Abstract
In order to determine the bioavailability of c1onazepam, an anxiolytic drug, a simple, rapid and sensitive HPLC analysis was developed in healthy Korean volunteers. The analysis system was validated in specificity, accuracy, precision and linearity. The analysis condition we established was 2.58 min and 5 ng/$m\ell$ in retention time and limit of quantitation of c1onazepam, respectively, using reverse-phase C18 column connected to UV detector. Quantitation was performed at 235 nm wave length with p-hydroxybenzoic acid ethyl ester as internal standard. The method involved a simple extraction. In order to study blood level profiles as a function of time, eight volunteers were enrolled and orally took 6 mg clonazepam once. The blood samples were collected from 0 to 120 h after the drug administration. Mean AUC and Cmax value were 1028.17$\pm$568.165 (ng/$m\ell$$.$hr) and 41.25$\pm$10.82 (ng/$m\ell$), respectively. And mean Tmax and T$_{1}$2/ value were 1.08$\pm$0.42 (hr) and 30.78$\pm$3.26 (hr). From the results we determine the pharmacokinetic characteristics of clonazepam in Korean people using a newly developed and useful HPLC method.
