Determination of urinary valproylcarnitine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring.

A modified method for the determination of valproylcarnitine in urine samples of patients receiving sodium valproate by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring is described. The chemically analogous internal standard 2-ethylpentanoylcarnitine was added to the urine samples. Valproic acid and its metabolites were removed by extraction with chloroform at pH 5.0. The samples were then applied onto a C18 Sep-Pak column. Inorganic and water soluble compounds were washed out with water. Valproylcarnitine and internal standard were eluted with methanol and were derivatized to the corresponding acyl-containing lactones by heating at 100 degrees C for 60 min in dimethylformamide. Urinary valproylcarnitine levels of epileptic patients receiving valproate were determined according to the present method. The data obtained might be useful for diagnosis of carnitine deficiency.

Distribution of intrathecally administered ACNU in mongrel dogs: pharmacokinetics and quantitative autoradiographic study.

The pharmacokinetics of 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl) methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea (ACNU) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), were determined in dogs after ventriculolumbar perfusion (VLP, n = 6), and bolus injection into the ventricle (VB, n = 2), cisterna magna (MB, n = 5), and lumbar cistern (LB, n = 3), by high-performance liquid chromatography. The VLP method introduced effective amounts of ACNU into the lumbar cistern for cell kill in vitro. That is, the areas under the time concentration curve (AUC) of ACNU in the lumbar CSF for those receiving a 1.5 mg perfusion of ACNU were 481, 791, and 520 micrograms.min/ml and those receiving a 5 mg perfusion were 1,081, 2,048, and 1,215 micrograms.min/ml, respectively. These values were superior to 3-log cell kill condition of 9L gliosarcoma and 1.5-log cell kill of HU-126 human glioma cell line. Among the groups to which 5 mg of ACNU was administered, the VLP method attained significantly higher AUC values in the lumbar CSF than MB method. Quantitative autoradiography using an imaging plate system was performed in the VLP group (n = 2), VB group (n = 1), MB group (n = 2), and LB group (n = 2) using a 10 microCi/kg [ethylene-14C] ACNU dose which is thought to be related to the alkylating activity of ACNU. The VLP method attained a stable and abundant distribution of ACNU in the neural axis from the ventricular cavity to the lumbar cistern, but the cerebral convexity surface was devoid of a significant level of ACNU. When the MB method was used, the pharmacokinetic data varied in the cisterna magna and lumbar region, and again no significant level of ACNU was detected in the ventricular cavity. With the LB method, although a rich distribution was detected in the spinal cord, the concentration decreased abruptly at the upper cervical level. The VB method was unsatisfactory for obtaining an effective amount of ACNU in the lumbar region. The research and testing to date indicate that the VLP method is the procedure of choice in the treatment of meningeal dissemination.

Influence of food on serum ambenonium concentration in patients with myasthenia gravis.

Influence of food on the serum concentration and kinetics ambenonium chloride (AMBC) has been examined in thirteen patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Mean serum concentrations and Cmax during fasting were higher than those in the non-fasting state. The AUC (0-3 h) was also about four-times larger. The drug effects versus the serum concentration were observed to be anti-clockwise or clockwise. The effective range of the Cmax varied between patients. The unexpected increase in Cmax led to adverse muscarinic actions of AMBC, when the condition was changed from the nonfasting to the fasting state. It is recommended that the dose be changed during non-fasting treatment when adjusting the optimum regimen for patients myasthenia gravis. Patients must be advised to keep to the dosing and dietary schedule in order to avoid unexpected adverse actions to AMBC.

[Intrathecal distribution of ACNU by various modes of its administration analyzed by HPLC and autoradiography].

Various modes of administration of ACNU (nimustine hydrochloride) were tried to make clear which mode is the best method to obtain intrathecal diffuse distribution of ACNU to match the condition of killing of glioma cells (10 micrograms/ml; greater than 30 min.). Tried modes of administration included 1)bolus injection into ventricular cavity, 2)bolus injection into cisterna magna, 3)bolus injection into lumbar subarachnoid space, 4)ventriculo-lumbar perfusion, 5)chiasmatic cistern-lumbar perfusion. Used dose of ACNU was 5 mg/body for all modes of administration. ACNU level in CSF was measured by HPLC method specially developed by authors. To make clear intrathecal distribution of ACNU, autoradiography using 14C-ethylene-ACNU was studied after administration of 10 muCi/Kg of radioactive ACNU. The images were studied by image analyzer system (BAS-2,000 system developed by Fuji Film Co. Ltd). Among the modes of administration tried, ventriculo-lumbar perfusion method gave the best results in terms of lumbar, ventricular, cisterna magna, and basal cistern distribution of ACNU to match the cell kill condition experimentally ascertained. Although, bolus injection of ACNU into cisterna magna gave sufficient amount of ACNU in lumbar region, the initial level of ACNU was too high in cisterna magna, and administration of ACNU once a week for three times in a canine cisterna magna resulted in considerable deterioration of brain stem and basal structure. In addition to it, the level of ACNU in ventricular cavity was not detectable. Lumbar bolus injection resulted in also too much ACNU accumulation at the injected lumbar area, and at the cisterna magna region, ACNU was not detectable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The measurement of internal pressure of ampoules and its application to commercial products.

This paper reports a method for determining the internal pressures of ampoules, from the head space and the change in volume on opening, as measured by displacement of water. Using this method, internal pressures of commercial ampoules were shown to be lower than atmospheric pressure. For example, the ratio of internal pressure to atmospheric pressure in a commercial ampoule of 5 mL distilled water was 0.884 at room temperature (23 degrees C).

Rapid and simple method for the determination of nimustine hydrochloride in human blood and brain by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A simple method for the determination of nimustine hydrochloride in blood and brain by high-performance liquid chromatography was developed. A pH 4.52 buffer was used in the extraction from blood and a pH 5.0 buffer was used for brain. A pre-packed Extrelut column was used to make the extraction procedure uncomplicated. At room temperature light-resistant test-tubes were unnecessary. The lower limit of detection was 50 ng/ml for blood and 100 ng/g for brain. This method may be useful for the determination of nimustine hydrochloride in blood and brain samples from patients.

An alternative two stage method via the EM-algorithm for the estimation of population pharmacokinetic parameters.

There has been a considerable increase in popularity of the NONMEM method as a technique for estimating population pharmacokinetic parameters. The authors present another approach to population pharmacokinetic analysis, the alternative two stage method (ATS). ATS uses the EM-algorithm for maximizing the likelihood of variance components. The performance of ATS was compared with the NONMEM method on a microcomputer. Simulation studies showed that the precision and accuracy of estimates obtained with ATS were comparable to the NONMEM method, however, the computation time, dependences on initial estimates and convergence properties were somewhat different. ATS could be a valuable alternative to the NONMEM method for estimating population pharmacokinetic parameters in some cases.

Determination of valproic acid and its metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring.

A modified method for the determination of valproic acid, its eleven metabolites and their conjugates in small samples of serum and urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring was developed. Valproic acid and its eleven metabolites were determined in serum and urine of epileptic patients treated with valproic acid. 2-Hydroxy-2-propylpentanoic acid was identified as a new metabolite of valproic acid in the urine of 11 of the 12 patients. The unsaturated metabolites, such as (Z)- and (E)-2-propyl-2-pentenoic acid, were found to be predominantly excreted as glucuronides. 3-Hydroxy-2-propylpentanoic acid and 2-propylglutaric acid were also excreted as glucuronides.

Pharmacokinetics of methimazole in normal subjects and hyperthyroid patients.

Serum and urinary concentrations of methimazole (MMI) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an electrochemical detector (ECD) in 10 normal subjects and 43 hyperthyroid patients after intravenous and oral administration of the drug. The pharmacokinetic parameters of MMI were estimated in 5 normal subjects and 15 hyperthyroid patients according to a two-compartment model after intravenous injection of a 10 mg dose. The mean half-life of the distribution phase (T1/2 alpha) was 2.7 +/- 1.0 h (mean +/- SD) and 3.1 +/- 1.4 h and that of the slower-phase (T1/2 beta) was 20.7 +/- 9.6 h and 18.5 +/- 12.9 h in normal subjects and hyperthyroid patients, respectively. There were no significant differences between pharmacokinetic parameters of normal subjects and those of hyperthyroid patients. No correlations between free T4 index (FT4I) and pharmacokinetic parameters were observed. Maximum serum MMI concentrations (Cmax) (213 +/- 84 and 299 +/- 92 ng/ml) were attained 1.8 +/- 1.4 h and 2.3 +/- 0.8 h after a single dose of 10 mg in 5 normal subjects and in 15 hyperthyroid patients, respectively. In hyperthyroid patients the time taken to reach the peak concentration (Tmax) after a single dose of 10 mg was similar to that after a single 15 mg and 30 mg dose. The pharmacokinetic parameters, except Cmax and the area under the curve (AUC), were not affected by the administered dose and those, except Cmax, were not affected by the thyroid function. All urine was collected at intervals of 3 h for the first 12 h and then at 24 h and 48 h after intravenous and oral administration of MMI. In all subjects, MMI rapidly appeared in the urine and the rate of excretion was highest in the first 3 h. The cumulative urinary excretion of MMI was 5.5-8.5% of administered doses in normal subjects and hyperthyroid patients. These findings in the present study are compatible with the assumption that the extent of absorption of MMI is high, if not complete, and hyperthyroidism does not affect the kinetics of MMI, and that interindividual variation is observed in the time taken to reach the peak concentration after oral administration.

Determination of thiamazole in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

A simple and sensitive method for the determination of thiamazole in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection is described. Thiamazole in serum was quantified without an extraction procedure at concentrations down to 10 ng/ml. This method was applied to determine the serum concentration of the drug in two healthy volunteers given a single oral dose of 10 mg of thiamazole. The concentration of the drug reached a maximum at 3-4 h after the oral dose and two elimination phases were observed.