title: Rapid and sensitive method for determination of withaferin-A in human plasma by HPLC.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To develop and validate a rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of withaferin-A in human plasma. Withaferin-A, the active molecule of a traditional Indian herb, has demonstrated several biological activities in preclinical models. A validated bioassay is not available for its pharmacokinetic evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The chromatographic system used a reverse-phase C18 column with UV-visible detection at 225 nm. The mobile phase consisted of water and acetonitrile applied in a gradient flow. Withaferin-A was extracted by simple protein-precipitation technique. The calibration curve was linear in the concentration range of 0.05-1.6 µg/ml. The method has the desired sensitivity to detect the plasma concentration range of withaferin-A that is likely to show biological activity based on in vitro data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first HPLC method ever described for the estimation of withaferin-A in human plasma which could be applied for pharmacokinetic studies.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacology, ACTREC, Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patial
authors.forename: Vikram
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gota
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D002138:Calibration / Q000592:standards; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D054358:Withanolides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D054358:Withanolides; C009684:withaferin A