Determination of tandospirone in human plasma by a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method

A rapid, sensitive, and selective liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the detection of tandospirone in human plasma is described. It was employed in a pharmacokinetic study. The analyte and internal standard diphenhydramine were extracted from plasma using liquid–liquid extraction, then separated on a Zorbax XDB C18 column using a mobile phase of methanol–water–formic acid (80:20:0.5, v/v/v). The detection was performed with a tandem mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source. Linearity was established in the concentration range of 10.0-5,000 pg/ml. The lower limit of quantification was 10.0 pg/ml. The intraday and interday relative standard deviation across three validation runs over the entire concentration range was less than 13%. Accuracy determined at three concentrations (25.0, 200, and 4,000 pg/ml for tandospirone) ranged from 94.4 to 102.1%. Each plasma sample was chromatographed within 3.4 min. The method proved to be highly selective and suitable for bioequivalence evaluation of different formulations containing tandospirone and clinical pharmacokinetic investigation of tandospirone.