Determination of articaine in human plasma by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and its application in a preliminary pharmacokinetic study

A specific liquid chromatography–mass spectrometric (LC–MS) method using an ion trap spectrometer was developed for the quantitation of articaine in human plasma. Articaine and the internal standard (trazodone) were extracted in a single step with diethyl-ether from 0.5 mL of alkalinized plasma. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile with 0.1% formic acid (40:60, v/v). It was delivered at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The effluent was monitored by MS in positive-ion mode. Ionisation was performed using an electrospray ion source operating at 200 °C. Articaine was identified and quantified in SIM mode at m/z 185. Calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 78.1–5000 ng/mL with determination coefficients > 0.996. This method was fast (total run-time < 3 min), accurate (bias < 16%), and reproducible (intra-assay and inter-assay precision < 14%) with a quantitation limit of 78.1 ng/mL. The good specificity and sensitivity achieved by this method allowed the determination of articaine plasma levels in patients following a submucosal infiltration injection of articaine in the patients undergoing a third molar surgery.