title: The analysis of terbutaline in biological fluids by gas chromatography electron impace mass spectrometry.
abstract: A highly sensitive and specific assay is described for the bronchodilator drug terbutaline in human plasma and urine, based on single ion monitoring gas chromatography mass spectrometry and employing a homologue of the drug as internal standard. Recovery of terbutaline and internal standard into ethyl acetate is effected at pH 9.8, while back-extraction into dilute acid serves to purify the initial extract. Following preparation of O-TMS, N-TFA derivatives, the drug and its homologue are detected by selected ion monitoring of their common base ion at m/e 355. The limit of detection of terbutaline by this procedure is 0.3 ng ml-1 from a 4 ml sample of plasma.
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004583:Electrons; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D013726:Terbutaline / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D014269:Trifluoroacetic Acid; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds
chemical_list: D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds; D014269:Trifluoroacetic Acid; D013726:Terbutaline