[Review of bioanalytic methods in pharmacokinetics]

The analytical methods used in pharmacokinetic practice are reviewed. The system of special pharmacokinetic demands on bioanalytical methods for carrying out the different pharmacokinetic, metabolite kinetic, bioequivalence and food interaction studies is demonstrated in details (high sensitivity; the parallel measurability of the parent compound and its metabolites; species and biological matrices dependent methods; anticoagulation; sample preparation; derivatisation; special calibration system; method selectivity; reproducibility; validation; economicalness). The different immunological methods and separation techniques used in pharmacokinetic practice and the sensitivity of the detectors have been compared and characterized. Without the requirement of completeness, the author has tried to summarize the most important bioanalytical techniques in the view of general and specific feature; the possibilities of application, characteristics of operation and limitations.