SERUM LAMOTRIGINE ANALYSIS BY CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS

Lamotrigine, a new antiepileptic drug, is analyzed by capillary zone e lectrophoresis. Samples were deproteinized with acetonitrile containin g an internal standard, acidified with dilute acetic acid and injected into the capillary. The drug migrated rapidly with the cationic compo unds in about 3.5 min far from any interfering substances. The test wa s linear between 0.5-10 mg/l. The analysis time was about 5 min. The C E values correlated well with an HPLC method (r=0.97; n=35). The mean serum concentration of 121 patients on this drug was 3.7 mg/l. Incubat ing the serum with beta-glucuronidase for 1 h increased the peak heigh t of lamotrigine by about 24%.