UPLC-MS/MS determination of phentolamine in human plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A sensitive and rapid ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed to determine phentolamine in human plasma. Sample preparation was accomplished through a simple liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was carried out on an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column using an isocratic mobile phase system composed of acetonitrile and 1% formic acid in water (33:67, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.45 mL/min. Mass spectrometric analysis was performed using a QTrap5500 mass spectrometer coupled with an electro-spray ionization (ESI) source in the positive ion mode. The MRM transitions of m/z 282.1 → 212.0 and m/z 237.1 → 194.2 were used to quantify for phentolamine and carbamazepine (internal standard, IS), respectively. The linearity of this method was found to be within the concentration range of 0.5-100.0 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 0.5 ng/mL. Only 1.0 min was needed for an analytical run. This fully validated method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of 60 mg phentolamine to 20 Chinese healthy male volunteers.