High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of amphotericin B in plasma, blood, urine and tissues for pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies.

A sensitive and reproducible high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed to assay ampherotericin B in plasma, blood, urine and various tissue samples. Amphotericin B was isolated from each sample matrix by solid-phase extraction (Bond-Elut). The eluate from Bond-Elut containing amphotericin B was injected onto a reversed-phase C18 column (Waters, mu Bondpak, 10 microns, 300 mm x 3.9 mm I.D.) with a mobile phase of 45% acetonitrile in 2.5 mM Na2EDTA at 1 ml/min. Detection of amphotericin B was by ultraviolet absorption at 382 nm. Blood and tissues were homogenized and extracted with methanol prior to Bond-Elut extraction. The extraction efficiencies of amphotericin B from plasma, blood and tissues were approximately 90, 70 and 75%, respectively. The sensitivity of the assay was less than or equal to 5 ng/ml for plasma, less than or equal to 25 ng/ml for blood, 2.5 ng/ml for urine and 50 ng/g for tissues. The linearity of the assay method was up to 2.5 micrograms/ml for plasma, 5 micrograms/ml for blood, 500 ng/ml for urine and 500 micrograms/g for tissues. The assay was reproducible with an intra-day coefficient of variation (C.V., n = 3) of less than 5% in general for plasma, blood and tissues. The inter-day C.V. of the assay was less than 5% for plasma (n = 5), less than 10% for blood (n = 4) and less than 5% for tissues (n = 3). The overall variability in the urine assay was generally less than 10%. This method has demonstrated significant improvement in the sensitivity and reproducibility in assaying amphotericin B in plasma and especially in blood, urine and tissues. We have employed this assay to compare the pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution profiles of amphotericin B in rats and dogs following administration of Fungizone and ABCD (amphotericin B-cholesteryl sulfate colloidal dispersion), a lipid-based dosage form. In addition, the assay method for plasma and urine samples can also be applied to pharmacokinetics studies of amphotericin B in man.     

Sensitive determination of piritramide in human plasma by gas chromatography.

A selective and sensitive method for the determination of piritramide in human plasma is described. A 1-ml aliquot of plasma was extracted with 10 ml of hexane-isoamyl alcohol (99.5:0.5, v/v) (extraction efficiency 86%) after addition of 50 microliters of 2 M ammonia and 20 microliters of aqueous strychnine solution (100 ng per 10 microliters) as internal standard. Gas chromatography was performed with J&W DB-1, 30 m x 0.53 mm I.D. separation column, film thickness 1.5 microns, using an nitrogen-phosphorus-sensitive detector. The assay was linear in the concentration range 3.75-2250 ng/ml (r = 0.999), with a lower limit of detection of 1-2 ng/ml. The precision was determined using spiked plasma samples (10 and 50 ng/ml), with coefficients of variation of 3.5 and 3.1% (intra-day; n = 5) and 4.6 and 4.1% (inter-day; n = 4). In the range 3.75-150 ng/ml, the accuracy of the assay was 3.36%. The method was used for the determination of piritramide plasma concentrations in patients receiving intra- or post-operative analgesia.     

The Determination of a New Trifluorinated Quinolone,Fleroxacin, Its N-Demethyl,and N-Oxide Metabolites in Plasma and Urine by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection

Abstract

A liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of the new fluoroquinolone Ro 23–6240 and its N-demethyl and N-oxide metabolites in plasma and urine. The three substances were extracted from aqueous solution with dichloromethane/isopropanol containing sodium dodecyl sulphate. After evaporation and reconstitution, samples were analysed on a reversed-phase column using ion pair chromatography and fluorescence detection. The limit of quantification was 10–20 ng/ml (RSD 4%) using a 0.5 ml plasma sample, and the inter assay precision was 3–10% over the concentration range 50 ng/ml to 20 μg/ml. Recovery from plasma was 81% (RSD 10%) over the range 10 ng/ml to 5 μg/ml. The method has been applied successfully to the analysis of several thousand samples from human pharmacokinetic studies. Care has to be taken to avoid exposure of samples to direct sunlight, and the use of opaque vessels for sample storage and handling is recommended.     

Bioanalysis of the investigational anti-tumour drug 5,10-dideaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with ultraviolet detection at 278 nm is presented for the determination of 5,10-dideaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid in plasma. Sample pretreatment was achieved by using cation-exchange solid-phase extraction columns with methotrexate as internal standard. Chromatographic separation was based on ion-pair HPLC with 1-octanesulphonic acid as the ion-pairing compound. The detection limit was 10 ng/ml using an 500-microliters sample volume. The assay was linear from the detection limit up to 5000 ng/ml with good reproducibility. The applicability of the assay was demonstrated in a study in the rat.     

A Direct and Sensitive Method for the Determination of Salicylamide in Microplasma Samples by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Using Fluorescence Detection

Abstract

A quantitative analysis of salicylamide in microplasma volumes by high-performance 1iquid chromatography using fluorescence detection is reported. The procedure is extremely simple and very rapid, involving the direct introduction of the plasma sample on the HPLC column. The assay procedure is linear over the concentration range studied, 0–100 ng/ml with correlation coefficient for the linear regression, r = 0.998. This assay procedure enables the detection of salicylamide as low as 5.0 ng/ml in plasma, using sample volume of 100 μl.     

Sensitive Determination of Piritramide in Human Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

A selective and sensitive method for the determination of piritramide in human plasma is described. After addition of 50 μl of 2 M ammonia and 20 μl of aqueous promethazine solution (100 ng/10 μ1) as an internal standard, 1 ml of plasma was extracted with 5 ml of toluene (extraction efficiency: 93.9 × 2.6%; mean × S. D.; n = 5). HPLC was performed with a phenyl hypersil NC-04 column, particle size 5 μm, 250 × 4 mm I. D.; mobile phase: 8 parts of acetonitrile and 2 parts of 10 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 3. 3). The flow rate was set to 2 ml/min and the column temperature was 22°C. The assay was linear in a concentration range of 3.75 ? 3000 ng/ml (r = 0.999), with a lower limit of detection of 3 ng/ml. The precision was determined using spiked plasma samples (15 ng/ml; 300 ng/ml), with coefficients of variation of 6.1 and 5.9% (intraday; n = 5) and 6.5 and 0.2% (interday; n = 3). In the range of 5.6 ? 1500 ng/ml, the accuracy of the assay was 2.82%. The method was used for the determination of piritramide plasma concentrations in patients receiving intra- or postoperative analgesia.     

Determination of famotidine in low-volume human plasma by normal-phase liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A rapid, sensitive and robust assay procedure using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) for the determination of famotidine in human plasma and urine is described. Famotidine and the internal standard were isolated from plasma samples by cation-exchange solid-phase extraction with benzenesulfonic acid (SCX) cartridges. The urine assay used direct injection of a diluted urine sample. The chromatographic separation was accomplished by using a BDS Hypersil silica column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-water containing trifluoroacetic acid. The MS/MS detection of the analytes was set in the positive ionization mode using electrospray ionization for sample introduction. The analyte and internal standard precursor-product ion combinations were monitored in the multiple-reaction monitoring mode. Assay calibration curves were linear in the concentration range 0.5--500 ng ml(-1) and 0.05--50 microg ml(-1) in plasma and urine, respectively. For the plasma assay, a 100 microl sample aliquot was subjected to extraction. To perform the urine assay, a 50 microl sample aliquot was used. The intra-day relative standard deviations at all concentration levels were <10%. The inter-day consistency was assessed by running quality control samples during each daily run. The limit of quantification was 0.5 ng ml(-1) in plasma and 0.05 microg ml(-1) in urine. The methods were utilized to support clinical pharmacokinetic studies in infants aged 0-12 months.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic measurement of 8-methoxypsoralen in plasma

Summary A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the measurement of 8-Methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) in human plasma following a single 40mg dose has been described. After addition of phosphate-NaOH buffer, pH 12, and internal standard (trimethylpsoralen), the sample is vortex-mixed with diisopropylether. The resulting extract is analysed on a reverse phase column using phosphoric acid (0.05% v/v): acetonitrile (1:1) as mobile phase, and U.V. detection at 220nm. No interference from endogenous sources has been observed. The limit of sensitivity of the assay is 5ng/ml plasma. The measuring range is between 10–700ng 8-MOP/ml plasma, to be expected from oral doses of 0.6mg 8-MOP/kg body weight, and corresponds to the therapeutic plasma concentration. The relative standard deviation at 50ng/ml level of 8-MOP is 3.6%.     

Quantitative analysis of gemcitabine triphosphate in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells using weak anion-exchange liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

Gemcitabine triphosphate (dFdCTP) is a highly active metabolite of gemcitabine. It is formed intra-cellularly via the phosphorylation of gemcitabine by deoxycytidine kinase. The monitoring of dFdCTP in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), in addition to plasma concentrations of gemcitabine and its metabolite 2',2'-difluorodeoxyuridine, is considered very useful in determining pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships.We describe a novel sensitive assay for the quantification of dFdCTP in human PBMCs. The method is based on weak anion-exchange liquid chromatography and detection with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The assay has been validated from 1 ng/ml (lower limit of quantification, LLOQ) to 25 ng/ml (upper limit of quantification, ULOQ) using 180 microl aliquots of PBMC extracts containing approximately 0.648 mg protein or 3.8 x 10(6) lysed PBMCs. The LLOQ is equivalent to 94 fmol/10(6) cells (1 ng/ml = 0.18 ng/180 microl or 0.18 ng/0.648 mg protein = 0.047 ng/10(6) cells or 94 fmol/10(6) cells). This highly sensitive assay is capable of quantifying about 200-fold lower concentrations of dFdCTP in human PBMCs than currently available methods.     

Selective extraction of salbutamol from human plasma with the use of phenylboronic acid

An investigation was conducted on the usage of a single-step extraction procedure involving the retention of a phenylboronate-salbutamol complex on an end-capped C18 solid-phase sorbent to determine the level of salbutamol in human plasma samples. Propranolol, a beta-blocker, was chosen as the internal standard for this assay. In this solid-phase clean-up method, 50 mM sodium carbonate buffer, pH 9.60, was used for conditioning the column as well as washing the endogenous interference. Under the optimal conditions, the recovery of salbutamol from spiked plasma samples was found to be high and reproducible with mean recoveries (n = 3) of more than 90% after elution by using 50% 1 M trifluoroacetic acid in methanol. This sample clean-up step was effectively analyzed under reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection. The method was successfully applied to the routine measurement of salbutamol in human plasma from the bioequivalence study on the different administration route of salbutamol. Quantification of salbutamol was convincingly reported with the correlation of coefficient of 0.9980 for the concentration range from 0 to 1000 ng ml(-1). An adequate precision was achieved with both between- and within-day precisions of less than 10% (n = 6) for 100 and 1000 ng ml(-1) and less than 15% (n = 6) for 10 ng ml(-1).     

Assay of vecuronium in plasma using solid-phase extraction, high-performance liquid chromatography and post-column ion-pair extraction with fluorimetric detection

An assay has been developed and validated for the routine monitoring of vecuronium in plasma. It consists of solid-phase extraction using C18 disposables as sample pre-treatment, high-performance liquid chromatography and post-column ion-pair extraction with fluorimetric detection. The fluorescent anion 9,10-dimethoxyanthracene-2-sulphonate (DAS) is used as the counter ion. The detection limit is ca. 5 ng/ml in plasma with a signal-to-noise ratio of 10. The assay is also applicable for monitoring vecuronium and its potential metabolites in other biological media, e.g., urine, bile and tissue (liver, kidney) homogenates.     

Direct analysis of the dopamine agonist (-)-2-(N-propyl-N-2-thienylethylamino)-5-hydroxytetralin hydrochloride in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography using two-dimensional column switching.

A reversed-phase, two-dimensional, liquid chromatographic method incorporating column switching and electrochemical detection was used for the direct analysis of the dopamine (D2) agonist (-)-2-(N-propyl-N-2-thienylethylamino)-5-hydroxytetralin hydrochloride in plasma. Sample work-up consisted of addition of internal standard, filtration, then direct injection of the plasma sample onto an internal surface reversed-phase (ISRP) guard column where the dopamine agonist and internal standard were separated from plasma proteins. An automated pneumatic valve was then used to switch to a stronger eluent which stripped the retained substances from the ISRP support onto a C18 analytical column where the analytes were separated from endogenous biological interferences. A dual-electrode electrochemical detector was used to minimize interferences and provide the desired sensitivity. The method has a detection limit of 1.5 ng/ml and requires a total assay time of 20 min per plasma sample. The method is linear from 1.5 to 1000 ng/ml and yielded greater than 80% drug recovery for plasma concentrations greater than 10 ng/ml. Precision for the method at 100 ng/ml yielded a relative standard deviation of 4.4%. Reproducibility was within 6.5% on a 20 ng/ml spiked plasma sample assayed on different days by different people. The method has successfully been applied to human plasma samples and for pharmacokinetic studies in rats and monkeys.     

Determination of fluorescent trypanocidal diamidines by quantitative thin-layer chromatography

The fluorescent trypanocidal diamidines 2-(4-amidinophenyl)indole-6-carboxamidine dihydrochloride (I, DAPI), 2-(4-amidinophenyl)benzo[b]thiophene-6-carboxamidine dihydrochloride (II) and 2-(4-amidinophenyl)-1-benzofurane-5-carboxamidine dihydrochloride (III) were determined in plasma, urine, faeces and tissues of experimental animals using quantitative thin-layer chromatography. Samples were extracted with n-octanol after addition of sodium hydroxide and subsequently re-extracted into 0.1 M hydrochloric acid. Chromatography was performed on silica gel plates under nitrogen with n-butanol saturated with 2 M hydrochloric acid. Quantitation was performed by measuring native fluorescence using a fluorodensitometer. The respective diamidines were used as internal standards for each other to ensure precision (coefficient of variation less than 7%) and accuracy of the assay. Calibration curves were linear up to 150 ng/ml of sample solution with detection limits of 10 ng/ml of sample solution for I and III and 50 ng/ml for II. The described method has been successfully used for pharmacokinetic studies in experimental animals.     

Novel assay method for mitoxantrone in plasma, and its application in cancer patients

Mitoxantrone is an anthracene derivative that acts as a cytostatic in a variety of cancers. A quantitative analytical method has been established for the determination of mitoxantrone in plasma. The method employed C18 reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography with an isocratic mobile phase of 50.0% methanol in 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 3.0) plus 0.09% 1-pentanesulphonic acid and ultraviolet detection. Sample preparation consisted of two extraction steps using same organic solvent system at different pH to remove plasma impurities efficiently. Potential adsorption of mitoxantrone onto glassware was considered. Silanization of all glassware with 5% dichlorodimethylsilane in chloroform increased the extraction recovery in plasma from 50 to 85% with high reproducibility. Mitoxantrone was unstable in human plasma. To maintain plasma sample integrity, each millilitre of sample should be fortified with 0.1 ml of 5% vitamin C (in citrate buffer) and kept frozen until analysis. Using this new method, the calibration curve of mitoxantrone in plasma in the range of interest (1-500 ng/ml) showed good linearity (r = 0.996) and precision (both between-day and within-day coefficients of variation less than 10%). The lower detection limit of this assay method was 1 ng. The application of this method allowed us to study the stability of mitoxantrone in plasma, and the pharmacokinetics of mitoxantrone in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving 12 mg/m2. The study revealed a prolonged terminal phase half-life for mitoxantrone.     

Determination of the retinoid (E)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-6-(1-methyl-2- phenylethenyl)naphthalene and its phenolic metabolite in human plasma by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid, sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatographic assay was developed for the determination in plasma of (E)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-6-(1-methyl-2- phenylethenyl)naphthalene (1) and its phenolic metabolite (E)-4-[2-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthalenyl)-2- methylethenyl]-phenol (2). An extraction procedure using protein precipitation and liquid-liquid extraction was combined with a simple column-switching technique. To minimize sample consumption, the assay was adapted to a sample volume of 200 microliters, which was sufficient for more than 90% of all determinations. The quantification limit was 100 ng/ml for 1 and 2, whereas the detection limits were 20 and 30 ng/ml, respectively. The recoveries for 1 and 2 were 91 and 94%, respectively, using ultraviolet detection at 280 nm. The assay was used to quantify both compounds in human plasma samples.     

Analysis of erythromycin in biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic assay was developed for the quantitative determination of major erythromycin components and their potential metabolites or degradation products in plasma and urine. An ether extract of alkalized plasma sample was chromatographed on a reversed-phase column and the components in the column effluent were monitored by an electrochemical detector. The recovery of the drug from extraction was virtually 100%. The detection limits for erythromycin A in plasma were 5-10 ng/ml and 30 ng/ml using 1 and 0.2 ml of sample, respectively. For urine samples, a simple one-step deproteinization with two volumes of acetonitrile was satisfactory for analysis. The method has been evaluated in plasma and urine from dogs receiving oral or intravenous erythromycin A. The standard curves for potential metabolites or degradation products were not constructed due to the lack of sufficient samples.     

Determination of bepridil in biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid, selective and sensitive assay has been developed for the determination of the anti-anginal drug, bepridil, in biological samples. The lowest concentration of bepridil which can be measured accurately and precisely in a 2-ml plasma or urine sample is 10 ng/ml. The standard curve is linear in the concentration range 10-2000 ng/ml. Accuracy and precision of the assay, expressed as relative deviation and coefficient of variation (inter-run) are less than 6.5% at all concentrations in the linear range. No interfering peaks are observed. Using an automatic injector and a laboratory computer system, 48 samples are analyzed routinely in an 8-h day.     

Sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of pirenzepine in plasma

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of pirenzepine in human plasma is reported using imipramine as an internal standard. The assay has a lower limit of detection of 2.5 ng/ml. The calibration function is found to be linear in the range from 5 ng/ml up to at least 100 ng/ml. Two sets of chromatographic conditions are described, which provide different chromatographic selectivities for the separation of the compounds of interest from other material present in a sample.     

Determination of stavudine, a new antiretroviral agent, in human plasma by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.

A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic assay has been developed to determine the levels of a new antiretroviral agent, stavudine (2',3'-didehydro-3'-deoxythymidine, d4T), in human plasma. Didanosine (2',3'-dideoxyinosine, ddI) was used as the internal standard. The very selective sample pretreatment involved solid-phase extraction using silica gel columns. Chromatography was carried out on a mu Bondapak phenyl column, using a mobile phase of 0.005 M phosphate buffer (pH 6.8)-methanol (90:10, v/v) and ultraviolet detection at 265 nm. The method has been validated, and stability tests under various conditions have been performed. The detection limit is 10 ng/ml (using 500-microliters human plasma samples). The bioanalytical assay has been used in a single pharmacokinetic experiment in a rat to investigate the applicability of the method in vivo.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay for mitoxantrone in plasma using electrochemical detection

A sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay was developed for the quantitation of mitoxantrone in plasma using electrochemical detection. Bisantrene was chosen as the internal standard. A reversed-phase, 10-microns muBondapak C18 analytical column (30 cm X 3.9 mm) with an isocratic mobile phase of 28% acetonitrile in 80 mM sodium formate buffer (pH 3.0) was used. The eluent was monitored by both electrochemical detection at an applied potential of +0.75 V vs. Ag/AgCl and visible absorbance at 660 nm. Only electrochemical detection was able to quantitate the internal standard and provided ten times higher sensitivity than visible absorbance for mitoxantrone with a detection limit as low as 0.1 ng/ml. Calibration curves in the range 0.1-1000 ng/ml showed good linearity (r = 0.998) and precision (coefficient of variation less than 10%). This HPLC method utilized a reproducible and inexpensive liquid-liquid extraction procedure. Using methylene chloride, the extraction efficacy of mitoxantrone from plasma was 85.3% with a coefficient of variation less than 2.1%. This new assay was then applied to measure mitoxantrone concentrations in plasma obtained from two leukemic patients receiving 12 mg/m2 mitoxantrone as a 1-h infusion.