Thermospray liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry: application to the elucidation of zolpidem metabolism.

This paper discusses the possible advantages of thermospray liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry LC/MS/MS for metabolic mapping. The technique was applied to the study of the metabolism of zolpidem, a new hypnotic with an imidazo-pyridine moiety. When compared to other chromatographic/mass spectrometric-based techniques, reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with thermospray LC/MS/MS appears to be the fastest method available today for elucidation of unknown metabolic structures, since it allows identification by direct injection of concentrated urine. However, it was noted during the thermospray process that loss of formaldehyde from a hydroxymethyl amide metabolite occurred. This degradation was not observed when this metabolite was analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry following trimethylsilylation.