ENANTIOSELECTIVE ANALYSIS OF PROPAFENONE IN PLASMA USING A POLYSACCHARIDE-BASED CHIRAL STATIONARY-PHASE UNDER REVERSED-PHASE CONDITIONS

We present a method for the enantioselective analysis of propafenone i n human plasma for application in clinical pharmacokinetic studies. Pr opafenone enantiomers were resolved on a 10-mu m Chiralcel OD-R column (250x4.6 mm I.D.) after solid-phase extraction using disposable solid -phase extraction tubes (RP-18). The mobile phase used for the resolut ion of propafenone enantiomers and the internal standard propranolol w as 0.25 M sodium perchlorate (pH 4.0)-acetonitrile (60:30, v/v), at a flow-rate of 0.7 ml/min. The method showed a mean recovery of 99.9% fo r (S)-propafenone and 100.5% for (R)-propafenone, and the coefficients of variation obtained in the precision and accuracy study were below 10%. The proposed method presented quantitation limits of 25 ng/ml and was linear up to a concentration of 5000 ng/ml of each enantiomer. (C ) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.