SIMPLE AND RAPID HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF ALCURONIUM IN HUMAN PLASMA AND URINE

A simple and quick HPLC assay for alcuronium is presented. Its characteristics are: precipitation of plasma proteins by acetonitrile; Spherisorb 5-CN column; acetonitrile-water (46:54, v/v) as mobile phase; flow-rate 1 ml/min; laudanosine 0.06 mg/l as internal standard with plasma; external standard with urine; UV detection at 294 nm; retention time 5.4 min; detection limit 0.025 mg/l; documented linearity: 0.025-2.0 mg/l for plasma and 1.0-80 mg/l for urine; intra- and inter-assay variability below 4%. None of nine drugs used in perioperative pharmacotherapy interfered with the assay. Satisfactory performance was exemplified in a 12-h pharmacokinetic evaluation of two patients.