title: A bioequivalence study of gliclazide based on quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate, in human volunteers, the performance of one gliclazide tablet formulation (gliclazide 80 mg tablet from EMS Indústria Farmacêutica Ltda.) against two reference gliclazide tablet formulations (Diamicron 80 mg tablet from Servier do Brazil Ltda. and Diamicron 80 mg tablet from Servier (Ireland) Industries Limited).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study had an open, randomized, three-period crossover design with a one-week washout interval between doses. The samples were obtained over a 48-h interval after each oral administration of gliclazide. The samples were extracted from plasma using diethylether : hexane (80 : 20, v/v) and the extracts were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/ MS). Chromatography was performed isocratically using a Jones Chromatography Genesis C8 120A 4u. The method had a chromatographic run-time of 2.5 min and a calibration curve of the range of 0.02- 10 microg x ml(-1) (r(2) > 0.9993). The limit of quantification was 0.02 microg x ml(-1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The geometric mean and 90% confidence intervals (CI) for the Gliclazide/Diamicron (Ireland) ratio were 588.68% (90% CI= 491.16, 705.58%) for AUClast, 423.50% (90% CI = 338.25, 530.23%) for AUCinf, and 1395.77% (90% CI= 1116.62, 1744.72%) for Cmax. The geometric mean and 90% confidence intervals (CI) for the Gliclazide/Diamicron (Brazil) ratio were 249.16% (90% CI = 207.96, 298.54%) for AUCiast, 249.16% (90% CI = 207.96 - 298.54%) for AUCinf, and 188.04% (90% CI - 151.72, 233.05%) for Cmax.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since the 90% CI for Cmax, AUClast and AUC(0-infinity) ratios were all outside the 125% interval proposed by the US Food and Drug Administration, we concluded that the gliclazide test formulation were not bioequivalent to either reference formulation. Interestingly, the pharmacokinetic parameters such as Cmax, AUClast of both reference formulations are compatible with neither the literature nor the profile of an immediate release formulation. In addition, both reference formulations were not bioequivalent in themselves, indicating significant differences in reference product formulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: A dos S
authors.initials: Ados S
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yui
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Nucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; D004355:Drug Stability; D005260:Female; D005907:Gliclazide / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D005907:Gliclazide