Determination of linezolid in human serum and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography

An HPLC method is described for the determination of the new oxazolidinone antibiotic linezolid (I) in human biofluids. After precipitation of serum proteins with perchloric acid the protein free supernatant was separated by isocratic reversed-phase chromatography on a Nucleosil-100 5C18 column. The mobile phase consisted of a mixture of acetonitrile: sodium acetate buffer: water (180:100:720, v/v) adjusted to pH 3.7. Urine was diluted with aqueous buffer solution. The column eluate was monitored at 250 nm. Validation of the method yielded satisfactory results for serum (and urine); detection limit 0.07 mg/l (2.4), lower limit of quantitation 0.14 mg/l (4.7), linear range 20 mg/l (500), imprecision within series (c.v.) 1.8-2.5% (0.8-1.0), imprecision between series (c.v.) 1.8-9.3 (0.4-9.3), recovery 99-102% (93-103). Comparison of HPLC results with results obtained using a quantitative microbiological assay yielded acceptable agreement both for serum and urine. The method was successfully used in a pharmacokinetic study with human volunteers.