Quantitative determination of bencyclane in human plasma by capillary gas chromatography/chemical ionization mass...

Since 10 years there is a phenomenal increase in the use of mass spectrometry, combined with (capillary-) gas chromatography and dedicated data systems for the rapid, reliable, sensitive and selective determination of xenobiotics (drugs, their degradation/biotransformation products etc.) in biological fluids. This applies especially since the introduction of newer developments in ionization techniques (CI, DCI, FAB) and gas chromatographic column technology (fused silica, bonded phase columns). We employed such a sophisticated method for the quantitative determination of N-[3-(1-benzyl-cycloheptyl-oxy)-propoxy]-N,N'- dimethylammoniumhydrogen fumarate (bencyclane) in human plasma after oral application of a therapeutic doses. Our results clearly show that this approach is the best method available; furthermore the detected plasma levels will lead to discussions with respect to the pharmacokinetic properties of the drug.