Quantification of the N-desmethyl metabolite of rosuvastatin in human plasma by automated SPE followed by HPLC with tandem MS detection.

A selective, accurate and precise assay was developed for the quantification in human plasma of the N-desmethyl metabolite of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor rosuvastatin. The assay-employing automated SPE followed by HPLC with positive ion electrospray tandem MS (HPLC-MS/MS)-was validated. The standard curve range for N-desmethyl rosuvastatin in human plasma was 0.5-30 ng/ml with 0.5 ng/ml being the limit of quantification. Plasma samples were mixed 1:1 with sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.0; 0.1M) soon after separation from red blood cells. N-Desmethyl rosuvastatin was stable in plasma:buffer at room temperature for 24h and at -70 degrees C for 12 months. The assay was applied successfully to the quantification of N-desmethyl rosuvastatin in human plasma following administration of rosuvastatin.