Determination of cabergoline and L-dopa in human plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2003 Jul 15;792(1):55-61. doi: 10.1016/s1570-0232(03)00279-4.

Abstract

We determined cabergoline and L-dopa in human plasma using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). The deproteinized plasma samples with organic solvent or acid were analyzed directly by reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM, product ions m/z 381 of m/z 452 for cabergoline and m/z 152 of m/z 198 for L-dopa) on LC-MS-MS with electrospray ionization (ESI), cabergoline and L-dopa in human plasma were determined. Calibration curves of the method showed a good linearity in the range 5-250 pg/ml for cabergoline and 1-200 ng/ml for L-dopa, respectively. The limit of determination was estimated to be approximately 2 pg/ml for cabergoline and approximately 0.1 ng/ml for L-dopa, respectively. The method was applied to the analysis of cabergoline and L-dopa in plasma samples from patients treated with these drugs. The precision of analysis showed coefficients of variation ranging from 3.8% to 10.5% at cabergoline concentration of 13.8-26.2 pg/ml and from 2.9% to 8.9% at an L-dopa concentration of 302.5-522.1 ng/ml in patient plasma. As a result, the procedure proved to be very suitable for routine analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cabergoline
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods*
  • Dopamine Agonists / blood*
  • Dopamine Agonists / therapeutic use
  • Ergolines / blood*
  • Ergolines / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Levodopa / blood*
  • Levodopa / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Schizophrenia / blood
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / methods*

Substances

  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Ergolines
  • Levodopa
  • Cabergoline