Development and validation of a sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of narcotic analgesics in urine and whole blood in forensic context.

Narcotic analgesics are widely (ab) used and sometimes only occur in low concentrations in biological samples. Therefore, a highly sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for simultaneous analysis of 9 narcotic analgesics and metabolites (buprenorphine, O-desmethyltramadol, fentanyl, norbuprenorphine, norfentanyl, pethidine, piritramide, tilidine and tramadol) in urine and whole blood. Sample preparation was performed on a mixed-mode cation exchange solid phase extraction cartridge with an additional alkaline wash step to decrease matrix effects and thus increase sensitivity. Ionization with electrospray ionization was found to be more efficient than atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. The use of a mobile phase of high pH resulted in higher electrospray ionization signals than the conventional low pH mobile phases. In the final method, gradient elution with 10mM ammonium bicarbonate (pH 9) and methanol was performed on a small particle column (Acquity C18, 1.7 µm, 2.1 mm × 50 mm). Selectivity, matrix effects, recovery, linearity, sensitivity, precision, accuracy and stability were validated in urine and whole blood. All parameters were successfully evaluated and the method showed very high sensitivity, which was the major aim of this study. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by analysis of several forensic cases involving narcotic analgesics.

Rapid quantification of tilidine, nortilidine, and bisnortilidine in urine by automated online SPE-LC-MS/MS.

The opioid tilidine is a prodrug which is hepatically metabolized to active nortilidine and bisnortilidine. Due to the increasing abuse of tilidine by drug users and the lack of a specific immunoassay, we developed an analytical method for the quantification of tilidine, nortilidine, and bisnortilidine in urine suitable for screening. In a following step, this method was used to establish data on excretion kinetics of the substances in order to evaluate the time window of detection after a single oral dose of tilidine/naloxone and also was applied to authentic urine samples from correctional facilities. Urine samples were mixed with internal standard solution and extracted on a weak cation exchanger at pH 6 using a Symbiosis Pico system. The chromatographic separation was achieved within a 3.5-min run time on a Phenylhexyl column (50 × 2.0 mm, 5 µm) via gradient elution (methanol and 0.2% formic acid) at a flow rate of 0.50 mL/min. The ESI-MS/MS was performed on a QTrap 3,200 in positive multiple reaction monitoring mode using two mass transitions per analyte. Validating the method resulted in a lower limit of quantification of 1.0 µg/L followed by a linear calibration range to 100 µg/L for each analyte (r(2) > 0.99). The analytical method allowed the detection of a single dose of a commercially available tilidine solution up to 7 days after administration. Using this highly sensitive method, 55 of 3,665 urine samples were tested positive.

GLC determination of tilidine, nortilidine, and bisnortilidine in biological fluids with a nitrogen-sensitive detector.

A sensitive and specific GLC method is described to determine therapeutic levels of tilidine and its two main metabolites, nortilidine and bisnortilidine, in plasma and urine. The method involves the extraction of the compounds and an internal standard with cyclohexane from alkalinized samples, followed by back-extraction into 1 N HCl. The hydrochloric acid solution is evaporated to dryness. After liberation of the free bases with ammonia, the residue is subjected to GLC analysis with a nitrogen-phosphorus detector and a 1.8-m (6-ft) glass column packed with 1% CRS 101 and 1.5% LAC-4-R-886 on Gas Chrom Q. Sensitivity in plasma and urine is approximately 1 ng/ml for a 5-ml sample.

Gas-chromatographic determination of nanogram amounts of enantiomers of nortilidine, a main metabolite of tilidine, in biological specimens.

We report a specific and sensitive method for determination of the individual optical isomers of nortilidine, a main metabolite of tilidine, with the aid of a nitrogen-sensitive detector. With N-trifluoroacetyl-L-leucyl chloride as chiral reagent, the diastereomeric derivatives of the nortilidine enantiomers could be separated and quantified in the nanogram range. Under these conditions, the enantiomers of bisnortilidine, another main metabolite of tilidine, were also separated. Investigations in rats with the enantiomers of tilidine and nortilidine indicated that no racemization occurs during N-demethylation in the organism. After oral and intravenous administration of 50 mg of tilidine.HCI to a human volunteer, identical concentrations of nortilidine enantiomers were found in the plasma.

[Analog computer analysis of radioactivity kinetics in man following oral administration of tilidine HCl-14C]. / Analogrechneranalyse der Radioaktivitätskinetik beim Menschen nach oraler Gabe von Tilidin HCl-14-C

Models for studying the absorption and elimination kinetics of 14-C labelled DL-Ethyl-trans-2-dimethylamino-1-phenyl-cyclohex-3-ene-trans-1-carboxylate-hydrochloride (Tilidine - HCl, Valoron) are developed, based on the concentration vs. time of radioactivity in the plasma following a single oral administration in man. For this purpose, the average concentration values in the plasma of 3 healthy adults, as given by Vollmer and Poisson [12] were employed. 1. Two three-compartment-models were developed which simulate with sufficient accuracy the 14-C-Valoron concentration curve in the plasma. 2. Computer analysis enables one to determine the distribution of 14-C-Valoron among the intra- and extravasal compartments and the half life for absorption t1/2 equals 0.57 h, for transport from plasma into the extravasal compartment t1/2 equals 3.31 h, for resorption t1/2 equals 4.11 h, for elimination with feces t1/2 equals 29.5 h and for elimination in urine t1/2 equals 8.75 h. 3. The use of two different models allows one to draw conclusions concerning the participation of parenchymatous organs in storage and elimination. 4. The probable radioactivity curve is calculated for repeated oral application of 14-C-Valoron in 8 hours intervals.