Chiral liquid chromatography resolution and stereoselective pharmacokinetic study of tetrahydropalmatine enantiomers in dogs

A selective chiral high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method coupled with achiral column was developed and validated to separate and quantify tetrahydropalmatine (THP) enantiomers in dog plasma. Chromatography was accomplished by two steps: (1) racemic THP was separated from biological matrix and collected on a Kromasil C18 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with the mobile phase acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid solution, adjusted with triethylamine to pH 6.15 (47:53); (2) enantiomeric separation was performed on a Chiralcel OJ-H column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with the mobile phase anhydrous ethanol. The detection wavelength was set at 230 nm. (+)-THP and (−)-THP were separated with a resolution factor (Rs) of at least 1.6 and a separation factor (α) greater than 1.29. Linear calibration curves were obtained over the range of 0.025–4 μg/ml in plasma for each of (+)-THP and (−)-THP (R2 > 0.999) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.005 μg/ml and the recovery was greater than 88% for each enantiomer. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) and relative error values were less than 10% at upper and lower concentrations. The method was used to determine the pharmacokinetics of THP enantiomers after oral administration of racemic THP. The results presented herein showed the stereoselective disposition kinetics of THP in dogs and were a further contribution to the understanding of the kinetic behavior of THP analogues.