High-performance liquid chromatography of aflatoxins in human urine

A method was developed for the extraction and determination of unconjugated aflatoxins in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography. The analysis is based on the elimination of lipid-soluble constituents other than unconjugated aflatoxins in urine by light petroleum extraction. The unconjugated aflatoxins were subsequently extracted from the aqueous phase with chloroform-acetone. Chromatography was performed isocratically with a silica column at 40 degrees C. The resolved aflatoxins were detected and identified by ultraviolet and fluorometric detectors. The recoveries of aflatoxins B1 and G1 added prior to the extraction were 72% and 83%, respectively. This procedure is simple, sensitive and practically useful for epidemiological survey of unconjugated aflatoxins in human urine from areas with a high risk of aflatoxin consumption.     

Improved high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the routine determination of unconjugated 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol in human plasma using solid-phase extraction and electrochemical detection

An improved semi-automated high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the routine determination of unconjugated 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol in plasma. The 3-ethoxy analogue of the compound is used as an internal standard. The method is based on purification of 0.5-ml plasma samples with phenyl-type reversed-phase extraction columns, reversed-phase separation with an acetate-citrate-methanol mobile phase with an octadecyl-bonded column, and dual-electrode coulometric detection with oxidation at +0.44 V and reduction at -0.25 V. The precision and accuracy of the assay are satisfactory: the lower limit of reliable detection corresponds to a plasma concentration of 1.5 nM. The validity of the determination is demonstrated by an 18% mean increase in plasma levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol during physical exercise (duration 16 min, n = 13) and a 50% mean reduction in plasma levels induced by a single dose of the monoamine oxidase inhibitor, moclobemide (n = 8). The method is suitable for routine use in pharmacological and physiological experiments.     

A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the quantitation of aristololactam-I in rat plasma

A sensitive method with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry has been developed and validated for the determination of aristololactam-I in rat plasma after oral administration of aristolochic acid-I using finesteride as the internal standard. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Lichrospher C(18) column using methanol:0.05% acetic acid in water (71:29, v/v) as a mobile phase delivered at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The assay was linear for aristololactam-I over the range 0.3-300 ng/mL. The analysis of quality control samples demonstrated precision with coefficient of variation less than 20% (n = 5). Absolute recovery of aristololactam-I was 90.4-97.3%. The LC-MS method for the determination of aristololactam-I is sensitive, specific and can be used to investigate the toxicokinetics of aristololactam-I.     

Simple and rapid GLC method for the determination of orphenadrine in human plasma

A rapid and specific method has been developed for the determination of orphenadrine concentration in plasma. It involves a one-step sample preparation using n-hexane/isopropyl alcohol (98:2) extraction, and analysis by gas chromatography on a wide bore capillary column using nitrogen/phosphorus detection. This procedure considerably simplifies previously reported assays and is specific and sensitive enough for the determination of orphenadrine in plasma of patients on chronic therapy.     

Sensitive and simultaneous determination of HIV protease inhibitors in rat biological samples by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A sensitive and simultaneous liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric (LC/MS) method for the determination of current four HIV protease inhibitors (PIs), indinavir (IDV), saquinavir (SQV), nelfinavir (NFV) and amprenavir (APV) in rat plasma and liver dialysate by a microdialysis method was described. An isocratic LC/MS method in combination with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization was developed for the determination of these four PIs in biological samples in the same run. The analytes including an internal standard were extracted from 100 microL of plasma or 150 microL of liver dialysate samples by salting-out with 100 microL of ice-cold 2 M K(3)PO(4) followed by ether extraction. The separation of analytes was carried out on a reversed-phase semi-micro column using 50% of acetonitrile containing 1% acetic acid as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.2mL/min(-1). The separation was completed within 5 min. Precision, recovery and limits of detection indicated that the method was suitable for the quantitative determination of these PIs in rat plasma or liver dialysate. This simple, sensitive and highly specific LC/MS method is suitable for pharmacokinetic studies and therapeutic drug monitoring in AIDS patients who receive double protease therapy.     

Gas chromatographic determination of mefloquine in human and dog plasma using electron-capture detection

A sensitive and selective gas-liquid chromatographic method for the determination of plasma levels of mefloquine in human and dog plasma is described. The drug and internal standard were extracted from plasma at pH 9.0 into isopropyl acetate. After evaporation of the solvent, the residue was taken up in toluene and derivatised with heptafluorobutyrylimidazole. The derivative was quantified by gas-liquid chromatography on a 3% GC GE-SE30 column with electron-capture detection. The limit of detection for mefloquine in plasma was 10 ng/ml. The mean overall recovery from plasma was 102.7 +/- 3.3%. The method was shown to be specific for mefloquine without any interference from endogenous compounds in plasma or from the drugs pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine (compounds often administered in combination with mefloquine). The assay described was successfully applied to the determination of plasma levels of mefloquine in man and dog following oral and intravenous administration, respectively.     

Studies on steroids. CC. Determination of 17-ketosteroid sulphates in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection using pre-column derivatization

A new sensitive method is described for the determination of 17-ketosteroid sulphates, particularly dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The 17-ketosteroid sulphates in serum were extracted with acetonitrile and derivatized with p- nitrophenylhydrazine in trichloroacetic acid--benzene solution. The p- nitrophenylhydrazones were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography on a mu Bondapak C18 column using methanol--0.5% ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (8:3) as a mobile phase. The proposed method proved to be applicable to the quantitation of 17-ketosteroid sulphates with satisfactory sensitivity and reliability, providing a quantitation limit of 80 ng/ml and coefficient of variation of 4%. A good correlation was observed between the values obtained by the present method and radioimmunoassay for dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate in serum.     

Rapid determination of quinidine in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

A sensitive and specific method for the determination of quinidine in plasma is described. Quinidine is extracted with chloroform, the extract is evaporated and reconstituted with methanol and the methanol extract is analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography using a silica gel column. The recovery of quinidine from plasma varied between 93.0 to 100%. Quinidine levels as low as 12 ng/ml can be detected by this method.     

Determination of fendiline in human plasma by means of capillary gas chromatography and nitrogen-phosphorus selective detection.

A sensitive and specific method for the determination of fendiline in human plasma is presented. Fendiline was extracted from human plasma after the addition of phosphate buffer two times with 4 ml of n-hexane. The organic phase was separated and evaporated to dryness at 40 degrees C under a stream of nitrogen. The residue was dissolved and an aliquot was injected into the gas chromatograph. Chromatographic separation was performed with a DB-1 column with helium as carrier gas. Nitrogen-selective detection was performed. Quantification was performed with the signal output. The limit of detection was 1 ng/ml of plasma.     

Solid-phase extraction and determination of dansyl derivatives of unconjugated and acetylated polyamines by reversed-phase liquid chromatography: improved separation systems for polyamines in cerebrospinal fluid, urine and tissue

A sensitive and simple liquid chromatographic assay with fluorometric detection for unconjugated and acetylated polyamines in biological fluids is described. After precolumn derivatization with dansyl chloride, unconjugated polyamines and acetylated polyamines were extracted by elution from a Bond-Elut C18 column and then separated on a reversed-phase column with gradient elution. The complete analysis of unconjugated putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in either hydrolyzed urine, cerebrospinal fluid or tissue could be accomplished within 20-26 min, while the simultaneous analysis of unconjugated polyamines and monoacetylpolyamines could be completed within 40 min. Unhydrolyzed urine and cerebrospinal fluid required a Bond-Elut cation-exchange clean-up before dansylation. Standard curves for the assay were linear up to 20 nmol/ml, and the within-day and day-to-day coefficients of variation were between 1.1 and 4.6% and between 1.6 and 11.8%, respectively. Results obtained with the method were compared with results obtained with a well established modified amino acid analyzer method for urine, tissue and cerebrospinal fluid samples. The correlation coefficients between these two methods were in the range 0.933-0.996. Detection limits between 50 and 150 fmol were achieved for unconjugated and acetylated polyamines. Of more than twenty drugs and amines tested for possible interference with the assay, only normetanephrine was found to have the same retention time as the internal standard 1,6-diaminohexane.     

Radioimmunoassay of Plasma Dehydroepiandrosterone

Abstract

This report describes a radioimmunoassoy method for measurement of unconjugated dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in plasma. Utilizing a highly specific DHEA antiserum combined with a one step celite microcolumn chromatographic system, we have measured this steroid accurately in small aliquots of plasma from both male and female subjects. The mean value for both male and nonpregnant females was 2.7 ng/ml. The values for third trimester pregnant females ranged from 0.5 ng/ml to 12.5 ng/ml. When plasma DHEA was measured over a complete menstrual cycle, the levels were higher during the early and latter parts of that cycle than at midcycle. One male subiect, studied over a 24 hour period for diurnal variation, demonstrated highest DHEA levels during the early morning.     

Determination of acyclovir in horse plasma and body fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with fluorescence detection and heated electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Two methods are presented for the determination of 'respectively' the plasma protein unbound and total concentration of acyclovir in horse plasma and body fluids: first, a liquid-liquid extraction was performed on plasma, combined with HPLC-fluorescence detection for the total plasma concentration; second a more sensitive method using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with heated electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HESI-MS/MS) was described for plasma and for body fluids analysis. To obtain the unbound concentration of acyclovir in plasma, a simple deproteinization step using a Microcon filter was performed. Ganciclovir was used as an internal standard. Analysis was carried out on an Inertsil 5 ODS-3 column for the HPLC-fluorescence method. For the LC-HESI-MS/MS method a PLRP-S column was used. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for the total concentration was set at 50 and 2 ng mL(-1) for the HPLC-fluorescence method and the LC-HESI-MS/MS method, respectively. The limit of quantification for the unbound concentration was set at 5 ng mL(-1) and at 2 ng mL(-1) for body fluids. The methods were successfully used to perform pharmacokinetic and clinical studies in horses after intravenous and oral dosage of acyclovir and its prodrug valacyclovir.     

Rapid HPLC measurement of buflomedil in plasma in poisoning cases

A rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of buflomedil in human plasma is described. It requires a single liquid-liquid extraction step from 1 mL of plasma with diethyl ether followed by chromatography on a Nova Pak C(18) reversed-phase column and detection by ultaviolet light. Metoclopramide was used as internal standard. The method is sensitive with a quantification limit at 500 ng/mL. It was used for the determination of buflomedil in biological fluids in poisoning cases.     

Determination of deoxyspergualin by gas chromatography-selected-ion monitoring

A gas chromatographic-selected-ion monitoring method was developed for the sensitive and specific determination of deoxyspergualin in dog plasma using a capillary column and a C8-amide homologue of deoxyspergualin as an internal standard. Extraction and purification of deoxyspergualin from its constituents, 7-guanidinoheptanamide and glyoxylylspermidine, and its possible metabolites was achieved by using CM-Sephadex C-25 column chromatography with stepwise elution with sodium chloride solution. Treatment of deoxyspergualin with acetylacetone resulted in the formation of the volatile pyrimidine derivative of 7-guanidinoheptanamide accompanying hydrolytic cleavage in the alpha-hydroxyglycine moiety of deoxyspergualin. Deoxyspergualin could be determined in a concentration of 10 ng/ml in plasma. The method was applied to the determination of deoxyspergualin in plasma during and after intravenous infusion into dogs.     

Determination of three metabolites of a new angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, imidapril, in plasma and urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using multiple ion detection.

A specific and sensitive gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for the determination of three metabolites of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, imidapril, in plasma and urine was developed. The metabolites were isolated from plasma and urine using a Bond Elut C18 solid-phase extraction cartridge. The isolated metabolites were converted to sensitive derivatives by pentafluorobenzyl bromide and heptafluoro-n-butyric acid anhydride. Following derivatization, the sample solutions were analysed by wide-bore column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with multiple ion detection. The detection limits of the three metabolites were each 1 ng/ml in plasma and 5 ng/ml in urine. Analysis of the spiked plasma and urine samples demonstrated the good accuracy and precision of the method. This method was very useful for use in pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies of the three metabolites of imidapril in humans.     

Simultaneous determination of codeine and chlorpheniramine in human plasma by capillary column gas chromatography

A specific and highly sensitive capillary column gas chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of codeine and chlorpheniramine in human plasma. The method involves a solvent extraction and analysis by capillary column gas chromatography on a cross-linked 50% phenylmethyl silicone fused-silica capillary column with flame thermionic detection. A 10% solution of n-butanol in toluene was used as extraction medium and pyrilamine was used as internal standard. Reproducibility, linearity of calibration curves and specificity were all satisfactory with both drugs. The plasma concentration of codeine and chlorpheniramine could be measured at levels down to 0.9 ng/ml as codeine phosphate and 0.4 ng/ml as chlorpheniramine maleate, respectively. The method was applied to plasma samples from normal volunteers, and was confirmed to be adequate for biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic studies.     

Determination of Ro 14-1761, a new third-generation cephalosporin, in the plasma and milk of cattle by column switching high-performance liquid chromatography

A sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure was developed for the determination of the third-generation cephalosporin Ro 14-1761 in cow plasma and milk. The molecular structure of the new antimicrobial was very close to that of ceftriaxone, but the high-performance liquid chromatographic methods available for the latter could not be used as Ro 14-1761 adsorbed and/or degraded during the chromatographic process. Furthermore, the high-performance liquid chromatographic technique derived for ceftriaxone was not sensitive enough for our purposes. In the new assay, the plasma (milk) protein was precipitated with acetonitrile after dilution of the sample with water. For low concentrations (less than or equal to 10 micrograms/ml), the supernatant obtained after centrifugation was concentrated by extracting acetonitrile with methylene chloride. Quantification was performed by column switching high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (274 nm) using ion-pair reversed-phase chromatography. Ethylenediaminotetraacetic sodium salt had to be added to the mobile phase (1.2 mM) to prevent adsorption and/or degradation of the cephalosporin on the analytical column. The selectivity of the chromatographic separation was enhanced by heating the column to ca. 50 degrees C. The drug recovery was better than 85%. The limit for quantitative determination in both milk and plasma was 0.1 microgram of Ro 14-1761 per millilitre with an accuracy of 1% (coefficient of variation 10%). The overall accuracy and precision were 1-10% in the 0.1-100 micrograms/ml concentration range.     

Determination of bencyclane in human plasma by means of capillary gas chromatography and nitrogen-phosphorus selective detection

A sensitive and specific method for the determination of bencyclane in human plasma is presented. Bencyclane was extracted from human plasma with two 3-ml volumes of isooctane and was shaken for 10 min. The organic phase was separated and evaporated to dryness at 40 degrees C under a nitrogen stream. The residue was dissolved and an aliquot was injected into the gas chromatograph. The separation was performed with a DB-17 column with helium as the carrier gas. Nitrogen-selective detection was performed. The quantification was performed with the signal output. The limit of detection was 1 ng/ml.     

Capillary column gas chromatographic method using electron-capture detection for the simultaneous determination of nicardipine and its pyridine metabolite II in plasma

A rapid, specific and direct method based on capillary column gas chromatography with electron-capture detection is described for the simultaneous determination of nicardipine, a new calcium antagonist, and its pyridine metabolite II in human plasma. In this method, the nicardipine, its pyridine metabolite II and internal standard are extracted from the plasma and then partially purified by acid-base partitioning prior to the final injection onto the capillary column gas chromatograph for quantification by means of an electron-capture detector. The quantification limit of the method is 1 ng/ml of plasma for both nicardipine and its pyridine metabolite II. The coefficients of variation for nicardipine and the pyridine metabolite II at concentrations of 1-50 ng/ml are less than 7% and less than 9% (n = 4), respectively. The method has been validated against a previously developed high-performance liquid chromatographic method (sensitivity 5 ng/ml).     

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.