Rapid assay for plasma chlorambucil and phenyl acetic mustard using reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

A rapid assay for chlorambucil, a drug used for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and its major metabolite is described. Chromatographic behaviour of the two compounds on two different reversed-phase columns is discussed, as well as the kinetics of their hydrolysis in aqueous medium. The developed analysis can be applied to the determination of the plasma levels of the drug and its metabolite. No sample preparation is required and the spectrophotometric detection affords the sensitivity in the picomole range. Total analysis time is between 10 and 15 min.