SENSITIVE METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF VINCRISTINE IN HUMAN SERUM BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY AFTER ONLINE COLUMN-EXTRACTION

A column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of vincristine in serum. Sample preparation was carried out by means of on-line column-extraction, using a C18 reversed-phase preconcentration column. This technique is simple (minimizing manual sampling errors), rapid (reduction of time and costs) and can be easily automated. Both ultraviolet and electrochemical detection are possible, but the latter shows a cleaner chromatogram and is, by the use of a new electrochemical detector, far more sensitive (detection limit 0.3-mu-g/l at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3). A matrix study was carried out (using human serum and urine and two kinds of calf's serum). Although it appeared that the system was matrix-dependent, no difference in matrix effects could be found in the serum or plasma of different patients. Controls for human serum analysis should be prepared in human serum. With the method described, pharmacokinetic studies of vincristine in children can be performed.