Optimization of a liquid-liquid extraction method for HPLC-DAD determination of penicillin-V in human plasma

Optimization of a liquid-liquid extraction procedure used for isolation of penicillin-V in human plasma samples and the subsequent HPLC-DAD analysis are reported. Some aspects related to the stability of penicillin-V in plasma and according to pH are also given. From seven tested solvents, the highest extraction yield was obtained with methyl-t-buthyl ether. Influence of the extraction parameters, such as pH of aqueous phase, sample/solvent volumetric ratio, and extraction duration, is discussed. HPLC separation was achieved on an Eclipse XDB-C8 column, using a mobile phase composed by aqueous phosphate buffer (pH=7.3), methanol and acetonitrile in the ratio 8:1:1. Quantitation limits of 50 ng/ml were obtained. The optimal sample preparation method and HPLC-DAD separations were used for a bioequivalence study, made on 36 volunteers. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.