Technical considerations in the gas chromatographic analysis of desipramine

Procedures are presented for minimizing variability in and interferences with the gas chromatographic determination of desipramine in plasms. Careful consideration of procedures for sample collection and storage, drug separation from matrix components, and chromatography appears to be a prerequisite for avoiding inaccurate and imprecise determinations of this antidepressant, especially at levels below 20 micrograms/l. Numerous pitfalls are examined and optimal conditions for obviating them are presented.