Simple analysis of tetracyclic antidepressants in blood using headspace-solid-phase microextraction and GC-MS

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Forensic Toxicology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Tetracyclic antidepressants like maprotiline, mianserin, and setiptiline are crucial in treating depression.
• Accurate quantification of these drugs in biological matrices is essential for therapeutic drug monitoring and forensic investigations.
• Existing analytical methods may lack the sensitivity, specificity, or efficiency required for routine analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a simple, sensitive, and rapid method for analyzing maprotiline, mianserin, and setiptiline in human whole blood.
• To apply the developed method to a medicolegal case involving suspected setiptiline poisoning.

Main Methods:

• Headspace-solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for sample preparation and analysis.
• Imipramine was used as an internal standard.
• Samples were heated, and analytes were extracted onto an SPME fiber before GC-MS analysis.

Main Results:

• The method demonstrated good linearity over specified concentration ranges for each drug (0.005–5.0 µg/g for mianserin/setiptiline, 0.025–25 µg/g for maprotiline).
• No significant interferences were observed, indicating high specificity.
• The total analysis time per sample was approximately 60 minutes.
• The method successfully detected setiptiline in blood samples from a medicolegal case.

Conclusions:

• The developed headspace-SPME-GC-MS method is a reliable and efficient tool for the quantitative analysis of maprotiline, mianserin, and setiptiline in human whole blood.
• This method is suitable for both clinical toxicology and forensic applications, as demonstrated by its successful application in a poisoning case.
• The technique offers a valuable alternative for rapid and sensitive detection of these tetracyclic antidepressants.