MICELLAR ELECTROKINETIC CAPILLARY CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR THERAPEUTIC DRUG-MONITORING OF CARBAMAZEPINE AND ITS MAIN METABOLITES

In carbamazepine (CBZ) therapy the concomitant monitoring of concentra tions of CBZ and its metabolites is strictly recommended, primarily to avoid toxic side effects. Currently, clinical routine monitoring of C BZ is accomplished by high-performance liquid chromatography or immuno logical methods. In this study a micellar electrokinetic capillary chr omatographic (MECC) method was developed for routine drug monitoring o f CBZ and its main metabolites, carbamazepine 10,11-diol and carbamaze pine 10,11-epoxide, in human serum or plasma samples. The MECC method enabled baseline separation of all analytes within 2.5 min. The assay revealed sufficient precision and sensitivity and the results of eithe r an automated HPLC or the MECC chromatography assay were in good agre ement (r=greater than or equal to 0.97). The maximum deviation for CBZ was 0.26 mu M. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.