Fluorimetric determination of nicorandil in human plasma by a high-performance liquid chromatographic postcolumn ultraviolet detection system equipped with on-line back-pressure tubing

For the determination of nicorandil in plasma, a fluorometric technique using HPLC-postcolumn UV detection has been developed. The chromatographic system consisted of a single pump, photoreactor and on-line back-pressure tubing. The system was suitable for the separation of nicorandil under the present reaction conditions. The calibration graph was linear over the range 6.5-1170 ng ml(-1) using an injected volume of 100 mu l. The pretreatment of the plasma samples consisted only of deproteinizing steps by adding perchloric acid. The mean recovery from plasma was 90.2%.