A sensitive and simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of mitoxantrone in plasma.

A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for measuring the anthracene derivative, mitoxantrone, in plasma is described. After protein precipitation with 5-sulfosalicylic acid, samples are resolved by isocratic elution from a C18 reverse phase support and quantified by ultraviolet (UV) detection. Recovery of mitoxantrone after deproteinization was > 70%. Within-run and between-day coefficients of variation (CVs) were 5.1 and 13.7%, respectively, at mitoxantrone concentrations of 20 nM (n = 6). The limit of detection was 2.5 nM and the standard curve linear up to 1 microM. Stability studies have shown that mitoxantrone is stable in spiked whole blood for 3-6 h, provided the samples are kept on ice. The drug is stable in plasma and deproteinized plasma samples for at least 24 h. The method requires few manipulations and is readily adaptable to automation.