title: [Determination of lovastatin and its active metabolites in human plasma with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a sensitive LC-MS/MS method for analyzing lovastatin and its active metabolites lovastatin acid in human plasma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lovastatin and lovastatin acid were extracted from plasma by ethyl ether -dichloromethane (V/V, 1:1), with simvastatin serving as an internal standard. The analytes went through the column of Phenomenex Gemini C18 (50 x 3 mm, 3 microm) with mobile phase acetonitrile-water (85:15), and was analyzed by API3000 after protonated with ESI mode. The ion pairs being detected were 427.4-->325.4, 445.4-->343.4 and 436.4-->325.4, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The established method was able to determine lovastatin in human plasma over the range of 0.03125-64 microg/L, with recovery rates ranging from 96% to 102%. The intra and inter day variances were below 9.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The LC-MS/MS method for analyzing lovastatin is validated and is suitable for clinical pharmacokinetic studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Xue
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Yong-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Xiao-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Mao-Zhi
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiang
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008148:Lovastatin