title: A Rapid and Sensitive HPLC-Fluorescence Method for Determination of Mirtazapine and Its two Major Metabolites in Human Plasma.
abstract: A rapid and sensitive HPLC method has been developed for the quantification of mirtazapine (MRZ), a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic inhibitor antidepressant (NaSSA) and its two major metabolites N-desmethyl mirtazapine (NDM) and 8-hydroxymirtazapine (8-OHM) in human plasma. The separation was achieved using Chromolith C18 column and a mobile phase of acetonitrile: phosphate buffer (pH = 3, 20:80, v/v) in isocratic mode at a flow rate of 2 mL/min. A fluorescence detector was set at 290 and 350 nm for excitation and emission, respectively. Zolpidem was used as the internal standard. Liquid-liquid extraction was applied for sample clean up. All analytes were eluted in less than 5 minutes with LOQ of 1 ng/mL for MRZ and 2 ng/mL for both NDM and 8-OHM. The developed method was successfully applied to quantify MRZ and its metabolites in plasma of a healthy volunteer.
authors.affiliation: Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetic Division, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hoda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lavasani
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Via Livornese (Lato Monte) 1, San Piero a Grado 56010 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giorgi
authors.affiliation: Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetic Division, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Behjat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sheikholeslami
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology.
authors.forename: Mohammadhasan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hedayati
authors.affiliation: Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetic Division, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ; Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Rouini
keywords: Fluorescence; HPLC; Metabolites; Mirtazapine; Plasma