| Abstract: | Propafenone, a class Ic antiarrhythmic agent, is metabolized to 5‐hydroxypropafeone (5‐OHP) and N‐depropylpropafenone (NDPP). Simultaneous determination of serum propafenone and its metabolites was performed using HPLC equipped with a conventional octadecylsilyl silica column and ultraviolet detector. The wavelength was set at 250 nm. Propafenone and its metabolites in the serum were extracted using diethyl ether. The mobile phase solution, comprising 1‐pentanesulfonic acid sodium salt (0.1 m ), acetonitrile and acetic acid (280:185:2.5, v/v/v), was pumped at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The recoveries of propafenone, 5‐OHP and NDPP were greater than 85, 82 and 60%, respectively, with the coefficients of variation (CVs) less than 5.4, 1.9 and 2.9%, respectively. The calibration curves were linear for a concentration range of 12.5–1500 ng/mL for propafenone and 2–500 ng/mL for 5‐OHP and NDPP (r > 0.999). CVs in the intraday assays were 1.0–3.8% for propafenone, 0.6–2.0% for 5‐OHP and 0.6–1.7% for NDPP. CVs in interday assays were 1.3–7.7% for propafenone, 1.1–6.5% for 5‐OHP and 5.4–8.0% for NDPP. The present HPLC method can be used to assess the disposition of propafenone and its metabolites for pharmacokinetic studies and therapeutic drug monitoring of propafenone. |
