title: Automated electron-capture gas chromatographic analysis of flunitrazepam in plasma.
abstract: Nanogram quantities of flunitrazepam and its major metabolite, desmethylflunitrazepam, can be reliably quantitated in human plasma using electron-capture gas-liquid chromatography. After addition of methylnitrazepam as the internal standard, plasma samples are extracted with an organic solvent (benzene:isoamyl alcohol). The organic extract is separated, evaporated to dryness, reconstituted, and injected onto the chromatograph using an automatic sampling system which allows up to 100 analyses/24 h. The sensitivity limits are 0.5 ng/ml for flunitrazepam and 1-2 ng/ml for desmethylflunitrazepam. Use of the method is illustrated in a study of the pharmacokinetic properties of flunitrazepam following a single 1.0-mg intravenous dose.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000097:blood*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005260:Female; D005445:Flunitrazepam / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D005445:Flunitrazepam