Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of five bisphosphonates in equine urine and plasma

• Bisphosphonates pose significant challenges for analysis.
• First report on the detection of multiple bisphosphonates in equine urine and plasma.
• A LC/MS/MS method was developed by SPE and by methylation of bisphosphonates with TMSD.
• Method was applied to quantification of tiludronic acid post administration samples.

Bisphosphonates are used in the management of skeletal disorder in humans and horses, with tiludronic acid being the first licensed veterinary medicine in the treatment of lameness associated with degenerative joint disease. Bisphosphonates are prohibited in horseracing according to Article 6 of the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering (published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities). In order to control the use of bisphosphonates in equine sports, an effective method to detect the use of bisphosphonates is required. Bisphosphonates are difficult-to-detect drugs due to their hydrophilic properties. The complexity of equine matrices also added to their extraction difficulties. This study describes a method for the simultaneous detection of five bisphosphonates, namely alendronic acid, clodronic acid, ibandronic acid, risedronic acid and tiludronic acid, in equine urine and plasma. Bisphosphonates were first isolated from the sample matrices by solid-phase extractions, followed by methylation with trimethylsilyldiazomethane prior to liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry analysis using selective reaction monitoring in the positive electrospray ionization mode. The five bisphosphonates could be detected at low ppb levels in 0.5 mL equine plasma or urine with acceptable precision, fast instrumental turnaround time, and negligible matrix interferences. The method has also been applied to the excretion study of tiludronic acid in plasma and urine collected from a horse having been administered a single dose of tiludronic acid. The applicability and effectiveness of the method was demonstrated by the successful detection and confirmation of the presence of tiludronic acid in an overseas equine urine sample. To our knowledge, this is the first reported method in the successful screening and confirmation of five amino- and non-amino bisphosphonates in equine biological samples.