Quantitative thin-layer and high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of lorapride in biological fluids and a pharmacokinetic study in humans.

Lorapride has been determined in plasma, red blood cells, and urine by HPLC. The detection was performed at a short wavelength (226 nm), resulting in a detection limit of 10 ng/mL (amount injected was 3.5 ng). Reproducibility of analytical and chromatographic methods through statistical coefficients of variation was 4%. By TLC, only levels in urine were determined. Urine samples were spotted directly on the plate; lorapride was determined after spraying the plate with the Bratton-Marshall reagent, and measurements were carried out in the simultaneous reflectance and transmittance mode (540 nm). The detection limit was 10 ng spotted. Lorapride amounts in urine determined by the two methods were compared by statistical analysis. Examples of kinetics after intravenous and oral administration (100 mg) in humans are given.