Separation of the enantiomers of ibuprofen and its major phase I metabolites in urine using capillary electrophoresis.

A capillary electrophoresis method for determination of the enantiomers of ibuprofen and its major phase I metabolites: 2'-hydroxyibuprofen and 2'-carboxyibuprofen in urine samples have been developed. Cyclodextrins and linear dextrins have been investigated as chiral selectors. Simultaneous chiral separation of the enantiomers of ibuprofen, 2'-hydroxyibuprofen and 2'-carboxyibuprofen was obtained using a mixture of dextrin 10 and heptakis (2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin in a 2-[N-morpholino]ethanesulphonic acid buffer, pH 5.26. The electroosmotic flow was reversed using hexadimethrine bromide as a buffer additive. The method can be used for the determination of the free enantiomers of ibuprofen, 2'-hydroxyibuprofen and 2'-carboxyibuprofen as well as for the indirect determination of their glucuronic acid conjugates in urine samples.