RAPID SIMPLE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OFPAROXETINE IN HUMAN PLASMA

A rapid, simple method for the measurement of paroxetine in human plas ma by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) wit h fluorescence detection is described. This method includes only one-s tep extraction of paroxetine and dibucaine, an internal standard, with chloroform. Their recoveries were around 90%. The mobile phase, 10 mM phosphate buffer-acetonitrile (40:60, v/v) was eluted isocratically. Between- and within-day coefficients of variation were in the range of 1.9-9.4% and 2.3-13.3%, respectively. The detection limit was 0.2 ng/ ml. The method we describe can be easily applied to the measurement of plasma paroxetine concentration for pharmacokinetic studies as well a s for therapeutic drug monitoring in patients taking paroxetine. (C) 1 998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.