Simultaneous Determination of Valproic Acid and its Toxic Metabolites, 4-ene-VPA and 2,4-diene-VPA in Rat Plasma using a Gas Chromatographic-mass Spectrometric Method

Abstract

A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of valproic acid (VPA) and its toxic metabolites, 4-ene-VPA and 2,4-diene-VPA in rat plasma. Extraction was performed in weak acidic condition (pH 5.2) to avoid degradation of 4-ene-VPA and 2,4-diene-VPA. The recoveries for 4-ene-VPA and 2,4-diene-VPA were more than 70% and that for VPA was 33-42%. R value for each compounds exceeded 0.998 in calibration curve during all the analysis. Accuracy and precision ranged from 88.3 to 113.2% and from 2.16 to 14.2%,respectively The method was successfully applied to monitor plasma concentrations of VPA, 4-ene-VPA and 2,4-diene-VPA after intravenous administration of VPA at the dose of 100 mg/kg, suggesting that these toxic metabolites may involved in the hepatotoxicity induced by VPA.