Determination of three metabolites of a new angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, imidapril, in plasma and urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using multiple ion detection.

A specific and sensitive gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for the determination of three metabolites of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, imidapril, in plasma and urine was developed. The metabolites were isolated from plasma and urine using a Bond Elut C18 solid-phase extraction cartridge. The isolated metabolites were converted to sensitive derivatives by pentafluorobenzyl bromide and heptafluoro-n-butyric acid anhydride. Following derivatization, the sample solutions were analysed by wide-bore column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with multiple ion detection. The detection limits of the three metabolites were each 1 ng/ml in plasma and 5 ng/ml in urine. Analysis of the spiked plasma and urine samples demonstrated the good accuracy and precision of the method. This method was very useful for use in pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies of the three metabolites of imidapril in humans.