LC–MS–MS Separation and Simultaneous Determination of Tolterodine and its Active Metabolite, 5-Hydroxymethyl Tolterodine in Human Plasma

Tolterodine Tartrate

Tolterodine tartrate belongs to the family of muscarinic receptor antagonists and is indicated for the treatment of overactive urinary bladder syndrome. This chapter provides an overview of physical, analytical, and ADME profiles; highlights methods of chemical synthesis; and discusses stability of tolterodine as a free base and/or its l-tartrate salt in solution and in the solid state. The information presented in this chapter is based on the peer-reviewed literature, compendial reports (USP, EP), and authors' data. Patent literature is included only in a few instances.

Investigation of ex vivo stability of fesoterodine in human plasma and its simultaneous determination together with its active metabolite 5-HMT by LC-ESI-MS/MS: Application to a bioequivalence study

Fesoterodine is a non-selective muscarinic-receptor antagonist, used in the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome. A highly sensitive, selective and rapid method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of fesoterodine and its active metabolite, 5-hydroxymethyl tolterodine (5-HMT) in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Due to rapid conversion of parent drug to 5-HMT, ex vivo stability of fesoterodine in human plasma was extensively studied to optimize the extraction protocol. The analytes and their deuterated analogs were quantitatively extracted from 100μL human plasma by liquid-liquid extraction in methyl tert-butyl ether: n-hexane. The chromatographic separation of analytes was achieved on a Kromasil C18 (100mm×4.6mm, 5μm) column under isocratic conditions. The method was validated over a dynamic concentration range of 0.01-10ng/mL for both the analytes. Ion-suppression effects were investigated by post-column infusion of analytes. The precision (% CV) values for the calculated slopes of calibration curves, which would reflect the relative matrix effect, were less than 1.5% for both the analytes. The intra-batch and inter-batch precision (% CV) across quality control levels varied from 1.82 to 3.73% and the mean extraction recovery was >96% for both the analytes. The method was successfully applied to a bioequivalence study of 8mg fesoterodine tablet formulation (test and reference) in 12 healthy Indian subjects under fasted and fed condition. The assay reproducibility estimated by reanalysis of incurred samples showed a change of ±12.0%.

Incurred sample reanalysis (ISR): a decisive tool in bioanalytical research

The AAPS Workshop 2008 on Current Topics in GLP Bioanalysis: Assay Reproducibility for Incurred Samples was the defining moment in establishing incurred sample reanalysis (ISR) as a mandatory exercise in demonstrating assay reproducibility using incurred (study) samples. The importance of ISR can be envisaged from its role in clinical as well as non-clinical studies. Incurred samples can differ significantly in their composition when compared with the calibration standards and quality control samples that are used to validate the developed method. The present article attempts to summarize five troubleshooting cases encountered in the analyses of incurred samples for bioanalytical methods developed in our laboratory for mesalamine, hydrochlorothiazide, clopidogrel, sildenafil and rabeprazole. The issues identified were related to: sample inhomogeneity, sample processing error, impact of buffer pH during sample preparation, instability of metabolite and change in laboratory environment. The steps taken to trace and correct these incidents are discussed with adequate data. These examples will further broaden the scope and emphasize the significance of ISR. We believe this investigation will help to develop more reliable and efficient bioanalytical methods.