantiomer were always greater than that of the R-(-), the ratio of the areas under the enantiomer plasma concentration-time curves (S/R) being 1.8 and 1.6.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of naproxen, ibuprofen and diclofenac in plasma and synovial fluid in man.

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay procedures have been developed for naproxen, ibuprofen and diclofenac in human plasma and synovial fluid samples. A single liquid-liquid extraction procedure was used to isolate each compound from acidified biological matrix prior to the quantitative analysis. A Spherisorb ODS column (12.5 cm x 4.6 mm I.D.) was used for all the chromatography. Naproxen was eluted with a mobile phase of methanol-S?rensen's buffer at pH 7 (37:63, v/v). Ibuprofen and diclofenac were eluted using mobile phases of methanol-water at pH 3.3 (65:35, v/v and 63:37, v/v, respectively). Diphenylacetic acid was used as the internal standard for the assay of naproxen and flurbiprofen was used in the analysis of ibuprofen and diclofenac. Inter- and intra-day coefficients of variation were less than 7%. The assays were used in clinical studies of the three drugs in osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis patients.     

HPLC microdetermination of flurbiprofen enantiomers in plasma with a glycopeptide-type chiral stationary phase column

A rapid and stereospecific HPLC micromethod to quantify flurbiprofen enantiomers was developed. Both flurbiprofen enantiomers and indomethacin, used as internal standard, were extracted with methylene chloride from 100 microL of acidified plasma. The resolution of the R- and S-forms was performed on a bonded vancomycin chiral stationary phase (Chirobiotic V) with 20% of tetrahydrofuran in ammonium nitrate (100 mM, pH 5) as mobile phase. Calibration curves were linear in the range 0.5-10 microg/mL for both enantiomers. A good accuracy (< or = 5%) was obtained for all quality controls, with intra-day and inter-day variation coefficients equal or less than 7.7%. Recovery of both enantiomers was found in the range 77.4-86.3%. The lower limit of quantitation was 0.25 microg/mL for both enantiomers, without interference of endogenous components. This validated micromethod has been successfully applied for quantifying R- flurbiprofen and S- flurbiprofen in rat plasma.     

Enantioselective CE method for pharmacokinetic studies on ibuprofen and its chiral metabolites with reference to genetic polymorphism

A stereospecific CE method was elaborated for the quantification of ibuprofen enantiomers and their major phase I metabolites: 2'-hydroxy-ibuprofen and 2'-carboxy-ibuprofen in plasma and urine. Optimal temperature and pH of BGE were established to obtain complete separation of eight ibuprofen chiral compounds and (+)-S indobufen, applied as an internal standard, during one analytical run. After isolation from biological matrices using SPE on an octadecyl stationary phase, the analytes were separated and resolved up to 10 min in a silica capillary filled with BGE, consisting of heptakis 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-beta-CD in triethanolamine-phosphate buffer, pH 5.0. Complete enantioseparation of the all analytes confirmed specificity of the method. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.1-25.0 mg/L for IBP enantiomers and their chiral metabolites in 0.5 mL of plasma and 1.0-200.0 mg/L in 0.05 mL of urine. Following SPE procedure, recovery of the chiral analytes from the two media was in the ranges of 82-87%, 90-95% and 70-76% for ibuprofen, 2'-hydroxy-ibuprofen and 2'-carboxy-ibuprofen enantiomers, respectively. The validated method was successfully applied in pharmacokinetic investigations of IBP enantiomers as well as free chiral metabolites in reference to the genetic polymorphism of CYP450 2C isoenzymes.     

Analysis of ibuprofen enantiomers in rat plasma by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive and selective method for the analysis of ibuprofen enantiomers by LC–MS/MS was developed and validated for the purpose of application in pharmacokinetic studies in small experimental animals. Aliquots of 200 μL plasma were submitted to liquid–liquid extraction with hexane/diisopropylether (50:50 v/v) in acid pH. Separation was accomplished in a Chirex® 3005 (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column at 25°C with a mobile phase that consisted of 0.01 M ammonium acetate in methanol at a flow rate of 1.1 mL/min. The mass spectrometer consisted of an ESI interface operating at negative ionization mode and multiple reaction monitoring. The transitions 205 > 161 and 240 > 197 were monitored for ibuprofen enantiomers and fenoprofen (internal standard), respectively. Method validation included the evaluation of the matrix effect, stability, linearity, lower LOQ, within‐run and between‐run precision, and accuracy. The lower LOQ was 25 ng/mL for each ibuprofen enantiomer, and the calibration curves showed good linearity in the range 0.025–50 μg/mL. The method was successfully applied in the investigation of pharmacokinetic disposition of ibuprofen enantiomers in rats treated orally with 25 mg/kg of the racemate. Enantioselective kinetic disposition was observed with accumulation of (+)‐(S)‐ibuprofen in rats following single oral administration.     

Chromatographic separation and enantiomeric resolution of flurbiprofen and its major metabolites

Summary The chromatographic separation and resolution of the enantiomers of flurbiprofen and its two major metabolites, 4′-hydroxyflurbiprofen and 3′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyflurbiprofen was investigated using four different approaches: reversed-phase HPLC after pre-column derivatization with (R)-1-(naphthen-1-yl)ethylamine; reversed-phase HPLC using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as a chiral mobile phase additive; chiral-phase HPLC using either an α₁-acid glycoprotein CSP (Chiral-AGP) or an amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) CSP (Chiralpak AD). Of all the approaches, only the direct method using the Chiralpak AD CSP demonstrated separation and enantiomeric resolution of all three analytes within an acceptable run time of 45 minutes. Enantiomeric resolution values of 1.67,3.67 and 3.44 were obtained for flurbiprofen, 4′-hydroxyflurbiprofen and 3′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyflurbiprofen respectively. Semi-preparative isolation of the individual enantiomers of both metabolites, followed by CD analysis, revealed that the elution order on the AD CSP wasR-beforeS-enantiomer for both metabolites and the same as that observed for flurbiprofen. The metabolite elution order was subsequently confirmed on the analysis of urine samples obtained from a healthy volunteer following oral administration of the individual drug enantiomers.     

Stereoselective high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of ketoprofen, ibuprofen and fenoprofen in plasma using a chiral alpha 1-acid glycoprotein column

The effect of mobile phase composition, pH and temperature on the chiral resolution and retention of some 2-arylpropionic acids using the chiral alpha 1-acid glycoprotein column EnantioPac is described. Furthermore, a direct stereoselective high-performance liquid chromatographic assay to determine the enantiomers of ketoprofen, ibuprofen and fenoprofen in plasma is presented. Detection was at 260, 220 and 220 nm for ketoprofen, ibuprofen and fenoprofen, respectively. The limit of detection was 0.1 micrograms/ml for the enantiomers of ketoprofen and ibuprofen, and 0.25 micrograms/ml for the enantiomers of fenoprofen. The method was demonstrated to be applicable for stereoselective pharmacokinetic studies of ketoprofen, ibuprofen and fenoprofen after administration under clinical conditions.     

High performance capillary electrophoresis method for determination of ibuprofen enantiomers in human serum and urine

A direct and stereospecific capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method for quantification ibuprofen enantiomers in biological matrices: human serum and urine, has been developed. Chiral separation of the enantiomers of ibuprofen and (+)-S-indobufen [(+)-S-INDB, internal standard, IS] was obtained in an uncoated silica capillary filled with a background electrolyte (BGE), consisted of heptakis 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-β-cyclodextrin (TM-β-CD) in buffer of pH 5.0. The complete enantioselective analysis of ibuprofen and its 1-hydroxy metabolite confirmed appropriate specificity of the method. The electrophoretic parameters: electroosmotic (μ_EOF) and electrophoretic (μ_ep) mobility and resolution factor (R_s) were determined. Extraction procedures with organic solvent and solid phase extraction (SPE) with C₁₈ stationary phase for isolation of enantiomers from biological fluids were compared. SPE method for further studies was chosen. Stereoselective extraction of IBP enantiomers from serum at basic pH has been discovered. Validation of the method was carried out. Calibration curves of ibuprofen enantiomers were linear in the range of 0.1-25.0 μg/ml in serum and of 0.5-250.0 μg/ml in urine. Recovery of both enantiomers from serum and urine amounted 74-86 and 90-98%, respectively. Intra- and inter-day measurement precision and accuracy were below 15%. Limits of detection for IBP enantiomers amounted 0.05 and 0.25 μg/ml in samples of serum and urine, respectively. Limit of quantitation was also estimated. IBP enantiomers proved to be stable following three freeze and thaw cycles and during storage in autosampler at ambient temperature. The validated methods enable pharmacokinetic studies of enantiomers in both media. The elaborated HPCE method can be alternative to HPLC.     

Stereospecific analysis of flurbiprofen and its major metabolites in plasma and urine by chiral-phase liquid chromatography

Summary Direct chiral-phase HPLC methods have been developed for the determination of flurbiprofen and its major metabolites, namely 4′-hydroxyflurbiprofen and 3′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyflurbiprofen, in biological fluids using a derivatized amylose chiral stationary phase (CSP; Chiral-pak AD). Quantification of all three analytes, both free and conjugated, in urine was carried out following liquid-liquid extraction using tandem ultraviolet (UV) and fluorescence detection. Determination of flurbiprofen and the 4′-hydroxy-metabolite in plasma utilized the same CSP but required modification in the mobile phase composition and sole use of fluorescence detection. The urine assay was linear (r>0.998) between 0.05–10 μg mL⁻¹, 0.1–20 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.01–2 μg mL⁻¹ for the enantiomers of flurbiprofen, 4′-hydroxyflurbiprofen and 3′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyflurbiprofen respectively. The plasma assay was linear (r>0.997) between 0.1–6 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.01–0.6 μg mL⁻¹ for the enantiomers of flurbiprofen and 4′-hydroxyflurbiprofen respectively. Both assays, typically yielded within- and between-day imprecision and accuracy values less than 10% for the enantiomers of the different analytes. Initial volunteer studies suggest that the disposition of flurbiprofen displays modest enantioselectivity in humans.     

Simultaneous Quantitation of Captopril and NSAID's in API,Dosage Formulations and Human Serum by RP‐HPLC

An accurate, sensitive and least time consuming reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RP‐HPLC) method for the estimation of captopril in the presence of non steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs in formulation and human serum has been developed and validated. Chromatographic separation was conducted on prepacked Purospher star C18 (5 μm, 25 × 0.46 cm) column at room temperature using methanol:water (80:20 v/v) as a mobile phase, pH adjusted at 2.8 with o‐phosphoric acid and at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹, while UV detection was performed at 227 nm. The limit of detection and quantification for captopril were 1 and 0.35 ng mL⁻¹, while that for (NSAID's) i.e. flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, diclofenac sodium and mefenamic acid LOD were 0.2, 1, 2 and 0.4 ng mL⁻¹ respectively and LOQ were 0.9, 2.9, 8 and 1 ng mL⁻¹ Analytical recovery was > 98.1%. The method used for the quantitative analysis of commonly administered non steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAID's) i.e. ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, diclofenac sodium and mefenamic acid alone or in combination with captopril from API (active pharmaceutical ingredients), dosage formulations and in human serum. The established method is rapid (RT < 12 min), accurate (recovery > 98.1%), selective (no interference of excepients and other commonly used drugs and food) and sensitive (LOQ 3.5 ng mL^;‐1) and reproducible (SD ± 0.003).     

Enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of baclofen in human plasma

A new analytical method for the separation and determination of R-(−)- and S-(+)- baclofen enantiomers in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection was developed. Enantioselective resolution of the baclofen enantiomers was achieved by using teicoplanin macrocyclic antibiotic chiral stationary phase (CSP) known as Chirobiotic T with a polar ionic mobile phase (PIM) consisting of methanol: glacial acetic acid: triethylamine, 100:0.1:0.1, (v/v/v) at a flow rate of 0.5 ml min⁻¹ and UV detection set at 220 nm. The analytes of interest with S-(+)-sulpiride as the internal standard were extracted from human plasma using liquid-liquid extraction procedure with ethyl ether under alkaline condition prior to HPLC analysis. Recoveries for R-(−)- and S-(+)-baclofen enantiomers were in the ranges of 96-103% at 60-2500 ng ml⁻¹ level. Intra-day and inter-day precision calculated as %RSD was in the ranges of 1.2-5.2 and 1.3-4.3% for both enantiomers, respectively. Intra-day and inter-day accuracy calculated as percentage error were in the ranges of 1.2-3.9 and 1.1-3.9% for both enantiomers, respectively. Linear calibration curves in the concentration ranges of 20-3000 ng ml⁻¹ for each enantiomer showed correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9997. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) for each enantiomer in human plasma were 20 and 10 ng ml⁻¹ (S/N=3) respectively.     

Determination of (R)- and (S)-ketoprofen in human plasma by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry following automated solid-phase extraction in the 96-well format

A sensitive and selective method was developed for the determination of (R)-ketoprofen ((R)-kt) and (S)-ketoprofen ((S)-kt) in human plasma using chiral liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Plasma samples spiked with stable-isotope-labeled [(13)C(1), (2)H(3)]-(R and S)-ketoprofen, for use as the internal standards, were prepared for analysis using automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) in the 96-well microtiter format. The enantiomers were separated on an (R)-1-naphthylglycine and 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (Chirex 3005) 250x2.0 mm i.d. analytical column, equipped with a 30x2.0 mm i.d. guard column using isocratic mobile phase conditions. The (R)- and (S)-kt levels were quantifiable from 0.05 to 2500 ng ml(-1) by constructing two separate curves from calibration standards covering the same range. The first curve ranged from 0.05 to 100 and the second from 100 to 2500 ng ml(-1). A concentration of 0.05 ng ml(-1) of either enantiomer was easily detected using a 1 ml plasma sample volume. The average method accuracy, evaluated at four levels over an extended period, was better than +/-3% over the entire range. The precision for the same set of quality control samples ranged from 4.0 to 7.0 % RSD (n = 24). The method was applied to the evaluation of pharmacokinetic parameters in human plasma obtained from volunteers who received 25 mg of kt by peroral administration of Actron caplets or by topical administration of Oruvail gel.     

Enantiomeric determination of praziquantel and its main metabolite trans-4-hydroxypraziquantel in human plasma by cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography

A capillary electrophoresis method for the simultaneous quantitation of praziquantel and its main metabolite trans-4-hydroxypraziquantel enantiomers in human plasma was developed and validated using cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography. Sample clean-up involved a single-step liquid-liquid extraction of plasma with toluene after the addition of NaCl. The complete enantioselective analysis was obtained in less than 7 min using 2% w/v sulfated beta-cyclodextrin as chiral selector and 20 mmol/L sodium deoxycholate as surfactant, in 20 mmol/L sodium borate buffer, pH 10. A 50 microm x 42 cm uncoated fused-silica capillary was used for the analysis, performed at a voltage of 18 kV and at 20 degrees C. The calibration curves were linear over the 125-625 ng/mL concentration range. The mean recoveries for praziquantel and trans-4-hydroxypraziquantel were up to 96 and 71%, respectively, with good precision. All four enantiomers were quantified at two concentration levels (200 and 600 ng/mL) with precision and accuracy below 15%. The quantitation limit was 50 ng/mL for (-)-(R)- and (+)-(S)-praziquantel and 62.5 ng/mL for (-)-(R)- and (+)-(S)-trans-4-hydroxypraziquantel, using 1 mL of human plasma.