HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC ASSAY FOR LAUDANOSINE IN BIOLOGICAL-FLUIDS AND TISSUE FOR NEUROTOXIC STUDIES IN RATS

A procedure for the determination of laudanosine, the central nervous system active metabolite of the neuromuscular blocking drug atracurium, in serum, cerebrospinal fluid and brain is described. The method uses a readily available internal standard, ethavrine, and a single-step protein precipitation with acetonitrile followed by high-performance liquid chromatographic separation with ultraviolet detection. Norlaudanosine, the major metabolite of laudanosine, can also be quantified. Linearity of detector response was obtained between 1 and 25-mu-g/ml or mu-g/g and the method is suitable for determining neurotoxic concentrations of laudanosine in experimental animals.