High performance liquid chromatographic determination of levomepromazine in human breast milk and serum using solid phase extraction.

A high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed for the determination of levomepromazine in human breast milk and serum. The levomepromazine was extracted by a rapid and simple extraction method using a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. The extracts were separated by HPLC on a C8 bonded reversed phase column and detected by UV absorbance at 254 nm. There was no interference with endogenous substance in human breast milk and serum. A linear relationship was obtained for the levomepromazine over the concentration range of 10-300 ng/mL. The recoveries of levomepromazine added to human breast milk and serum were 92.5-99.1% and 86.9-103.9%, respectively.