Abstract
A rapid, sensitive and selective electrospray tandem mass spectrometric (ESI-LC/MS/MS) method for the quantitation of gliquidone in human plasma was developed. A bioavailability study of gliquidone tablet (30 mg gliquidone, Boehringer Ingelheim Korea Co.) was performed using the validated ESI-LC/MS/MS method. The dose of 30 mg of gliquidone (1 tablet) was orally administered to 9 healthy Korean subjects. After administration, blood was taken at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 24, and 33 hour. The validation data were as follows; the standard curve was linear ($r^2$=0.999) over the concentration range of $10\~1000 ng/ml$. The coefficient of variation for intra- and inter-day assay were $8.30\~18.86$, and $2.19\~12.92\%$, respectively. The lower limit of quantification for gliquidone was 10 ng/ml. The pharmacokinetic parameters obtained were as follows; $AUC_t$ was 3861.17$\pm$1328.61 ng-hr/ml, $C_{max}$ was 831.02$\pm$227.99 ng/ml, $T_{max}$ was $2.94{\pm}0.77 hr,\;K_e$, was 0.19$\pm$0.06 1/hr, and $t_{l/2}$ was 4.47$\pm$3.52 hr. Based on the validated analytical method and pharmacokinetic parameters, a standard guideline of the bioavailability test of gliquidone dosage forms was prepared successfully and could be used for the bioequivalence test of gliquidone preparation.
