Simultaneous quantification of emtricitabine and tenofovir in human plasma using high-performance liquid...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Accurate quantification of antiretroviral drugs is crucial for patient management.
• Existing methods may lack the sensitivity or simplicity required for routine clinical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a sensitive, accurate, and simple RP-HPLC assay for simultaneous determination of emtricitabine and tenofovir in human plasma.

Main Methods:

• Solid-phase extraction (SPE) using BOND ELUT-C18 columns for sample cleanup.
• RP-HPLC with an Atlantis dC-18 analytical column and a linear gradient elution.
• Detection via UV absorbance at specific wavelengths for emtricitabine, tenofovir, and an internal standard.

Main Results:

• High extraction efficiencies achieved: 100% for emtricitabine and 98.6% for tenofovir.
• Method validated for concentrations ranging from 10-10,000 ng/mL.
• Excellent accuracy (97-105%) and precision (1.7-5.2%) demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• The developed RP-HPLC assay is accurate, sensitive, and simple for quantifying emtricitabine and tenofovir in human plasma.
• The method's robustness makes it suitable for clinical pharmacokinetic studies.
• The assay is also efficient for therapeutic drug monitoring.