[Accurate and simplified determination of ketamine in plasma by gas chromatography mass spectrometry]

An accurate and simplified method has been developed for determination of ketamine in human plasma using gas chromatography and electron impact mode mass spectrometry with selected ion recording from 0.5ml of plasma. Standards and samples of plasma underwent the same procedure of two step extraction by methanol. Ketamine concentrations in the plasma were determined from the peak in the selected ion profile of ketamine (m/e: 237). Standard curve was linear with the increasing amount of ketamine (0.63-5.0 micrograms.ml-1) in plasma with mean CV = 5.2% mean RR = 63.8% and r = 0.998. The concentration of ketamine in plasma ranged from 1.6 micrograms.ml-1 to 2.5 micrograms.ml-1 during ketamine anesthesia (2mg.kg-1.h-1) in a surgical patient.