Quantification of isosorbide 5-mononitrate in human plasma by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry using atmospheric pressure photoionization

Isosorbide 5-mononitrate (5-ISMN) is an organic nitrate widely used for its vasodilating properties in the treatment of angina pectoris. In the present study, an efficient, sensitive, robust method was developed for the determination and quantification of isosorbide 5-mononitrate, in human plasma, by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), using photospray ionization. Isosorbide 5-mononitrate was extracted from 0.5 mL human plasma by liquid–liquid extraction (LLE). The method had a chromatographic run of 2.0 min using a C8 analytical column (100 mm × 2.1 mm i.d.) and the linear calibration curve over the range was linear from 20 to 2000 ng mL−1 (r2 > 0.995). The between-run precision, based on the relative standard deviation replicate quality controls, was 7.9% (60 ng mL−1), 5.2% (300 ng mL−1) and 7.0% (1800 ng mL−1). The between-run accuracy was 94.9%, 94.1% and 88.8% for the above-mentioned concentrations, respectively. The method herein described was employed in a bioequivalence study of two tablet formulations of isosorbide 5-mononitrate 40 mg.