Simultaneous measurement of dolasetron and its major metabolite, MDL 74,156, in human plasma and urine.

A selective and sensitive analytical method for the simultaneous measurement of dolasetron (I) and its major metabolite, MDL 74,156 (II), in human plasma and urine samples has been developed using a structural analogue. MDL 101,858, as internal standard (I.S.). The compounds were extracted from plasma and urine using solvent extraction after the addition of the I.S. Chromatographic separation was carried out on a reversed-phase HPLC column and detection and quantification was by fluorescence with excitation and emission wavelengths of 285 and 345 nm, respectively. Linear responses were obtained over concentration ranges of 5 to 1000 pmol/ml for plasma samples and 20 to 1000 pmol/ml for urine samples with correlation coefficients for the calibration curves exceeding 0.999 in all cases. Intra-day and inter-day reproducibility yielded limits of quantification of 10 pmol/ml for I and 5 pmol/ml for II plasma and 50 pmol/ml for I and II in urine. The method has been applied to the simultaneous analysis of both compounds in plasma and urine samples coming from clinical pharmacokinetic studies.

Combining the techniques of physiotherapy and behaviour modification.

A severely retarded, hemiplegic child who was unable to walk unaided was given a combination of operant conditioning and physiotherapy to teach her the necessary skills for walking. Her progress was assessed daily using operant conditioning equipment and video tape records. The results suggest that behaviour modification offers both viable teaching techniques and methods of objective data collection and evaluation which can contribute to programmes of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.