Metabolite identification by mass spectrometry: forty years of evolution.

When the Drug Metabolism Discussion Group was instigated in 1971, metabolite identification by mass spectrometry was a slow and laborious process undertaken by mass spectrometrists who seemed to continually disappoint their colleagues by failing to obtain the metabolite spectra. This was usually because not enough material was supplied or the material was impure. Today, accurate metabolite information can be obtained rapidly with little material by utilizing a range of mass spectrometers with complementary properties. This review will discuss how both technology and strategy have evolved over the past forty years to meet the changing demands of metabolism studies within the pharmaceutical industry.