Determination of lorazepam in plasma and urine as trimethylsilyl derivative using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl. 1999 Sep 24;732(2):509-14. doi: 10.1016/s0378-4347(99)00321-7.

Abstract

A procedure based on gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for identification and quantitation of lorazepam in plasma and urine is presented. The analyte was extracted from biological fluids under alkaline conditions using solid-phase extraction with an Extrelut-1 column in the presence of oxazepam-d5 as the internal standard. Both compounds were then converted to their trimethylsilyl derivatives and the reaction products were identified and quantitated by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using the product ions of the two compounds (m/z 341, 306 and 267 for lorazepam derivative and m/z 346, 309 and 271 for oxazepam-d5 derivative) formed from the parent ions by collision-induced dissociation in the ion trap spectrometer. Limit of quantitation was 0.1 ng/ml. This method was validated for urine and plasma samples of individuals in treatment with the drug.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / analysis*
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / blood
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / urine
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Humans
  • Lorazepam / analysis*
  • Lorazepam / blood
  • Lorazepam / urine
  • Oxazepam / chemistry
  • Reference Standards

Substances

  • Anti-Anxiety Agents
  • Oxazepam
  • Lorazepam