| Abstract: | We have developed and validated a fast and sensitive ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography with positive ion electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method for determining N‐ butylscopolamine levels in human plasma using propranolol as an internal standard. The acquisition was set up in the multiple reaction monitoring mode with the transitions m /z 360.3 → 138.0 for N‐ butylscopolamine and m /z 260.2 → 116.1 for IS. This method uses a liquid–liquid extraction process with dichloromethane. The analyte and IS were chromatographed on a C18, 50 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm column through isocratic elution with acetonitrile–5 mm ammonium acetate (adjusted to pH 3.0 with formic acid). The method was linear in the 1–1000 pg/mL range for N‐ butylscopolamine and was selective, precise, accurate and robust. The validated method was successfully applied to perform a bioequivalence study of the reference (Buscopan®, from Boehringer Ingelheim) and the test sample coated‐tablet formulations (from Foundation for Popular Remedy), both containing 10 mg of N‐ butylscopolamine bromide administered as a single dose. Using 58 healthy volunteers and accounting for the high intra‐individual variability confirmed by statistical calculations (38%), the two formulations were considered bioequivalent because the rate and extent of absorption (within 80–125% interval), satisfying international requirements. |
