Determination of piperphentonamine and metabolites M1 and M6 in human plasma and urine by LC/MS/MS and its application in a pharmacokinetics study in Chinese healthy volunteers

Piperphentonamine hydrochloride (PPTA) is a new calcium sensitizer. A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for determination of piperphentonamine and its metabolites M1 and M6 was developed for the first time and applied to a pharmacokinetics study. Protein precipitation was used for pre-treatment of plasma samples, and solid phase extraction method was used for pre-treatment of urine samples. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column using gradient elution in this study: A: 1% acetic acid aqueous solution, and B: acetonitrile. The whole analysis lasted for 10.5 min and the gradient flow rate was 0.25 mL/min constantly. The detection was performed of a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode via a positive electrospray ionization source. The results were that the m/z ratios of monitored precursor ions and product ions of PPTA, M1 and M6 were 354.0 → 191.8, 356.0 → 148.7 and 358.0 → 148.7, respectively. From the standard curve, the concentration ranges of both PPTA and M1 in blood and urine samples were 0.1–500 ng/mL and 0.1–200 ng/mL, respectively; the concentration ranges of M6 in blood sample and urine sample were 0.2–500 ng/mL and 0.2–200 ng/mL, respectively; and the correlation coefficient of standard curve was r > 0.99. A total of 31 healthy Chinese subjects participated in the pharmacokinetic study of single bolus intravenous injection of piperphentonamine hydrochloride. They were divided into three dosage groups and given 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mg/kg of PPTA. After drug administration, concentrations of PPTA, M1 and M6 in human plasma and urine samples were determined to evaluation the pharmacokinetic characteristics of PPTA and its metabolites M1 and M6.

► Piperphentonamine hydrochloride for injection is an original new drug firstly used in human, which belongs to calcium sensitizers.
► A LC/MS/MS method to determine the concentrations of piperphentonamine and metabolites M1 and M6 in human plasma and urine was established in this paper.
► This method was adopted to perform quantitative analysis of piperphentonamine and metabolites in plasma and urine of healthy Chinese subjects.
► The pharmacokinetic characteristics of single intravenous bolus of piperphentonamine and metabolites in three dosage groups in healthy Chinese subjects were evaluated.