A solid phase extraction reversed-phase HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of methoprene, permethrin and selected metabolites in rat plasma and urine.

A method was validated and applied for the analysis of the insect growth regulator methoprene [Isopropyl (2E,4E)-11-methoxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,4-dienoate], its metabolite methoprene acid, the insecticide permethrin [3-(2,2-dichloro-ethenyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid(3-phenoxyphenyl)methylester], and two of its metabolites, m-phenoxybenzyl alcohol and m-phenoxybenzoic acid, in rat plasma and urine using solid-phase extraction and reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The analytes were separated using gradient of 55-100% acetonitrile in water (pH 4.0) at a flow rate ranging between 0.6 and 1.0 mL/min over a period of 20 min, and UV detection at 210 and 254 nm. The retention times ranged from 7.3 to 18.4 min. The limits of detection ranged between 50 and 100 ng/ml, while limits of quantitation were 100-150 ng/mL. Average percentage recovery of five spiked plasma samples was 83.6 +/- 3.9, 80.1 +/- 5.4, 82.1 +/- 4.4, 83.7 +/- 3.9 and 83.1 +/- 4.7, and from urine 79.3 +/- 4.3, 82.0 +/- 5.4, 80.7 +/- 4.2, 78.9 +/- 5.7 and 83.9 +/- 4.5 for methoprene, methoprene acid, permethrin, m-phenoxybenzyl alcohol and m-phenoxybenzoic acid, respectively. The method was linear and reproducible over the range of 100-1000 ng/mL. This method was applied to analyze the above chemicals and metabolites following their combined administration in rats.