HPLC-MS/MS analysis of anthocyanins in human plasma and urine using protein precipitation and dilute-and-shoot sample preparation methods, respectively.

A high-performance liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method has been developed to analyze anthocyanins in urine and plasma to further understand their absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion. The method employed a Synergi RP-Max column (250 × 4.6 mm, 4 µm) and an API 4000 mass spectrometer. A gradient elution system consisted of mobile phase A (water-1% formic acid) and mobile phase B (acetonitrile) with a flow rate of 0.60 mL/min. The gradient was initiated at 5% B, increased to 21% B at 20 min, and then increased to 40% B at 35 min. The analysis of anthocyanins presents a challenge because of the poor stability of anthocyanins during sample preparation, especially during solvent evaporation. In this method, the degradation of anthocyanins was minimized using protein precipitation and dilute-and-shoot and sample preparation methods for plasma and urine, respectively. No interferences were observed from endogenous compounds. The method has been used to analyze anthocyanin concentrations in urine and plasma samples from volunteers administered saskatoon berries. Cyanidin-3-galactoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-xyloside and quercetin-3-galactoside, the five major flavonoid components in saskatoon berries, were identified in plasma and urine samples.

In vitro characterization of the oxidation of a pyridinium metabolite of haloperidol by human placenta: the effect of smoking.

PURPOSE: The antipsychotic drug haloperidol can be metabolised to pyridinium metabolites haloperidol pyridinium (HP+) and reduced haloperidol pyridinium (RHP+). These pyridinium metabolites were proposed to contribute to the extrapyramidal side effects of haloperidol, because they are structural analogues of N-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), a well-known neurotoxin. RHP+ can be oxidized to HP+ by CYP1A1. In the current study, the oxidation of RHP+ to HP+ was investigated using human placenta microsomal preparations which contain relatively high levels of CYP1A1. METHODS: Cytochrome P450 isoenzymes responsible for the metabolism of RHP+ were characterized in vitro using human placenta microsomal preparations from smokers and non-smokers. RESULTS: A comparison of the metabolic activities between smokers and non-smokers suggests that smokers had higher activities for the oxidation of RHP+. A selective antibody against CYP1A1 was a partial inhibitor of RHP+ oxidase in placenta from smokers but had no effect in placenta from non-smokers. Furafylline and ketokonazole were shown to be stronger inhibitors of the oxidation of RHP+ to HP+ in liver than in placenta. This seems to indicate important contributions of CYP1A1 and CYP3A7 as compared to CYP1A2 and CYP3A4, respectively, because furafylline and ketokonazole are stronger inhibitors of CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 than CYP1A1 and CYP3A7, respectively. Interestingly, α-naphathoflavone enhanced the metabolic activity in liver microsomes due to its activator effect on CYP3A4. On the other hand, α-naphathoflavone partially inhibited the activity in placenta microsomes, indicating a role played by CYP1A1 or CYP1A2 in the oxidation of RHP+ in placenta. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that CYP1A1 plays an important role in the oxidation of RHP+ to HP+ in placenta from smokers. CYP3A7 and CYP3A4 could also play important roles in the metabolism of RHP+ in placenta microsomes. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see "For Readers") may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue's contents page.

Determination of metoprolol, and its four metabolites in dog plasma.

Metoprolol and its metabolites alpha-hydroxymetoprolol, O-desmethylmetoprolol, metoprolol acid and deaminated metoprolol were quantified in dog plasma using an isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic method (with a BetaBasic Cyano column) with fluorescence detection. A solid phase extraction technique (Oasis HLB, Waters) was used to extract metoprolol and its four metabolites from dog plasma with high recovery rates. The method was shown to be sensitive and reproducible and was used to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of metoprolol in dog. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only method that can extract and analyze metoprolol and its four metabolites in a single assay.

Determination of clozapine, and its metabolites, N-desmethylclozapine and clozapine N-oxide in dog plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Clozapine and its two major metabolites, N-desmethylclozapine and clozapine N-oxide were quantified using a high-performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection in dog plasma following a single dose of clozapine. The analysis was performed on a 5-micrometer Hypersil CN (CPS-1; 250x4.6 mm) column. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water-1 M ammonium acetate (50:49:1, v/v/v), which was adjusted to pH 5.0 with acetic acid. The detection wavelength was 254 nm. A liquid-liquid extraction technique was used to extract clozapine and its metabolites from dog plasma. The recovery rates for clozapine, N-desmethylclozapine, and the internal standard (I.S.) were close to 100% using this method. The recovery rate for clozapine N-oxide (62-66%) was lower as expected because it is more polar. The quantitation limits for clozapine, clozapine N-oxide, and N-desmethylclozapine were 0.11, 0.05 and 0.05 microM, respectively. Intra-day reproducibility for concentrations of 0.1, 1.0 and 5.0 microM were 10.0, 4.4 and 4.2%, respectively, for N-oxide; 11.2, 4.3 and 4.9%, respectively, for N-desmethylclozapine; and 10.8, 2.2 and 4.9%, respectively, for clozapine. Inter-day reproducibility was <15% for clozapine N-oxide, <8% for N-desmethylclozapine and <19% for clozapine. This simple method was applied to determine the plasma concentration profiles of clozapine, N-desmethylclozapine and clozapine N-oxide in dog following administration of a 10 mg/kg oral dose of clozapine.