Liquid chromatographic determination including simultaneous “on-cartridge” separation of ranitidine cisapride drug combinations from paediatric plasma samples using an automated solid-phase extraction procedure

HPLC methodology was investigated for the simultaneous determination of cisapride and ranitidine in small volume paediatric plasma samples. Such a simultaneous determination proved difficult due to the small sample volumes, the low concentrations of the drugs and the different log P values of the two compounds. The two drugs and their respective internal standards were separated “on-cartridge” using HLB Solid Phase Extraction cartridges and the samples quantified by individual HPLC methodologies. The technique has been applied successfully to 60 paediatric plasma samples containing both cisapride and ranitidine.