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Evaluation of solid-phase extraction of basic drugs from human milk
1Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Pharmaceutical Institute, Belgium.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Solid-phase extraction (SPE) using cyanopropyl or octadecyl sorbents can extract basic drugs from breast milk. While effective for many drugs, SPE is best used as part of a larger extraction strategy due to matrix interferences.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Pharmacology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Accurate quantification of basic drugs in human breast milk is crucial for infant safety.
- Existing analytical methods require efficient extraction techniques to overcome matrix complexities.
- Solid-phase extraction (SPE) offers a potential solution for isolating drugs from complex biological matrices like breast milk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of commercially available cyanopropyl (CN) and octadecyl (C18) sorbents for the solid-phase extraction of basic drugs from human breast milk.
- To compare the performance of CN and C18 SPE cartridges for drug recovery and precision.
- To assess the suitability of SPE as a standalone technique or as part of a multi-step extraction protocol for breast milk analysis.
Main Methods:
- Twenty basic drugs from various pharmacological classes were selected.
- A general solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure, adapted from plasma sample analysis, was applied.
- SPE utilized cyanopropyl and octadecyl cartridges, involving conditioning, sample loading, washing, and elution with a propylamine/methanol solution.
- Extracts were analyzed using reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC).
Main Results:
- Octadecyl (C18) cartridges demonstrated broader applicability due to better retention of basic compounds.
- Recoveries exceeding 70% were achieved for 14 out of 17 extracted drugs.
- Standard deviations for most drugs were comparable to those obtained for plasma samples (2-8%).
- Matrix compounds interfered with subsequent LC analysis for some drugs, particularly those at low concentrations.
Conclusions:
- SPE using CN or C18 sorbents is a valuable component of an extraction strategy for basic drugs in breast milk.
- SPE is not sufficiently selective as a single technique for breast milk analysis due to matrix interferences.
- Batch-to-batch variability of SPE sorbents represents a significant drawback impacting reproducibility.