title: Analysis of the anti-Parkinson drug pramipexole in human urine by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.
abstract: A sensitive method based on capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection has been developed for the analysis of the non-ergoline dopamine agonist pramipexole in human urine. Separation was carried out in uncoated fused silica capillaries (75microm internal diameter, 75.0 and 60.0cm total and effective length, respectively), with a background electrolyte composed of borate buffer (50mM, pH 10.3), tetrabutylammonium bromide (30mM), and acetone (15%, v/v). Applying a 20kV voltage, the electrophoretic run is completed within 12min. A sample pre-treatment procedure based on liquid/liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, followed by derivatisation of pramipexole with fluorescein isothiocyanate at pH 9, allows the complete removal of biological interferences, with extraction yields always higher than 94.5%. Method validation gave good linearity (r(2)=0.9992) in the 25.0-1000ngmL(-1) range; limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 10.0 and 25.0ngmL(-1), respectively; precision was <or=6.8 R.S.D.%, accuracy expressed as recovery% was >90.0. The method was applied to the analysis of urine samples from patients undergoing therapy with pramipexole.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Musenga
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kenndler
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morganti
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rasi
authors.forename: Maria Augusta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Raggi