Bromazepam determination in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry: a highly sensitive and specific tool for bioequivalence studies

A rapid, sensitive and specific method to quantify bromazepam in human plasma using diazepam as the internal standard (IS) is described. The analyte and the IS were extracted from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction using diethyl ether-hexane (80 : 20, v/v). The extracts were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Chromatography was performed isocratically on a Genesis C(18) analytical column (100 x 2.1 mm i.d., film thickness 4 microm). The method had a chromatographic run time of 5.0 min and a linear calibration curve over the range 5.0-150 ng ml(-1) (r(2) > 0.9952). The limit of quantification was 5 ng ml(-1). This HPLC/MS/MS procedure was used to assess the bioequivalence of two bromazepam 6 mg tablet formulations (bromazepam from Medley SA Indústria Farmacêutica as the test formulation and Lexotan from Produtos Roche Químico e Farmacêutico SA as the reference formulation). A single 6 mg dose of each formulation was administered to 24 healthy volunteers (12 males and 12 females). The study was conducted using an open, randomized, two-period crossover design with a 3 week washout interval. Since the 90% CI for C(max), AUC(last), AUC(0-240 h) (linear) and AUC((0- infinity )) ratios were all inside the 80-125% interval proposed by the US Food and Drug Administration, it was concluded that the bromazepam formulation from Medley is bioequivalent to the Lexotan formulation for both the rate and the extent of absorption.