Quantitation of first- and second-generation antipsychotics by LC-MS/MS

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Forensic Toxicology

Background:

• Antipsychotic medications represent a growing segment of the pharmaceutical market.
• New therapeutic applications for antipsychotics are continually emerging.
• Concurrent prescription of antipsychotics and antidepressants is common in clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a robust analytical method for detecting antipsychotic drugs.
• To establish a method capable of quantifying both first- and second-generation antipsychotics.
• To create a versatile assay applicable to various biological matrices and co-prescribed antidepressants.

Main Methods:

• Solid phase extraction (SPE) for sample preparation.
• Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for sensitive and selective detection.
• Method validation across diverse sample matrices.

Main Results:

• Successful detection and quantification of both first- and second-generation antipsychotics.
• Demonstrated applicability of the method to multiple sample types.
• Confirmed utility for simultaneous detection of commonly co-prescribed antidepressants.

Conclusions:

• The developed SPE-LC-MS/MS method provides a reliable approach for antipsychotic drug analysis.
• This method supports therapeutic drug monitoring and facilitates research into combined pharmacotherapies.
• The assay's versatility extends its utility to a broader range of psychiatric medications.