DETECTION OF KETOROLAC ENANTIOMERS IN HUMAN PLASMA USING ENANTIOSELECTIVE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of the enantiomers of ketorolac in human plasma has been developed. P lasma samples containing ketorolac were acidified and extracted into d iethyl ether. The ethereal extract was evaporated to dryness and the r esidue reconstituted in mobile phase before injection onto a Chiral-AG P column. The mobile phase was 2-propanol-20 mM potassium dihydrogenph osphate buffered to pH 7 (0.5:99.5, v/v). Detection was by ultraviolet absorbance at 320 nm. The detection limit was 5 ng/ml for each enanti omer. The method has been applied to determine the concentration of ke torolac enantiomers during an infusion of the racemic drug and has pro ven to be rapid and sensitive.