HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC ASSAY FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF ATOVAQUONE IN PLASMA

A rapid and efficient isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographi c assay for the measurement of atovaquone in plasma has been developed and validated. The drug was extracted from plasma with organic solven ts, assayed on a C1 column with a mobile phase of methanol-0.1% acetic acid (70:30, v/v), and detected by ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm. Recovery of atovaquone from plasma was greater than 85%. Intra- and in ter-assay variability were less than 8%, and the average accuracy of t he assay (expressed as % bias) ranged from -7.4 to +2.2%. The upper an d lower limits of quantitation were 100 and 0.25 mug/ml, respectively. Measurement of atovaquone in spiked plasma control samples during rou tine runs of clinical trial samples confirmed the reliability of the a ssay.