Determination of pethidine and its major metabolites in human urine by gas chromatography

Procedures based on gas chromatography were established to determine pethidine and its major metabolites in human urine. The chromatographic system consisted of a glass column packed with 3% (w/w) SP2250 on Chromosorb W (80-100 mesh) linked to a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. Diethyl ether was used as the extraction solvent. Pethidinic and norpethidinic acids, and their conjugated metabolites (after beta-glucuronidase treatment) were determined after conversion into pethidine and norpethidine by acid-catalysed esterification. The retention times of pethidine, norpethidine and chlorpheniramine (internal standard) were 3.3, 4.5 and 7.5 min, respectively. The amount of unchanged drugs and metabolites excreted varied considerably among the subjects. The mean 24-h urinary recoveries in eight patients of pethidine, norpethidine, pethidinic acid, norpethidinic acid, and the glucuronides of pethidinic and norpethidinic acids were 6.62 +/- 5.05, 4.33 +/- 1.19, 18.9 +/- 6.29, 9.10 +/- 4.26, 15.1 +/- 3.02 and 7.57 +/- 2.28%, respectively. This indicates that the major metyabolic pathways of pethidine in the eight patients were hydrolysis followed by conjugation. Over 60% of the dose was accounted for in 24 h after intramuscular administration of 1 mg/kg pethidine.