title: A high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for measuring mitotane [1,1-(o,p'-Dichlorodiphenyl)-2,2-dichloroethane] and its metabolite 1,1-(o,p'-Dichlorodiphenyl)-2,2-dichloroethene in plasma.
abstract: The adrenolytic agent mitotane [o,p'-DDD or 1,1-(o,p'-dichlorodiphenyl)-2, 2-dichloroethane] has been employed in the nonsurgical treatment of patients with adrenal carcinoma for several decades. Its use is hampered by serious side effects, which may be limited by analytically guided dose modifications in the individual patient. Mitotane analyses have previously been undertaken by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. A sensitive high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for measuring mitotane in plasma is described. After protein precipitation with 1.5 vol of acetone, mitotane and its metabolite 1,1-(o,p'-dichlorodiphenyl)-2,2-dichloroethene (o,p'-DDE) are resolved by isocratic elution from a C18 reversed-phase support and quantified by ultraviolet detection at 230 nm. Recoveries of mitotane and o,p'-DDE after deproteinization were quantitative. Within-run and between-day coefficients of variation were < 4% over the entire therapeutic range. The limit of detection was 0.25 mumol/L and the standard curve was linear in the 1-100 mumol/L range. The method has been evaluated using samples obtained from an adolescent girl who had metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma. Data from this single patient may suggest that systemic absorption of mitotane is adequate, and toxicity possibly decreased, when mitotane is administered by the rectal route.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nome
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vesterhus
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Slørdal
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000293:Adolescent; D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000097:blood*; D004355:Drug Stability; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008939:Mitotane / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D008939:Mitotane