Measurement of serum pralidoxime methylsulfate (Contrathion®) by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

Pralidoxime methylsulfate (Contrathion((R))) is widely used to treat organophosphate poisoning. Despite animal and human studies, the usefulness of Contrathion((R)) therapy remains a matter of debate. Therapeutic dosage regimens need to be clarified and availability of a reliable method for plasma pralidoxime quantification would be helpful in this process. We here describe a high-performance liquid chromatography technique with electrochemical detection to measure pralidoxime concentrations in human serum using guanostne as an internal standardThe assay was linear between 0.25 and 50 mug mL(-1) with a quantification limit of 0.2 mug mL(-1). The analytical precision was satisfactory, with variation coefficients lower 10%. This assay was applied to the analysis of a serum from an organophosphorate poisoned patient and treated by Contrathion((R)) infusions (100 and 200 mg h(-1)) after a loading dose (400 mg). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.