Quantification of amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and 10-hydroxy metabolite isomers in plasma by capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-sensitive detection.

D R Jones, B J Lukey, H E Hurst

Index: J. Chromatogr. A. 278(2) , 291-9, (1983)

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Abstract

A selective, sensitive method for the determination of amitriptyline and its metabolites is described. This method involves liquid-liquid extraction and capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-sensitive detection. The detection limits of amitriptyline, nortriptyline, 10-hydroxy(E)amitriptyline, 10-hydroxy(E)nortriptyline, and 10-hydroxy(Z)nortriptyline were slightly less than 0.5 ng/ml in 1.0-ml plasma samples. The coefficients of variation for within-run and between-run analyses of samples containing 100 ng/ml were less than 12% and 9%, respectively. The method offers rapid analysis of individual isomers, increased sensitivity over high-performance liquid chromatographic methodology and the conveniences of the gas chromatographic technique.