Rapid determination of piracetam in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid by micellar electrokinetic chromatography with sample direct injection

A simple micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method with UV detection at 200 nm for analysis of piracetam in plasma and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by direct injection without any sample pretreatment is described. The separation of piracetam from biological matrix was performed at 25 °C using a background electrolyte consisting of Tris buffer with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as the electrolyte solution. Several parameters affecting the separation of the drug from biological matrix were studied, including the pH and concentrations of the Tris buffer and SDS. Under optimal MEKC condition, good separation with high efficiency and short analyses time is achieved. Using imidazole as an internal standard (IS), the linear ranges of the method for the determination of piracetam in plasma and in CSF were all between 5 and 500 μg/mL; the detection limit of the drug in plasma and in CSF (signal-to-noise ratio = 3; injection 0.5 psi, 5 s) was 1.0 μg/mL. The applicability of the proposed method for determination of piracetam in plasma and CSF collected after intravenous administration of 3 g piracetam every 6 h and oral administration 1.2 g every 6 h in encephalopathy patients with aphasia was demonstrated.