Determination of nefazodone and its pharmacologically active metabolites in human blood plasma and breast milk by high-performance liquid chromatography

A method is described for the determination of nefazodone and its active me tabolites hydroxynefazodone, the dione BMS-180492 and m-chlorophenylpiperaz ine in blood plasma and expressed human milk based on reversed-phase highpe rformance liquid chromatography. Measurements were performed on drug-free p lasma and expressed human milk spiked with nefazodone and metabolites to pr epare and validate standard curves and specimens collected from nursing mot hers. Parent drug and metabolites were separated from the biological matric es by solid-phase extraction using CERTIFY columns. Chromatographic separat ion was achieved with a C-18 column and compounds were detected by their ab sorbance at 205 nm. Trazodone was used as an internal standard. The assay w as validated for each analyte in the concentration range 200 to 1200 ng/ml. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.