High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Assay with Ultraviolet Detection for the Analysis of BW 1370U87 and Its Two Major Metabolites in Human Plasma

Abstract

A sensitive and selective high performance liquid chromatographic assay with UV detection was developed for the analysis of BW 1370U87, a novel MAO-A inhibitor, and its major metabolites, BW 183U88 and BW 1003U88 in human plasma. The compounds were isolated from plasma by liquid extraction with methyl-t-butyl ether. The extracts were chromatographed on a LiChrospher 100 RP-8 column (4.6 mm × 25 cm) using a gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-water containing 0.025% phosphoric acid (25:75, v/v, initial conditions increasing to 40:60, v/v, over 25 min). The compounds were detected at 226 nm with a lower limit of quantitation of 10 ng/ml. The accuracy and precision of the assay, expressed as the percent deviation of measured values from true values and the percent coefficient of variation, respectively, were < 8%, at all concentrations. The assay has been successfully applied to the analysis of samples from a clinical pharmacokinetic study in man.