Quantification of alprenolol and propranolol in human plasma using a two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC)

A new two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) method using a column switching valve, with a restricted-access media (RAM) column in the first dimension was developed and validated for the quantification of two β-blockers in human plasma. Several parameters, such as sample collection, mobile phase composition and flow rate for sample cleanup, transference and analytical separation of the β-blockers were investigated and optimized. The developed method allowed for the simultaneous pre-treatment and quantification of alprenolol (ALP) and propranolol (PRO) in human plasma in less than 25min. The method consisted in the injection of 100μL of plasma samples on the RAM alkyl-diol-silica column (Lichrospher^® RP-18 ADS, 25μm) with water/acetonitrile (98:2, v/v; at a flow rate of 2.0mL/min) and then transferred (via a six-port valve) to the analytical column (Luna PFP (2), 150×4.6mm ID, 100Å, 3μm) with 0.1% (v/v) triethylamine in water acidified with trifluoroacetic acid (pH=3)/acetonitrile (74:26, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.6mL/min in a back-flush mode. The column oven temperature was optimized to 42°C and the fluorescence detector set at 280nm and 310nm (excitation and emission, respectively). The method was validated according to the European Medicines Agency's guidelines and was linear (r²>0.999) over a dynamic range of 5.0 - 200ng/mL. Recoveries ranged from 90.2 and 107% and the lower limit of quantification was 5.0ng/mL for both compounds. Precision was expressed as a percentage of relative standard deviation and did not exceed 11%. Finally, the method was successfully applied to determine the plasma concentration of PRO in four healthy volunteers.