Simultaneous determination of bentysrepinine (Y101) and its metabolites M8 and M9 in human plasma by UPLC–MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

Abstract

A rapid and highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method has been developed and validated for the determination of a novel anti-HBV compound Y101 and its metabolites M8 and M9 in human plasma. The plasma samples were deproteinated with acetonitrile after addition of Peramivir (internal standard, IS) and separated on a 40 °C ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 μm). The mobile phase consisted of water (containing 5 mM ammonium acetate and 0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile (74:26, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The detection was performed on a Triple Quad 5500 tandem mass spectrometer coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive mode. Quantification was conducted by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) of the transitions of m/z 490.1 → 339.0 for Y101, m/z 357.2 → 105.2 for metabolite M8, m/z 373.1 → 105.1 for metabolite M9 and m/z 329.1 → 270.2 for IS, respectively. The method was validated over the calibration curve range of 1.000–1000 ng/mL for Y101, 2.000–2000 ng/mL for metabolite M8 and 0.3000–300.0 ng/mL for metabolite M9, using linear regression and 1/x2 weighting. No matrix effect and carryover effect was observed. The intra- and inter-batch precision and accuracy of Y101, metabolite M8 and M9 were all within the acceptable criteria. This method allows a rapid and simple determination of Y101 and its metabolites M8 and M9 in human plasma. It was successfully applied in a pharmacokinetic study in human for the first time.