A new and simple solid-phase extraction method for LC determination of pyronaridine in human plasma

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Accurate quantification of antimalarial drugs in biological matrices is crucial for pharmacokinetic studies.
• Existing methods for pyronaridine (PND) determination may be time-consuming or require extensive sample preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a simple, rapid, and efficient solid-phase extraction (SPE) method for determining pyronaridine (PND) in human plasma.
• To establish a reliable analytical technique for supporting clinical pharmacokinetic investigations of PND.

Main Methods:

• Solid-phase extraction using a C18 sorbent for sample cleanup.
• Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for separation.
• Fluorescence detection (FLD) at specific excitation and emission wavelengths (λex=267 nm, λem=443 nm).

Main Results:

• Mean extraction recovery of PND was high, at 95.2%.
• The method demonstrated excellent precision and accuracy, with coefficients of variation below 10%.
• A low quantification limit of 0.010 μg/mL plasma was achieved using fluorescence detection.

Conclusions:

• The developed SPE-HPLC-FLD method is simple, rapid, and efficient for PND determination in human plasma.
• The method offers advantages in reduced solvent consumption and sample preparation time compared to existing techniques.
• This validated assay is suitable for application in clinical pharmacokinetic studies of pyronaridine.