The opioid epidemic has become a serious public health problem in the United States. The increasing abuse of synthetic opioids has raised concerns in the society. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid analgesic which has resulted in an increasing number of drug overdoses since 2013. In addition, fentanyl analogs, originally manufactured for use as analgesics or animal tranquilizers, have emerged in the United States drug market. Fentanyl and its analogs, similar to other opioids, work as full µ-agonists, binding with µ-receptors in the brain. Fentanyl and its analogs elicit more potent effects compared to the traditional opioids being abused such as morphine or heroin. With the emergence of fentanyl analogs in the drug market, identifying and differentiating those analogs becomes a challenge due to their structural similarities to fentanyl. The purpose of this research was to develop a method of identifying and quantifying nine fentanyl analogs in urine and oral fluid using the QSight® Triple Quad LC-MS/MS, coupled with a Halo® C18, 2.7µm column. The method was validated based on AAFS Standards Board (ASB) Standard 036, Standard Practices for Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology. The analytes in this research included fentanyl, norfentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, carfentanil, cyclopropyl fentanyl, methoxyacetyl fentanyl, valeryl fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl and 4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperdine (4ANPP). All samples, calibrators, and quality controls (QC) were prepared by spiking certified reference standards into donated human urine or human oral fluid. Supported liquid extraction (SLE) was performed as the sample preparation method using ISOLUTE® SLE+ 1mL columns followed by evaporation. All samples were reconstituted with 200 µL methanol. The mobile phases used in this method were 5mM ammonium formate in Millipore water with 0.1% formic acid and methanol with 0.1% formic acid. A 10-minute LC method achieved complete resolution of the analytes, with specific retention times ranging from 3.5 to 5.7 minutes. For urine and oral fluid analysis, the calibration range for all analytes was established from 1 to 70 ng/mL. The resulting r2 values were greater than 0.988 for all analytes. Bias and precision were evaluated at 3, 25 and 60 ng/mL, and bias and percent coefficient of variation (%CV) for within and between run precision had acceptable values within ±20%. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.1 ng/mL for most fentanyl analogs, with a LOD of 0.01 ng/mL for valeryl fentanyl and furanyl fentanyl. Carryover was not detected for any analytes in either matrix. Recovery of all compounds following SLE for both urine and oral fluid was above 50%. For urine, the ion enhancement and suppression of all analytes was within 25%. For oral fluid, the ion enhancement and suppression of most analytes was within 25% except valeryl fentanyl, which experienced suppression of 35%. The matrices analyzed had no interference effect on the detection or quantitation of analytes in this method. The interference effects of different commonly encountered drugs were studied and showed minimal impacts on the results generated from this method. All analytes were stable for up to 72 hours at room temperature, except cyclopropyl fentanyl. In conclusion, using the QSight® Triple Quad LC-MS/MS following SLE effectively identified and quantified fentanyl analogs present in both urine and oral fluid. This method has shown its potential to be applied to casework samples for fentanyl analogs detection.

Synthetic cannabinoids have become a growing concern in society. The extensive list of synthetic cannabinoids and the abuse rate has drawn the attention by government agencies throughout the world. These synthetic cannabinoids can adopt a number of different structures, while still acting on endogenous cannabinoid (CB1 and CB2) receptors. In addition, due to structural modifications of these synthetic cannabinoids, many of these compounds can bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors with greater affinity causing severe adverse and life-threatening effects. Because of their structural dissimilarity to the phytocannabinoid Δ9-THC, combating the rapid growth and emergence of synthetic cannabinoids with conventional THC-based methods has become an ongoing struggle. The purpose of this research was to develop and validate a robust and reliable method to accurately identify and quantify 17 synthetic cannabinoids in human whole blood using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method was validated in accordance to SWGTOX guidelines for quantitative analysis using the following analytes: 4-cyano-CUMYL-BUTINACA, 5F-3,5-ABPFUPPYCA, 5F-ADB-PINACA, 5F- PY-PINACA, ADB-PINACA, APP-PICA, CUMYL-THPINACA, EMB-FUNICACA, JWH-250, MDMB-FUBICA, MEP-CHMICA, MO-CHMINACA, NM2201, PB-22, RCS-8, UR144, and XLR11. With this developed method, total analysis time was 8 minutes with samples eluting from 3.8 to 5.8 minutes. Calibration curves for each analyte had acceptable R2 values > 0.99 using a weighting factor of 1/x. A linear dynamic range of 0.5 – 25 ng/mL was used for all analytes, except for APP-PICA and NM2201 which were quantifiable at 0.1 ng/mL and PB-22 which used a quadratic model. Extraction of analytes using supported liquid extraction (SLE) cartridge improved sample-prep time by more than half, compared to traditional solid phase extraction (SPE) methods. Percent recovery of analytes using SLE was determined to be from 54.92 to 83.36%. Bias and Precision was assessed at 1, 3, 7, and 20 ng/mL for all analytes. All samples had acceptable calculated percent bias and percent coefficient of variation (%CV) within ±20%. No carryover was observed with this method. Matrix effect, using 10 different sources, did not have any interfering effects on detection and quantification of analytes. Ionization suppression and enhancement was observed at various levels, from -4.47 to 76.67%, but had little effect on other validation parameters. Analysis of other commonly encountered drugs (clonazepam, diazepam, (+) methadone, morphine, fentanyl, cocaine, amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 25I-NBOMe, and phencyclidine (PCP)) does not show any source of interference. The overall development and validation of this method demonstrates a sensitive and reliable way to positively identify 17 different synthetic cannabinoids in human whole blood in rapid time. / 2020-01-31

This research study successfully completed three objectives: 1) validate liquid-liquid, supported-liquid, and solid-phase extractions for the quantitation of three barbiturates (amobarbital, butalbital, and phenobarbital) in blood and urine using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; 2) to compare the efficiency and effectiveness among methods in accomplishing extraction of barbiturates under the laboratory setting at Boston University School of Medicine; and 3) to report all the analytical data to RTI International for interlaboratory comparison. For the validation study, a six-point linear calibration model (20-2000 ng/mL) with inversely weighted concentration (1/x) was reproducible in all three sample preparation methods for both blood and urine with r2 greater than or equal to 0.994. Bias and precision evaluated from three controls throughout the range of the curve were within ±20% and ±20%CV, respectively. Neither carryover nor interference was observed. Detection limits were evaluated down to 5 ng/mL depending on the extraction procedure. Samples were able to be diluted up to 50 times prior to instrumental analysis. Samples were stable on autosampler at room temperature up to 72 hours after their initial analysis. Recovery of barbiturates from blood and urine all ranged from 45% to 86%. The effect of ionization suppression or enhancement was found to have minimal impact on the validation. For choosing the most suitable method quantifying barbiturates, efficiency and effectiveness were studied. Efficiency evaluates the time and ease of sample preparation required to prepare a sample for analysis. Supported-liquid extraction was found to be the most efficient method for extracting barbiturates as it required the least amount of time to perform and could be easily automated with minimal training. Effectiveness is an assessment of one’s ability to selectively recover target analyte at a reasonably low concentration. By considering a method’s recovery, extract cleanliness, detection limits, and reproducibility, liquid-liquid extraction was the best at quantifying barbiturates in blood and supported-liquid extraction was the most suitable method for extracting barbiturates from urine. For interlaboratory comparison, all the data collected has been reported to RTI International. These findings can be used for examining the overall reliability and reproducibility of the validated methods. Results obtained can also be used to explore the possibility for streamlining sample preparation in the forensic laboratory, and hence reducing the case backlog.

A cannabinoid refers to any natural or synthetic compound that interacts with the CB1 and CB2 receptors. There are currently three different groups of cannabinoids: endogenous cannabinoids, phytocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids. The most common phytocannabinoid is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the active component in the Cannabis sativa or marihuana plant1–3. Two examples of synthetic cannabinoids that are present in case reports from 2012 to 2018 are AB-FUBINACA and AB-PINACA4–7. THC and synthetic cannabinoids are commonly encountered drugs in forensic toxicology cases, therefore, being able to extract these compounds and their metabolites is imperative for toxicological interpretation. There are a variety of commercially available sample preparation techniques for these analytes. Companies such as UCT, Biotage, Millipore-Sigma, Tecan, and Thermo Fisher Scientific manufacture these products. The focus of this research was to evaluate these techniques for their cleanliness, efficiency and cost effectiveness. Sample preparation techniques are designed to remove the different components of the matrix and other prescription or illicit substances present in the sample that could interfere with the assay, increase the analyte recovery, extraction efficiency, decrease variability, and clean-up the sample to allow for less instrument downtime and longer column life8. This study focused on comparing a liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), solid phase extraction (SPE), and supported liquid extraction (SLE). The primary purpose of this study was to develop and validate the three above mentioned sample preparation techniques for the analysis of THC, 11-hydroxy-THC, 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (THCCOOH), AB-FUBINACA, AB-FUBINACA metabolite 3, and AB-PINACA in blood and urine. Parameters assessed followed Academy Standards Board (ASB) Standard 036, Standard Practices for Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology, including recovery, suppression, and matrix effects. For urine and blood analysis, the calibration range was determined to be 1 ng/mL to 50 ng/mL for all three techniques. Urine recovery was highest for the LLE method, with all compounds having a recovery greater than 50%. The SLE method had the lowest LOQ results for urine, with 0.5 ng/mL for 11-hydroxy-THC and THCCOOH, 0.75 ng/mL for THC, AB-FUBINCA and AB-FUBINACA metabolite 3, and 1 ng/mL for AB-PINACA. Ion suppression was reduced using the SLE method for urine along with having the shortest sample preparation time of 1 hr for up to 48 samples. For blood analysis, the LLE method had the greatest recovery of all analytes. The LLE method also had reduced suppression and matrix effects compared to the SPE method. Sample preparation was shorter for the SPE method, consuming 2 hrs for an average sample batch, compared to 4 hrs for the LLE method, which included a 2 hr freezing step. In conclusion, for urine analysis, all three sample preparation techniques were acceptable for the analysis of THC, synthetic cannabinoids, and their metabolites, with the SLE method being the preferred method. For blood analysis a LLE and SPE method were developed and are adequate for the analysis of THC, synthetic cannabinoids, and their metabolites, with the LLE method being the preferred method.

In forensic toxicology, analysis of drugs and metabolites in biological fluids is performed to determine cause of death, suspected drug use, drug facilitated sexual assaults, or whether someone was driving under the influence. Analyte identification and concentration determination can be determined in a variety of matrices (e.g., blood, urine, or oral fluid) and can be complex. It is therefore necessary to have optimal sample preparation and instrumental conditions that work for all matrices of interests. Determining the best approach can be challenging due to the amount of time and resources to perform expansive evaluations of sample preparation, stationary/mobile phases, liquid chromatography (LC) conditions and mass spectrometry (MS) operating parameters. In this study three different sample preparation methods were validated for blood and urine. The three sample preparation methods were solid-phase extraction (SPE), supported liquid extraction (SLE), and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). Six different drug groups were used as the analytes being tested by the methods. These drug groups were amphetamines, local anesthetics, opioids, hallucinogens, antidepressants, and novel psychoactive substances (NPS). A total of twenty-three drugs were used: amphetamine, methamphetamine, (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine (MDEA), and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), benzoylecgonine (BZE), cocaine, lidocaine, codeine, methadone, morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), fentanyl, oxycodone, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), phencyclidine (PCP), amitriptyline, citalopram, fluoxetine, trazodone, ethylone, α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (α-PVP), and 25I-NBOMe. The methods were validated according to guidelines set forth by the Scientific Working Group for Forensic Toxicology (SWGTOX) Standard Practices for Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology and the American Academy of Forensic Science (AAFS) Standards Board (ASB) draft of Standard Practices for Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology. Parameters of calibration model, bias, precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), dilution integrity, ion suppression/enhancement, interference studies, and stability were evaluated. Recovery was also assessed to determine the efficiency of the extraction. Calibration models met the 0.98 R2 minimum requirement. For all sample preparations the compounds evaluated in each were found to be stable for at least 72 hours. Interferences were found to be similar across all three sample preparation methods. Parameters of bias, precision, and dilution integrity were largely comparable between all three methods. Overall for LOD, SLE resulted in lower values for blood and urine ranging for 0.1 to 5 ng/mL. Overall for LOQ, SLE resulted in lower values for blood and LLE resulted in lower values for urine in the range of 0.5-10 ng/mL. SLE resulted in the highest recovery for all twenty-three analytes, due to LLE failing to extract consistently or completely for benzoylecgonine, morphine, and 6-monoacetylmorphine. Overall, SLE resulted in the lowest percent values for ion suppression and enhancement for both blood and urine. Overall, blood resulted in high ion suppression (exceeding -20%) for SPE and LLE. Final determination overall was that SLE was the best sample preparation method for all twenty-three analytes. This was determined based on the evaluation of recovery, ion suppression/enhancement, and LOD, as well as sample preparation time. Sample preparation time for SLE was approximately 1 hour, while SPE took 2.5 hours and LLE 2 hours.

Despite efforts to control synthetic cannabinoids, clandestine manufacturers continue to modify their structures to avoid legal consequences, creating an ever-changing analytical target for forensic laboratories (1). Forensic toxicology laboratories often lack the needed resources or do not have the capabilities to test for these compounds and metabolites, requiring specimens to be submitted to reference laboratories (2). Drug stability can be affected by long storage times, temperature and preservatives (3). Although these factors can be controlled, systematic research is necessary to identify their impacts on the stability of these new synthetic cannabinoids that are continually emerging. The purpose of this research is to assess the stability of 17 synthetic cannabinoids in human whole blood and 10 synthetic cannabinoid metabolites in human urine using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) over thirty-five weeks. The analysis methods were validated in accordance to the Academy Standards Board (ASB) method validation guidelines for quantitative analysis and stability evaluation of the following analytes in blood: 4-cyano CUMYL-BUTINACA, ADB-PINACA, EMB-FUBINACA, JWH-250, MO-CHMINACA, 5-fluoro-3,5-ABPFUPPYCA, 5-fluoro ADB-PINACA, APP-PICA, CUMYL-THPINACA, PB-22, XLR11, 5-fluoro PY-PINACA, MDMB-FUBICA, MEP-CHMICA, NM2201, RCS-8, and UR144. The stability analysis in urine includes the following metabolites: 5-fluoro MDMB-PICA metabolite 7, 5-fluoro PB-22 3-carboxyindole, AB-FUBINACA metabolite 3, ADB-PINACA N-(4-hydroxypentyl), ADB-PINACA pentanoic acid, UR-144 Degradant N-pentanoic acid, PB-22 N-(5-hydroxypentyl), MDMB-FUBICA metabolite 3, UR-144 N-(5-hydroxypentyl), and JWH-250 N-pentanoic acid. Research samples were prepared by spiking with certified reference standards (Cayman Chemical, Ann Arbor, MI, USA) of each select synthetic cannabinoid in certified drug-free human whole blood (Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Biological Specialty Corporation, Colmar, PA) and drug-free urine that was received as donations following the approved Institutional Review Board guidelines (Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA). Blood samples were aliquoted into 6 mL BD Vacutainer Plastic Collection Tubes (Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) and urine samples were stored in 15 mL Falcon Conical Centrifuge Tubes (Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA). Stability under room temperature (20ºC), refrigerator (4ºC), and freezer (-20ºC) at low and high concentrations were evaluated at select time points. A 5% solution of potassium oxalate and sodium fluoride or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was added to the preserved blood samples by the manufacturer prior to storage. The anticoagulant, potassium oxalate, was only added in solution to the preserved samples whereas none was added to the nonpreserved samples. Short-term urine samples were preserved with 1% of sodium fluoride prior to storage. Extraction of analytes was conducted using supported-liquid extraction (SLE) ISOLUTE 1 mL cartridges (Biotage, Charlotte, NC, USA) and reconstituted in 100 μL of 50:50 mixture of 0.1% formic acid in millipore deionized water and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile (Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA). Analysis was performed in triplicate using a reverse-phase C18 column (Waters XBridge C18 3.5 μM, 2.1 x 50 mm, Milford, MA, USA) on the Shimadzu Prominence Ultra-Fast Liquid Chromatography (UFLC, Kyoto, Japan) with SCIEX 4000 Q-Trap Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (ESI/MS/MS, Waltham, MA, USA) in positive ionization mode. The total run time was 8 minutes with a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min and injection volume of 10 μL. Linear calibration curves for each analyte with the exception of a quadratic regression for PB-22, all had acceptable R2 values > 0.99 using a weighting factor of 1/x. A linear dynamic range of 0.5 – 25 ng/mL was used for all analytes in blood except for NM2201 and APP-PICA with a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 0.1 ng/mL and MO-CHMINACA with a working range of 0.5 – 15 ng/mL. A linear working range of 5 – 40 ng/mL was utilized for all metabolites in urine. No signs of carryover were observed. In general, analytes were considered stable if the average area ratio between the analyte and internal standard at the time point was within ± 20% of the average area ratio response at time point zero. In some cases, it was necessary to evaluate the complete picture of the stability data by reviewing analyte area, concentration, and overall stability data trend between timepoints at the low and high concentrations. In certain situations, an analyte was considered stable even if specific timepoints for a concentration were outside the ±20% range. For example, in cases where one concentration at a timepoint was within the ±20% range and the other concentration fell within ±30% range the analyte was considered stable overall. Long-term stability results revealed that all synthetic cannabinoids were stable at 21 to 35 weeks in frozen blood preserved with sodium fluoride except for APP-PICA. The preservatives are recommended to be added to blood to reduce the possibility of matrix inferences and minimize detrimental impacts on the stability of synthetic cannabinoids. Analytes experienced lower degradation in the order of samples that were kept frozen, refrigerated, and then at room temperature. Blood analytes that were stable up to 35 weeks in freezer generally had a core structure of a carbonyl substituent on a pyrazole or pyrrole with surrounding nonpolar groups; whereas compounds with two polar carbonyl functional groups present were found to experience degradation much earlier at 1 week or less in room temperature and refrigerator storage conditions. 5-fluoropentyl analogs, like XLR11 and 5-fluoro ADB-PINACA, in comparison to their counterpart analyte, UR144 and ADB-PINACA, were unstable at earlier time points under all storage conditions. Instability in the majority of the urine metabolites was not observed until after 9 weeks and was generally consistent across all storage conditions. The validated methods demonstrate a sensitive and reliable way to positively identify 17 different synthetic cannabinoids in human whole blood and 10 synthetic cannabinoid metabolites in urine for rapid time stability analysis at various storage conditions. The use of SLE improved sample preparation efficiency by decreasing the extraction time from 1 hour to 30 minutes compared to traditional extraction methods, such as solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). Further studies into additional matrices, such as oral fluid, longer storage times, and other emerging synthetic cannabinoid analytes would expand the scope of this research.

Atualmente, as doenças cardiovasculares constituem as principais causas de morte no Brasil e no mundo. As estatinas são consideradas os agentes mais efetivos e mais bem tolerados para o tratamento do aumento excessivo dos níveis de colesterol no sangue, ou hipercolesterolemia. A fluvastatina (FLV), um fármaco hipolipêmico, de segunda geração, pertencente à classe das estatinas, e é comercializada como mistura racêmica, ou seja, uma mistura equimolar da (+)-3R, 5S-FLV e (-)-3S, 5R-FLV. Além disso, é descrito na literatura que o enantiômero (+)- 3R, 5S- FLV possui atividade cerca de trinta vezes maior do que seu antípoda, o que justifica a importância e necessidade de métodos para análise enantiosseletiva de fármacos que possuam um ou mais centros de assimetria. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo a extração dos enantiômeros da FLV de matriz biológica (plasma) utilizando uma técnica de eletromigração em capilar, a cromatografia eletrocinética (EKC). A análise da FLV por cromatografia eletrocinética empregou como técnica de concentração online o stacking por injeção de grande volume, em um capilar de sílica fundida não revestido, de 50,0 cm de comprimento efetivo e 75 ?m de diâmetro interno, solução tampão tetraborato de sódio 50 mmol L-1, pH 9,5; adicionado de 20 mmol L-1 de 2-hidroxipropil-?-ciclodextrina como eletrólito de corrida, tensão de +25 kV, temperatura de 15 °C, injeção hidrodinâmica (0,5 psi por 30 segundos) e detecção em 300 nm. A separação dos enantiômeros foi obtida com valores de resolução de 3,0 e eficiência de 255840 e 150056, e tempos de migração de 7,2 e 7,4 minutos para a (+)-3R, 5S- FLV e (-)-3S, 5R- FLV, respectivamente. O procedimento de preparo de amostra foi baseado na extração em fase sólido-líquida (SLE), com a adição de 0,5 mL de solução tampão fosfato de sódio 0,1 mol L-1 pH 7,0 em 0,5 mL de plasma, previamente fortificado com padrão de FLV. A amostra foi aplicada na coluna e depois de 15 minutos, a FLV foi eluída com 4 mL de éter etílico. O método analítico foi validado avaliando os parâmetros seletividade, linearidade, precisão e exatidão inter e intra-dia, limite de quantificação, carry-over, efeito matriz, integridade da diluição e estudos de estabilidade. Além disso, foi realizado o estudo de racemização. Os resultados apresentaram linearidade na faixa de concentração plasmática de 250 a 725 ng mL-1 para cada enantiômero, sendo o limite de quantificação a concentração de 250 ng mL-1. Os estudos de precisão e exatidão apresentaram valores aceitáveis, com variação menor do que 15%. Além disso, não foi observado efeito carry-over e as amostras foram estáveis quando submetidas a ciclos de congelamento e descongelamento, estabilidade de curta e longa duração, pós-processamento e não foi observada racemização dos enantiômeros. Em relação ao efeito matriz, procedimentos alternativos foram usados com sucesso para análise de amostras lipêmicas e hemolisadas de plasmas. Sendo assim, este é o primeiro método bioanalítico desenvolvido, rápido e confiável, para quantificar os enantiômeros da FLV em amostras de plasma por EKC usando a SLE como técnica de preparo de amostra. / Nowadays, cardiovascular diseases are the main causes of death in Brazil and worldwide. Statins are considered the most effective and well tolerated agents for the excessive increase in cholesterol blood levels, or hypercholesterolemia. Fluvastatin (FLV), a hypolipidemic second generation drug belongs to statin drug class, and it is commercialized as a racemate, that is, a equimolar mixture of (+)-3R, 5S- FLV and (-)-3S, 5R- FLV. Moreover, literature describes that (+)-3R, 5S- FLV enantiomer activity is thirty times higher than its antipode, which justifies the importance and necessity of methods for the stereoselective analysis of drugs which possess one or more than one asymmetry centers. Thus, this work aims the extraction of FLV enantiomers from a biological matrix (plasma) using one of the electromigration techniques, the EKC. FLV analysis by EKC employed large volume sample stacking as sample on-column concentration technique using a fused-silica capillary with 50.0 cm effective length and 75 ?m internal diameter, 50 mmol L-1 sodium tetraborate buffer, pH 9,5 plus 20 mmol L-1 2-hydroxipropyl-?-cyclodextrin as a background electrolyte, voltage of +25 kV, temperature of 15ºC, with sample injected in hydrodynamic injection mode (0,5 psi for 30 seconds) and detection using a diode array detector set at 300 nm. The enantiomers resolution was achieved with a resolution value of 3.0, and efficiency of 255840 and 150056, migration times of 7.2 and 7.4 minutes for (+)-3R, 5S- FLV and (-)-3S, 5R- FLV, respectively. Supported liquid extraction was the chosen sample preparation procedure, with the addition of 0.5 mL of 0.1 mol L-1 pH 7.0 phosphate buffer to 0.5 mL of plasma, the mixture was applied to the column and allowed to wet for 15 minutes, 4 mL of ethyl ether was then applied to the top of the column, allowed to percolate by gravity and the eluted solvent was collected in an ambar tube, the solvent was submitted to evaporation under nitrogen flow and the residue was ressuspended for injection in the capillary electrophoresis equipment. The analytical method was validated covering selectivity, linearity, within-run and between-run precision and accuracy, limit of quantification, carry-over, matrix effect, dilution integrity and stability studies parameters. The racemization study was also performed. The results support that the analytical method is linear in the range of concentrations from 250 to 725 ng mL-1for each enantiomer, and the limit of quantification was 250 ng mL-1; the method is precise and accurate, with variation under 15%. Besides, no carry-over effect was observed, and both enantiomers showed to be stable under thaw and freeze cycles, short and long term stability studies, autosampler stability, and also no racemization was observed. Related to matrix effect, alternative procedures were employed sucessfully in case of analysis of lipemeic and hemolized matrices. So, this is the first bioanalytical method developed, fast and reliable, to quantify FLV enantiomers in plasma samples using EKC with SLE as sample preparation procedure.

Atualmente, as doenças cardiovasculares constituem as principais causas de morte no Brasil e no mundo. As estatinas são consideradas os agentes mais efetivos e mais bem tolerados para o tratamento do aumento excessivo dos níveis de colesterol no sangue, ou hipercolesterolemia. A fluvastatina (FLV), um fármaco hipolipêmico, de segunda geração, pertencente à classe das estatinas, e é comercializada como mistura racêmica, ou seja, uma mistura equimolar da (+)-3R, 5S-FLV e (-)-3S, 5R-FLV. Além disso, é descrito na literatura que o enantiômero (+)- 3R, 5S- FLV possui atividade cerca de trinta vezes maior do que seu antípoda, o que justifica a importância e necessidade de métodos para análise enantiosseletiva de fármacos que possuam um ou mais centros de assimetria. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo a extração dos enantiômeros da FLV de matriz biológica (plasma) utilizando uma técnica de eletromigração em capilar, a cromatografia eletrocinética (EKC). A análise da FLV por cromatografia eletrocinética empregou como técnica de concentração online o stacking por injeção de grande volume, em um capilar de sílica fundida não revestido, de 50,0 cm de comprimento efetivo e 75 ?m de diâmetro interno, solução tampão tetraborato de sódio 50 mmol L-1, pH 9,5; adicionado de 20 mmol L-1 de 2-hidroxipropil-?-ciclodextrina como eletrólito de corrida, tensão de +25 kV, temperatura de 15 °C, injeção hidrodinâmica (0,5 psi por 30 segundos) e detecção em 300 nm. A separação dos enantiômeros foi obtida com valores de resolução de 3,0 e eficiência de 255840 e 150056, e tempos de migração de 7,2 e 7,4 minutos para a (+)-3R, 5S- FLV e (-)-3S, 5R- FLV, respectivamente. O procedimento de preparo de amostra foi baseado na extração em fase sólido-líquida (SLE), com a adição de 0,5 mL de solução tampão fosfato de sódio 0,1 mol L-1 pH 7,0 em 0,5 mL de plasma, previamente fortificado com padrão de FLV. A amostra foi aplicada na coluna e depois de 15 minutos, a FLV foi eluída com 4 mL de éter etílico. O método analítico foi validado avaliando os parâmetros seletividade, linearidade, precisão e exatidão inter e intra-dia, limite de quantificação, carry-over, efeito matriz, integridade da diluição e estudos de estabilidade. Além disso, foi realizado o estudo de racemização. Os resultados apresentaram linearidade na faixa de concentração plasmática de 250 a 725 ng mL-1 para cada enantiômero, sendo o limite de quantificação a concentração de 250 ng mL-1. Os estudos de precisão e exatidão apresentaram valores aceitáveis, com variação menor do que 15%. Além disso, não foi observado efeito carry-over e as amostras foram estáveis quando submetidas a ciclos de congelamento e descongelamento, estabilidade de curta e longa duração, pós-processamento e não foi observada racemização dos enantiômeros. Em relação ao efeito matriz, procedimentos alternativos foram usados com sucesso para análise de amostras lipêmicas e hemolisadas de plasmas. Sendo assim, este é o primeiro método bioanalítico desenvolvido, rápido e confiável, para quantificar os enantiômeros da FLV em amostras de plasma por EKC usando a SLE como técnica de preparo de amostra. / Nowadays, cardiovascular diseases are the main causes of death in Brazil and worldwide. Statins are considered the most effective and well tolerated agents for the excessive increase in cholesterol blood levels, or hypercholesterolemia. Fluvastatin (FLV), a hypolipidemic second generation drug belongs to statin drug class, and it is commercialized as a racemate, that is, a equimolar mixture of (+)-3R, 5S- FLV and (-)-3S, 5R- FLV. Moreover, literature describes that (+)-3R, 5S- FLV enantiomer activity is thirty times higher than its antipode, which justifies the importance and necessity of methods for the stereoselective analysis of drugs which possess one or more than one asymmetry centers. Thus, this work aims the extraction of FLV enantiomers from a biological matrix (plasma) using one of the electromigration techniques, the EKC. FLV analysis by EKC employed large volume sample stacking as sample on-column concentration technique using a fused-silica capillary with 50.0 cm effective length and 75 ?m internal diameter, 50 mmol L-1 sodium tetraborate buffer, pH 9,5 plus 20 mmol L-1 2-hydroxipropyl-?-cyclodextrin as a background electrolyte, voltage of +25 kV, temperature of 15ºC, with sample injected in hydrodynamic injection mode (0,5 psi for 30 seconds) and detection using a diode array detector set at 300 nm. The enantiomers resolution was achieved with a resolution value of 3.0, and efficiency of 255840 and 150056, migration times of 7.2 and 7.4 minutes for (+)-3R, 5S- FLV and (-)-3S, 5R- FLV, respectively. Supported liquid extraction was the chosen sample preparation procedure, with the addition of 0.5 mL of 0.1 mol L-1 pH 7.0 phosphate buffer to 0.5 mL of plasma, the mixture was applied to the column and allowed to wet for 15 minutes, 4 mL of ethyl ether was then applied to the top of the column, allowed to percolate by gravity and the eluted solvent was collected in an ambar tube, the solvent was submitted to evaporation under nitrogen flow and the residue was ressuspended for injection in the capillary electrophoresis equipment. The analytical method was validated covering selectivity, linearity, within-run and between-run precision and accuracy, limit of quantification, carry-over, matrix effect, dilution integrity and stability studies parameters. The racemization study was also performed. The results support that the analytical method is linear in the range of concentrations from 250 to 725 ng mL-1for each enantiomer, and the limit of quantification was 250 ng mL-1; the method is precise and accurate, with variation under 15%. Besides, no carry-over effect was observed, and both enantiomers showed to be stable under thaw and freeze cycles, short and long term stability studies, autosampler stability, and also no racemization was observed. Related to matrix effect, alternative procedures were employed sucessfully in case of analysis of lipemeic and hemolized matrices. So, this is the first bioanalytical method developed, fast and reliable, to quantify FLV enantiomers in plasma samples using EKC with SLE as sample preparation procedure.