LC Analysis of Isepamicin in Plasma Samples Post-Inhalation with Fluorescence Detection and Its Application to a Pharmacokinetic Study

Abstract

A simple and novel LC method has been developed for determination of isepamicin (ISP) in rat plasma, an aminoglycoside antibiotic agent. After protein precipitation and clean-up procedure to remove lipophilic contaminants, ISP is derivatized by pre-column with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate for fluorescence detection. Chromatographic separations are achieved using a C18 column and mobile phase consisting of water and acetonitrile (68/32, v/v). Amikacin was used as an internal standard. The calibration curve was linear over a concentration range of 0.625–15 μg mL−1. The limit of quantification was 0.45 μg mL−1. The intra- and inter-day variabilities of ISP were both less than 5%. Both derivatives were stable for at least a week at ambient condition. This assay procedure should have useful application in therapeutic drug monitoring of ISP. The limit of detection was 0.10 μg mL−1. The specificity, assay linearity, low level assay linearity and assay repeatability were also investigated. The established method provides a reliable bioanalytical method to carry out isepamicin pharmacokinetics in rat plasma.