Extraction and quantification of daunomycin and doxorubicin in tissues.

The measurement of intracellular concentrations of the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin was performed by the application of a simple cell extraction technique combined with a rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic separation. Quantitation was done by fluorescence detection. The extraction procedure was non-degradative and the mean recovery of drug was 95%. A high drug extraction efficiency was confirmed with radiolabeled [3H] doxorubicin. The method is applicable to normal and neoplastic tissue.